When Arizona’s run to the College World Series came to an end last June, it was known at that point that the ensuing season was going to result in some regression. After all the Wildcats were about to see nine players get drafted and another two 4-year starters graduate.
But no one could have predicted this much backslide.
Arizona just completed one of the worst seasons in program history, finishing 19-34 overall and 9-21 in the Big 12. It was the most losses since 1995 and most conference losses since 2014.
Both of those seasons were within a year or two of a coaching change, but that won’t be the case this time around.
UA coach Chip Hale, an alum and member of the 1986 national title team, signed a contract extension last summer that keeps him locked up through 2030. In five seasons he’s 172-129, reaching the NCAA Tournament four times—the first UA coach to do so in his first four seasons since Frank Sancet—along with one Pac-12 regular season title and conference tourney crowns in both the Big 12 and Pac-12 as well as the return to the CWS.
Hale and his staff had a lot of holes to fill from the squad that went 44-21 in 2025, particularly in the batting order, but returned a healthy amount of pitching including two who started in Omaha as well as the reigning NCBWA Stopper of the Year. But before 2026 could begin, health became a major issue.
Tony Pluta, the single-season school saves leader, suffered an elbow injury that required surgery. A second reliever needed a similar procedure after one appearance, and three other arms would get shut down either before or during the season.
It was almost as bad in the field, as starting left fielder Easton Breyfogle played only one game and one inning before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Starting second baseman Tyler Bickers, one of the key transfers, appeared in only 10 games because of a should issue, and two JUCO additions that were expected to contribute in the outfield never played because of injury. All told, the UA had 10 players on its 40-man roster become unavailable.
That forced Hale to go heavy on youth, starting as many as six true or redshirt freshmen in the batting order. Those first-year players combined for 204 starts and 260 hits with 102 RBI but also 211 strikeouts and more than 20 fielding errors.
The pitching depth that was expected going into the season wasn’t there, resulting in a thin lineup of relievers who all got roughed up on several occasions, while the rotation combined to win only seven of 42 weekend starts with returners Smith Bailey and Owen Kramkowski both failing to match their overall performance from the previous year.
Injuries and youth not withstanding, it was a terrible season for Arizona. It failed to reach the conference tourney (played in Surprise) after winning it a year ago, finishing 13th out of 14 teams, and recorded the first losing record in 12 seasons. The overall hitting numbers were some of the worst in school history—which likely contributed to the decision not to retain assistant coach Toby DeMello–and the Wildcats lost 15 of 23 games decided by one or two runs, compared to going 20-3 in 2025.
It all makes for a very important offseason for the Wildcats. Here’s a look at how things stand:
The departures
Nine players have exhausted their college eligibility, including infielders Bickers, Maddox Mihalakis and Mathis Meurant, right-handed pitchers Garrett Hicks and Matthew Martinez and lefties Luc Fladda and Patrick Morris. Mihalakis and Meurant both hit under .200 and weren’t able to provide the veteran leadership this younger team needed, while Hicks, Martinez and Morris all had their moments but also their fair share of blowups.
Fladda ended up being the most consistent of Arizona’s starting pitchers, and though he had a 5.28 ERA he also walked only eight batters in 75 innings to rank 5th nationally in walks allowed per nine innings (0.96).
Those won’t be the only players moving on.
Righties Kramkowski and Collin McKinney are both expected to get drafted and would likely sign. Kramkowski is ranked 189th on Baseball America’s Top 400 draft board despite going 1-8 with a 6.13 ERA while McKinney should also get taken because of his stuff.
There could be a lot more turnover, something Hale eluded to a few weeks ago when he noted that after his freshman season in 1984 (22-36) his coach Jerry Kindall overhauled the roster. The Wildcats would go on to make back-to-back CWS appearances after that.
“Is that coming when the season ends? We’re still trying to evaluate that,” Hale said at the time.
Top returners
Not counting the seniors and expected draftees, Arizona has 29 players from the 2026 roster who could return. More than half might not be back.
There’s a core of talent that the Wildcats will want to retain and build around through the portal and with its latest recruiting class. That will be a mix of the freshmen that got extended looks this season, most notably infielders Cash Brennan, Tony Lira and Nate Novitske and pitchers Benton Hickman and Jack Lafflam, as well as catcher Beau Sylvester, outfielders Andrew Cain and Carson McEntire and pitchers Bailey, Pluta, Corey Kling and Maclain Roberts.
Pluta has confirmed he’s returning for 2027, spending the past season as the unofficial bullpen coach, and the rest of those mentioned above figure to have a place on next year’s roster if they want to stay. The wild card is Bailey, who was shut down with a shoulder injury earlier this month and would be a hot commodity if he were to enter the NCAA transfer portal, which opens June 1.
If either can stay healthy, outfielder Easton Breyfogle and lefty reliever Mason Russell would be valuable pieces to hang on to. Same with freshmen Caleb Danzeisen, Jackson and Joe Forbes and Andrew Jacobs.
The newcomers (signed and potential)
Arizona signed 14 recruits in November, and Perfect Game ranks the prep portion of that class 26th in the country. Third baseman Ayden Deome and catcher Francisco Rivero are the top names from that group, and if both make it to campus could be instant contributors.
But the Wildcats will also need to add from the portal, particularly players with speed and athleticism. They had 34 stolen bases in 49 attempts and the lack of speed on the bases also contributed to hitting into 28 double plays.
Other than Lira at first base, Bailey in the rotation and Pluta at the back end of the bullpen, all other starting spots are up for grabs. Arizona will be seeking potential starters but also depth across the board to guard against injuries and inconsistent play.
