Waco, Texas — The crack of the bat echoed through McLane Stadium like a starting pistol, and by the time the dust settled, Baylor’s 8-5 victory over Arizona State had turn into more than just another midweek Big 12 tilt. It was a snapshot of a league in motion, a program on the rise, and a rivalry that’s quietly shaping the future of college baseball.
Friday night’s game wasn’t just about the box score—though the numbers were eye-catching enough. Baylor’s freshman phenom, Jace Morales, went 3-for-4 with a towering two-run homer in the third, while Arizona State’s Kai Tanaka struck out 10 over six innings, flashing the kind of electric stuff that had scouts buzzing in the stands. But the real story unfolded in the margins: a stolen base that wasn’t, a diving catch that saved a run, and a bullpen duel that left both teams gasping for air. This wasn’t just baseball. It was theater.
The Big 12’s Quiet Power Shift
Two years ago, the Big 12 was a league in flux. Texas and Oklahoma bolted for the SEC, leaving behind a power vacuum that programs like Baylor and Arizona State—yes, the Sun Devils are still technically in the Pac-12 but play a full Big 12 schedule as part of the conference’s expansion—were eager to fill. The result? A 2026 season where the middle of the pack is deeper than ever, and the race for the regular-season title is wide open.
Baylor’s win on Friday wasn’t just a W in the standings. It was a statement. The Bears entered the weekend ranked No. 18 in the D1Baseball Top 25, their highest ranking since 2012, when they last made a run to the College World Series. Arizona State, meanwhile, is a team in transition. The Sun Devils, once a Pac-12 juggernaut, are still finding their footing in the Big 12’s more physical, fast-paced style. But make no mistake: They’re adapting. And fast.
“This league is the most competitive it’s been in a decade,” said Kendall Rogers, editor-in-chief of D1Baseball. “You’ve got traditional powers like TCU and Oklahoma State, but now you’ve got Baylor and Arizona State pushing them every night. The depth is unreal.”
“The Big 12 is the most underrated conference in college baseball right now. The travel is brutal, the lineups are stacked, and every series feels like a playoff atmosphere.”
— Kendall Rogers, D1Baseball Editor-in-Chief
Why This Game Mattered More Than the Scoreboard Suggested
On paper, Baylor’s 8-5 win was a back-and-forth affair with plenty of fireworks. But dig deeper, and you’ll find the kind of intangibles that define championship teams. Take the sixth inning, for example. With the game tied 5-5 and Arizona State threatening to break it open, Baylor’s Tyler McManus made a diving stop at third base to snuff out a potential go-ahead run. The play didn’t show up in the box score, but it changed the momentum of the game—and maybe the series.
Then there was the bullpen battle. Baylor’s Landon Sims, a junior right-hander with a fastball that touches 97 mph, came in for the final two innings and shut the door, striking out four of the six batters he faced. Arizona State’s Diego Barrera, meanwhile, pitched two scoreless innings of his own, but the damage had already been done. The Sun Devils stranded 11 runners on the night, a stat that’ll haunt their coaching staff for weeks.
“Baseball is a game of inches, and Baylor won the inches tonight,” said Mike Bianco, head coach at Ole Miss and a longtime observer of the Big 12. “Those are the kinds of games that separate the contenders from the pretenders.”
The Freshman Who’s Turning Heads—and Draft Boards
If you’re a college baseball fan and you haven’t heard of Jace Morales yet, you will soon. The Baylor freshman from San Diego is the kind of player who makes scouts drop their radar guns and just watch. He’s hitting .342 on the season with six homers and 22 RBIs, but it’s his plate discipline that’s turning heads. Morales has walked 18 times against just 14 strikeouts, a nearly 1:1 ratio that’s almost unheard of for a freshman in a power conference.
Against Arizona State, Morales went 3-for-4 with that two-run bomb to left-center—a no-doubter that cleared the fence by 20 feet. But it was his at-bat in the seventh inning that had the scouts in the stands nodding. With two outs and the bases loaded, Morales fouled off three straight 95-mph fastballs before lining a single up the middle to plate two runs. It was the kind of at-bat that wins games in June.
“He’s the real deal,” said Jim Callis, MLB Pipeline’s lead draft analyst. “Morales has the bat speed, the approach, and the makeup to be a top-50 pick next year. He’s not just a freshman phenom—he’s a future big leaguer.”
“Jace Morales is the kind of player who makes you forget he’s a freshman. He’s got that ‘it’ factor—calm under pressure, a plan at the plate, and the kind of power that plays at any level.”
— Jim Callis, MLB Pipeline Lead Draft Analyst
The Big 12’s Postseason Picture Is Getting Interesting
With the regular season winding down, the Big 12’s postseason race is heating up. Baylor’s win over Arizona State moved the Bears into a tie for second place with Oklahoma State, just a game behind TCU in the standings. But here’s the thing: The Big 12 is so deep this year that as many as six teams could realistically make a run at the conference tournament title.
Here’s how the race shakes out as of Sunday morning:
| Team | Record | GB | Key Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| TCU | 18-6 | — | Best ERA in the league (3.12) |
| Baylor | 17-7 | 1 | .312 team batting avg. |
| Oklahoma State | 17-7 | 1 | 10 wins in last 12 games |
| Arizona State | 15-9 | 3 | League-best 7.2 K/9 |
| Texas Tech | 14-10 | 4 | 5-2 in one-run games |
| West Virginia | 13-11 | 5 | Best road record (9-4) |
What’s fascinating about this year’s race is how wide open it is. TCU, the preseason favorite, has the pitching to win it all, but Baylor’s offense is the most dangerous in the league. Oklahoma State is surging, and Arizona State’s pitching staff is as talented as any in the country. Even West Virginia, a team that’s flown under the radar all season, has the pieces to make a run.
“The Big 12 tournament is going to be a bloodbath,” Rogers said. “There’s no clear favorite, and that’s what makes it so exciting. Any of these teams could win three games in a row and punch their ticket to Omaha.”
What’s Next for Baylor and Arizona State?
For Baylor, the focus now shifts to the final series of the regular season—a three-game set against Texas Tech in Lubbock. The Red Raiders are fighting for their postseason lives, and a sweep would all but lock up a regional host spot for the Bears. Arizona State, meanwhile, heads home to face Kansas in a series that suddenly feels like a must-win. The Sun Devils can’t afford to drop another game if they want to host a regional.
But beyond the standings, Friday’s game was a reminder of why we love college baseball. It’s a sport where a freshman can become a star overnight, where a diving catch can change the course of a season, and where a midweek game in Waco can feel like the most important event in the world.
And if you missed it? Don’t worry. There’s plenty more where that came from. The Big 12 is just getting started.
So tell me, Archyde readers: Who’s your pick to win the Big 12 tournament? And more importantly—who’s got the juice to make a run at Omaha?
