This article is part of our College Baseball Picks series.
Day one of the 2026 college baseball season is the in the books!
There were A LOT of upsets, which we usually see so early in the season. Jackson Flora delivered as I predicted in a UCSB win, and we also got a thriller with TCU edging out Vanderbilt. And -- how about Baylor's Tyce Armstrong with THREE GRAND SLAMS in one game?!?
The schedule quite frankly is a little weaker on day two of the slate, but there are a few things I'm taking a look at.
It's Valentine's Day, so I'm spending it with my one true love: college baseball.
Arkansas Razorbacks (-180) vs. TCU Horned Frogs (+140) | Total: N/A
In my Friday writeup, I mentioned how the Shriners Children's Classic and tournaments at Globe Life happen to be one of the best parts about the college baseball regular season. The first day of games was no exception. Fantastic baseball was played with so many future MLB stars on display. On day two, we have two of the 1-0 teams facing off in what truly is the best matchup on the slate.
Arkansas blitzed Oklahoma State as a lot of us thought they would. The Razorbacks looked good! Gabe Gaeckle was strong in his debut, punching out nine and flashing his electric arsenal. The offense looks like it didn't miss a beat after several key departures. Ryder Helfrick went all Mark McGwire and hit two MAMMOTH home runs -- a sign of things to come after a stellar 2025 season.
It's a bit of a different look for the Hogs in this game as they send towering left-hander Hunter Dietz to the bump. Dietz is an extremely interesting name to watch because he is a legitimate first-round talent. The problem is he has thrown only 1.2 innings since joining Arkansas in 2024. A stress fracture in his elbow torpedoed his first two seasons, but he's back for 2026. With some draft evaluators believing this could be the best lefty in the draft, there's a lot of reasons to like this dude.
He is a legit 6-6 southpaw whose fastball now touches 97 MPH and who also brings a cutter and a curveball to the plate. It's not just the frame or the stuff that has Arkansas faithful excited, but the fact that he had a great fall. Personally, I'm excited to watch Dietz pitch, and against the TCU offense, sign me up!
There are some serious boppers in the TCU offense. Guys I highlighted in my preseason articles like Sawyer Strosnider, a projected top-10-15 pick. Or freshman Lucas Franco and his seemingly endless possibilities. While Dietz could be a tough matchup for these TCU lefties, how long will he possibly go? I doubt it's past five innings at an absolute max. Of course, Arkansas has a great bullpen, but the Frogs offense is a fun test.
On the TCU side, they are hoping hoping Saturday starter and southpaw Mason Brassfield takes a huge leap in 2026. They will need him to if they want to make the jump the College World Series. Last year, he had a 3.34 SIERA and 67 K/23 BB ratio in 61.1 IP, displaying some strong prowess. Clearly, Brassfield and the pen will have to contend with a strong Hogs offense. After they dropped a run-rule 12-spot on Oklahoma State, TCU's pitching will have to be on point.
Arkansas is the better team in my opinion, but this is a large number for such a highly-touted matchup on a neutral field. Especially with some uncertainties with Arkansas turning to Dietz off an extended absence. I'm taking a shot on TCU with another plus-money banger.
The Pick: TCU ML (+140 DraftKings)
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