The D1Baseball Podcast

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Week Two Reaction Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of the D1Baseball Podcast, Mike Rooney, Kendall Rogers and Aaron Fitt recap week two around college baseball. They discuss their takeaways from the Round Rock Classic, headlined by Oregon State's Dax Whitney, #1 UCLA's dominating series win over TCU, and more.

00:00 Omaha Fuel: Coffee Sponsor Kickoff (Kiersten Coffee Ad)

00:39 Podcast Intro: Weekend 2 Reacts with Rooney, Fitt & Rogers

01:18 Press Box Culture: The Fresca Tracker Returns

02:10 UCLA’s Loud Weekend: Power Surge vs TCU

03:40 LSU Looks Like LSU: Jax Classic Dominance & Lineup Depth

05:35 Texas Checks Every Box: Sweeping Michigan State

07:09 Auburn’s Statement + Louisville Concerns

10:44 Kent State Stuns Tennessee: How Real Are the Golden Flashes?

14:31 ECU vs North Carolina: Blowouts, a Tie, and Standout Arms/Bats

17:19 East Carolina’s bounce-back + freshman arms to watch

18:07 Round Rock Classic recap begins: Purdue’s pesky lineup & Westin Boyle buzz

19:30 Southern Miss wins it: Gray Harris breakout and lineup standouts

20:36 Oregon State at Round Rock: Dax Whitney dominance vs. real offensive concerns

24:46 Whitney hype train: 2027 No. 1 prospect talk

26:50 Other weekend series that mattered: UTSA sweeps DBU, Cal over UC Irvine, UConn vs Arizona

29:26 Conference temperature check: Big 12 wobbly, Big 10 surging early

32:40 Final thoughts, shoutouts, and signing off after Weekend 2

The D1Baseball Podcast is presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. At Academy Sports + Outdoors, they carry all the best gear from the top brands — all at prices you'll love. And now shopping is more convenient than ever at Academy.com and on the Academy app. Enjoy free shipping on orders of $25 or more with sign-in. Plus, easy in-store or curbside pickup. Shop anytime, anywhere and find the widest selection of colors, styles, and sizes. From grills to fitness equipment to workout clothes, everything you need to have fun out THERE is right HERE at https://Academy.com.

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

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Weekend 2 Preview Feb 20, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of The D1Baseball Podcast, Joe Healy, Kendall Rogers, and Mark Etheridge are joined by Bradley Smart ahead of weekend two in college baseball.

00:00 Official Sponsor: Omaha Fuel Coffee (Kiersten Coffee Ad)

00:39 Podcast Intro + Week 2 Preview Setup

01:49 Winter Olympics Tangent: Which Event Would You Compete In?

04:21 Hockey Talk + Rockets Memorabilia & Logo Debate

06:48 Weather, Moving the Season Back & Opening Weekend Crowds

08:36 Tournament Preview: Amegy Bank College Baseball Series

09:17 Auburn Deep Dive: Offensive Woes vs. Pitching Surprise

12:17 Who Pops in the Field? K-State Buzz, Louisville Arms, FSU Rotation Questions

18:46 Jax College Baseball Classic Preview: LSU–Notre Dame–Indiana–UCF

19:04 LSU Notes: Jake Brown Breakout + Guidry as a Late-Inning Weapon

23:50 Notre Dame & UCF Storylines: New Bats, Freshman Arms, and the Miami 13-Inning Gut Punch

29:09 Marquee weekend series: TCU at UCLA

32:47 UCLA spotlight: Roch Cholowsky, Will Gasparino & Angel Cervantes’ role

35:38 Round Rock Classic preview: Oregon State’s offense vs elite arms

36:56 Southern Miss & Baylor breakdowns

41:07 Under-the-radar series to watch + everyone’s picks

49:18 Quick-hit matchups: UConn–Arizona, DBU–UTSA, Xavier–Arkansas, more

55:52 Final thoughts, jokes, sponsor thanks & sign-off

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Embracing Volatility In The Rankings Process [D1 Daily] Feb 19, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of the D1 Daily podcast, Burkie addresses the alleged hypocrisy in his identifying a "predicted" player of the year candidate (Ace Reese). The guys also discuss the natural tension in adjusting (or not adjusting) early-season rankings for teams like Auburn, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt. Finally, Kole Klecker of Arizona State is discussed among several "Hey Now" moments.

00:39 - Welcome Back

05:05 - Roons' Fence-Straddling Strategy

07:42 - Midweek 'Hey Now' Spotlight

10:10 - More Midweek 'Hey Now's'

12:17 - Rankings Volatility vs. 'Poll Mechanics': How Much Should Week 1 Matter?

15:28 - Early-Season Re-Ranking Examples

18:01 - So Should We Be More Aggressive With Our Early-Season Takes?

19:46 - Vanderbilt Weekend Takeaways

21:07 - Tennessee Reality Check

24:24 - "Real Dude" Alerts On Our Radar

26:32 - ACC & Poll Mechanics

28:10 - Florida's Kyle Jones Is Back

29:14 - A Look At Arizona State's Landon Hairston

32:34 - Big 12 Reassessment: Maybe It's Top-Heavy?

33:27 - Why College Baseball Hooks Fans

35:25 - Closing Thoughts

D1 Daily, a production of The D1Baseball Podcast, is presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. At Academy Sports + Outdoors, they carry all the best gear from the top brands — all at prices you’ll love. And now shopping is more convenient than ever at Academy.com and on the Academy app. Enjoy free shipping on orders of $25 or more with sign-in. Plus, easy in-store or curbside pickup. Shop anytime, anywhere and find the widest selection of colors, styles, and sizes. From grills to fitness equipment to workout clothes, everything you need to have fun out THERE is right HERE at https://Academy.com.

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

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Previewing The 2026 Amegy Bank College Baseball Series [Weekend 2] With The Six Head Coaches Feb 18, 2026

Show notes

With the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series [Weekend 2] coming up this weekend, the D1Baseball staff sat down with each of the six coaches playing at Globe Life Field in Arlington this weekend to preview their teams.

00:39 Butch Thompson - Auburn

12:48 Dan McDonnell - Louisville

22:50 Link Jarrett - Florida State

39:54 Will Bolt - Nebraska

48:39 Tracy Smith - Michigan

Unfortunately we had a lot of audio issues with Kansas State's head coach Pete Hughes. You can still watch what we were able to get from the interview on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrCChWFlo4M

College baseball fans kick off the 2026 season at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, with three straight weekends of elite matchups, college baseball's premier early-season tournaments. Returned to Arlington for a sixth straight year, featuring the Shrin. Children's College Showdown, February 13th to the 15th, the Amee Bank College Baseball Series. February 20th to the 22nd and February 27th to March 2nd. This year's lineup is the biggest yet with 20 of the top programs in the country set to take the field. That includes 15 teams that participated in the 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament. Become a college baseball VIP with Home Plate Reserve tickets. This premium offering features reserve seating behind home plate reserve parking. Early entry, a souvenir hat and cup, and more tickets are on sale now https://www.collegebaseballseries.com.

Use the code D1Baseball at checkout for 20% off your purchase of general admission tickets.

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Week 1 Takeaways, "Hey Nows" and "Real Dudes" [D1 Daily] Feb 17, 2026

Show notes

Burkie and Roons react to the opening weekend of the 2026 college baseball season. Their big takeaways include Southern Miss’ comeback series with UC Santa Barbara, Oklahoma’s strong showing at Globe Life, and the high-end feel of TCU vs. Arkansas, while noting Mississippi State and Florida looked unsettled early despite rebounding results. In a “low oxygen” check, they flag early struggles for Big 12 programs like Texas Tech, Arizona, and Oklahoma State, while highlighting TCU and West Virginia’s strong starts.

“Hey now” moments include Jackson Nystrom’s return to start for San Francisco after a cancer diagnosis, huge crowds (including Arkansas–TCU over 20,000), La Salle’s reinstated program going 3–0, standout small-school performances, Michigan going 3–0 in Surprise, and Tyce Armstrong hitting three grand slams in one game.

Their “real dudes” discussion spotlights Dee Kennedy’s monster weekend, Arkansas' Damian Ruiz reaching base 11 straight times, and Cam Johnson's six strong innings with 11 strikeouts.

00:00 Welcome back!

03:20 Top Weekend Takeaways: USM vs UCSB thriller + Oklahoma’s statement at Globe Life

04:41 TCU vs Arkansas: Felt Like June

06:31 Early Nerves? Mississippi State & Florida

08:48 Low Oxygen Zone: Louisville & Arizona

11:44 Big 12 Under The Microscope

15:11 Week 1's ‘Hey Now’ Moments

17:50 cold-weather teams shine + Michigan’s 3–0 "surprise" weekend

19:52 Georgia's Kenny Ishikawa & UCSB’s Jackson Flora

24:05 Three Grand Slams?! Armstrong’s Historic Day (Hey Now Moment)

25:28 Real Dudes Candidates: Dee Kennedy + Damian Ruiz

27:35 More Weekend Standouts: Tennessee, Kentucky, Wazzu, Vandy, Navy & Georgia Tech

30:49 Aggies & Cavs Loud Early

32:41 Burkie's "Real Dude" of the Weekend

34:00 Putting a Bow on Dee Kennedy

35:44 Roons' "Real Dude" of the Weekend

37:36 Final Notes & Sign-Off: Changeups, Mid-Majors Shoutouts, and Closing Thoughts

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Week One Recap Feb 16, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of the D1Baseball Podcast, Joe Healy and Aaron Fitt recap week one around college baseball. They discuss the happenings at the tournament at Globe Life Field, headlined by Oklahoma's impressive 3-0 showing, the marquee mid-major series between UC Santa Barbara and Southern Miss and much more.

00:00 Official Sponsor Spotlight: Coffee for the Road to Omaha

00:39 Podcast Kickoff: Skeleton Crew, New Sunday-Night Recording Time

02:34 Globe Life Tournament Recap: Oklahoma’s 3–0 Statement

03:41 Sooners’ Pitching Breakout: Cam Johnson & LJ Mercurius Lead the Way

06:15 Oklahoma’s Lineup Identity: Chaos Offense with More Physicality

08:40 TCU Takeaways: Dangerous Bats, Pitching Questions, and Noah Franco’s Slider

10:17 Vanderbilt’s Weird 1–2 Weekend: Nine Homers, Still Losing

14:47 Arkansas 2–1 Review + Oklahoma State/Texas Tech Struggles and the Box Score Software Mess

19:23 Next Stop Hattiesburg: Southern Miss vs UCSB Series Setup

20:38 UCSB Impressions: Athletic Lineup and Jackson Flora’s Draft-Ready Arsenal

25:36 Why Southern Miss looks like a Regional Host Contender

26:56 Credit to West Coast teams for traveling: UCSB & Cal Poly scheduling talk

28:11 Cal Poly’s offensive identity: grinders, contact, and pressure baseball

33:11 Weekend in Lafayette: Louisiana vs. Missouri State thriller + Cajuns freshmen

35:45 Rapid-fire weekend results: Arizona tournaments, upsets, and surprises

38:47 What stood out: Xavier at ECU, Spartans stun Cardinals, and early-season context

42:24 Big risers: Kansas State & Michigan buzz

46:31 Wrap-up & Upcoming Shows

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In-Season Rituals [D1 Daily] Feb 13, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of the D1 Daily, Burkie and Roons discuss their in-season rituals. These included using the lineup tab on the D1Baseball.com team pages, Joe Healy's Weekend Waypoints show, and the D1 Digest piece that comes out on weekend mornings.

Then they looked ahead to opening weekend and the intriguing tournaments in Surprise, Arizona, and at Globe Life Field. Burkie wrapped with thoughts on what we could learn from Florida, Mississippi State, and Tennessee this weekend.

00:00 Introduction

00:39 Welcome to the D1 Daily

03:45 Opening Weekend Preview and Routines

04:11 Box Scores and Game Prep

09:34 Mid-Major Coverage and Social Media

14:20 Wheels YouTube Channel

15:56 Advanced Stats and Game Prep Tools

20:18 D1 Digest and Weekend Previews

22:14 Key Players to Watch

22:51 Opening Weekend Tournaments and Matchups

26:06 Bold Predictions and Breakout Stars

28:58 Final Thoughts and Segment Sponsors

29:55 College Baseball Tournaments at Globe Life Field

D1 Daily, a production of The D1Baseball Podcast, is presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. At Academy Sports + Outdoors, they carry all the best gear from the top brands — all at prices you’ll love. And now shopping is more convenient than ever at Academy.com and on the Academy app. Enjoy free shipping on orders of $25 or more with sign-in. Plus, easy in-store or curbside pickup. Shop anytime, anywhere, and find the widest selection of colors, styles, and sizes. From grills to fitness equipment to workout clothes, everything you need to have fun out THERE is right HERE at https://Academy.com.

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YouTube: https://d1ba.se/yt-sub

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2026 Opening Weekend Preview Feb 13, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of The D1Baseball Podcast, Mike Rooney, Joe Healy, and Aaron Fitt are joined by Bradley Smart ahead of DI College Baseball’s opening weekend.

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

00:39 Podcast Kickoff and Acknowledgements

01:26 Condolences and Team Introductions

03:02 Discussion on Baseball Game Preparations

10:44 Bradley's Puerto Rico Coverage

12:27 ACC Teams and Players to Watch

17:48 Globe Life Tournament Preview

25:40 Arizona Tournaments Overview

29:19 A Day at the Batting Cage

29:52 Arizona Teams and Opening Day Intrigue

31:50 Iowa's Early Season Struggles

33:40 Excitement Around Michigan and Oregon State

35:15 Regional Matchups to Watch

36:52 Spotlight on Santa Barbara vs. USM

45:52 SEC Series Highlights

50:56 Weekend Food Plans and Final Thoughts

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Updated 2026 MLB Draft College Prospect Rankings Feb 12, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of The D1Baseball Podcast, Mike Rooney and Aaron Fitt are joined by David Seifert to discuss D1's updated college prospect rankings for the 2026 MLB Draft.

00:00 Introduction and Host Welcome

00:09 Generational Talents and Guest Introduction

01:12 Discussion on College Shortstops

03:36 Top College Shortstop Prospects

05:13 Beyond the Top Three Shortstops

06:31 In-Depth Analysis of Shortstop Prospects

13:02 Evaluating College Hitters

13:15 Top College Hitters and Their Profiles

17:19 Comparing Top Hitters and Final Thoughts

19:32 Potential Helium Picks: Catchers and Pitchers

20:27 Top College Catchers and Pitchers on the Rise

21:22 Spotlight on Blake Morningstar and Other Top Arms

24:36 The Debate on Converting Relievers to Starters

28:42 Sleeper Picks and Personal Favorites

35:06 Wrapping Up and Final Thoughts

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Talking with the 6 Head Coaches in the STACKED Shriners Children’s College Showdown Field Feb 11, 2026

Show notes

With the Shriners Children's College Showdown coming up this weekend, the D1Baseball staff sat down with each of the six coaches playing at Globe Life Field in Arlington this weekend to preview their teams.

01:02 Dave Van Horn - Arkansas

11:31 Skip Johnson - Oklahoma

22:50 Josh Holliday - Oklahoma State

39:54 Kirk Saarloos - TCU

48:39 Tim Tadlock - Texas Tech

56:13 Tim Corbin - Vanderbilt

Use the code D1Baseball at checkout for 20% off your purchase of general admission tickets.

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