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College  | Rankings | 3/4/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 4

Nick Herfordt
The 2026 college baseball season is starting to reveal its early storylines, and across the Division II and Division III landscape a few programs have already forced their way into the spotlight. From the blistering start by the Pittsburg State Gorillas baseball that rocketed them to the top of the rankings, to the steadily rising championship ambitions of the Taylor Trojans baseball, the national picture is beginning to take shape. In Division III, heavyweight programs like the Trinity Tigers baseball and the Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks baseball have already traded blows in one of the season’s first statement series, while emerging challengers such as the Keene State Owls baseball are looking to turn early momentum into a breakout year.

With many teams still just getting their seasons underway, the rankings remain fluid, but the early results are already giving us clues about which clubs are built for a run. Dominant starts, statement series, and a few intriguing rising programs are setting the stage for what should be a fascinating 2026 season. ⚾



NCAA DII

The 2026 season has exploded out of the gate for the Pittsburg State Gorillas baseball, and the result has been one of the most eye-opening early runs in Division II baseball. After entering the year ranked in the middle of the national conversation, the Gorillas have stormed all the way to the No. 1 spot with a surge that has been as convincing as it has been relentless. Pittsburg State has looked dominant in every phase of the game, overwhelming opponents with a high-octane offense while a deep and disciplined pitching staff keeps games firmly under control. The numbers tell the story: Pitt State has blasted out to a scorching start while batting nearly .400 as a team and averaging around 16 runs per game, while the pitching staff has paired that offensive fireworks show with a staff ERA around 2.00 and more than 50 strikeouts in the opening weeks of the season.

At the center of the offensive charge has been Landin Midgett, who has been one of the most dangerous bats in the region, opening the year hitting .470+ with an MIAA-leading RBI total early in the season while consistently delivering extra-base power and clutch production. He’s been far from alone. Dagen Brewer has provided thunder in the middle of the lineup with home run power and big RBI games, while Eric Bacon, Jaron Cotton, and Jadyn McNealy have kept the pressure on opposing pitchers with a steady stream of hits and run production that has turned the lineup into a relentless machine. This is an offense that doesn’t give opposing staffs a breather; one through nine the Gorillas keep attacking.

On the mound, Pittsburg State has been just as formidable. Bradyn McClure has been a key weapon out of the bullpen and in long relief, delivering scoreless outings while piling up strikeouts and wins early in the season. The staff as a whole has combined power arms with strike-throwing efficiency, allowing the Gorillas to control games from the first inning through the late frames. Add in strong defense behind them and Pittsburg State has looked every bit like a complete club.

The result of that across-the-board dominance has been a remarkable leap to the top of the national rankings, a monster jump fueled not by a lucky stretch but by a team that looks locked, loaded, and capable of beating opponents in every possible way. Simply put, the Gorillas aren’t just winning right now. They’re steamrolling. And if the opening weeks of the 2026 season are any indication, those brutes from Pittsburg have every intention of staying planted at the top of the Division II landscape. 🦍⚾

NCAA DII

Rank School State Record LastWk. Prev
1 Pittsburg State Gorillas KS 17-0 4-0 12
2 Tampa Spartans FL 14-1 3-0 2
3 North Greenville Trailblazers SC 16-2 2-1 4
4 Texas Tyler Patriots TX 14-4 2-2 1
5 Point Loma Sea Lions CA 14-3 2-0 7
6 Catawba Indians NC 13-3 2-2 3
7 Minnesota State Mavericks MN 9-3 6-2 6
8 Belmont Abbey Crusaders NC 11-5 2-2 5
9 Seton Hill Griffins PA 5-1 0-0 8
10 Grand Valley State Lakers MI 10-1 4-0 9
11 Colorado Mesa Mavericks CO 14-2 4-0 10
12 Central Missouri Mules MO 15-2 4-0 11
13 Young Harris Mountain Lions GA 14-3 3-0 14
14 Lenoir-Rhyne Bears NC 11-3 2-2 15
15 Angelo State Rams TX 13-4 4-0 16
16 East Stroudsburg Warriors PA 6-5 3-1 13
17 Francis Marion Patriots SC 15-3 2-2 17
18 Wingate Bulldogs NC 11-4 4-0 20
19 Cal State Monterey Bay Otters CA 11-3 3-0 21
20 West Alabama Tigers AL 15-2 3-1 22
21 Westmont Warriors CA 11-4 2-2 18
22 Augustana Vikings SD 8-4 0-4 19
23 North Georgia Nighthawks GA 15-4 3-1 23
24 West Florida Argos FL 12-3 2-1 NR
25 Harding Bisons AR 10-5 2-2 25
DROP Barry Bucs FL 24

NAIA

The steady rise of the Taylor Trojans baseball has been one of the most impressive storylines in NAIA baseball over the past several seasons, and the 2026 campaign has only strengthened the belief that the Trojans are ready to contend for a national championship. Taylor has steadily built this program year after year, transforming consistent improvement into a roster that now looks capable of making a deep postseason run. The early numbers reflect just how dangerous the Trojans have become. Through the opening stretch of the season, Taylor has piled up 139 runs in just 13 games while hitting .334 as a team with a .462 on-base percentage and a .544 slugging percentage, creating an offense that constantly pressures opposing pitching staffs.

The lineup features multiple bats capable of taking over a game. Jimmy Janicki has been a major spark at the plate, opening the season hitting around .380 with three home runs and 13 RBI, while Aaron Piasecki has been a steady on-base machine with an average north of .360 and an OPS above 1.100. Drew Nelson has added extra-base power and run production in the middle of the order, helping turn the Trojans lineup into one of the most productive offenses in the country.

On the mound, Taylor has matched that offensive firepower with a pitching staff capable of controlling games. Jake Boyer has anchored the rotation with a 2.65 ERA and 40 strikeouts while holding opponents near a .200 average, while Brody Fine has been nearly untouchable out of the bullpen, posting an ERA around 1.00 while locking down late innings.

Put it all together and the Trojans look like a team built to win in multiple ways. The offense can explode, the pitching staff can dominate, and the depth across the roster reflects a program that has spent years building toward this moment. Taylor’s rise has been steady and deliberate, and in 2026 the Trojans no longer look like a program simply on the rise. They look like a legitimate national title contender. ⚾🔥
Rank School State Record LastWk. Prev
1 LSU Shreveport Pilots LA 18-2 4-0 2
2 Taylor Trojans IN 16-1 4-0 3
3 Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies GA 17-1 4-0 6
4 Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs TN 16-4 3-1 1
5 Southeastern Fire FL 12-4 0-0 4
6 Cumberlands Patriots KY 13-3 3-0 5
7 Johnson Royals TN 16-1 4-0 7
8 Hope International Royals CA 13-6 4-0 9
9 Missouri Baptist Spartans MO 9-2 2-1 8
10 Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes KS 15-2 4-0 11
11 Loyola Wolf Pack LA 14-6 2-1 10
12 Doane Tigers NE 11-2 4-0 13
13 Webber International Warriors FL 11-6 3-1 12
14 William Carey Crusaders MS 14-6 3-1 14
15 St. Thomas Bobcats FL 11-7 0-0 15
16 Keiser Seahawks FL 13-5 3-1 16
17 Ottawa Braves KS 16-3 3-1 21
18 Faulkner Eagles AL 11-5 2-1 20
19 Concordia Bulldogs NE 11-3 4-0 23
20 Bellevue Bruins NE 12-2 5-0 NR
21 Louisiana Christian Wildcats LA 19-4 1-2 19
22 Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles OK 13-8 1-3 17
23 A&M Victoria Jaguars TX 13-8 2-1 25
24 Texas Wesleyan Rams TX 16-4 0-3 18
25 Abraham Baldwin Stallions GA 14-7 2-2 24
DROP Southwestern Christian Eagles OK 22

NCAA DIII

Early in the 2026 Division III season, one of the first true measuring-stick series arrived when the Trinity Tigers baseball squared off against the defending national champion Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks baseball in San Antonio. Entering the weekend, the Warhawks held the higher spot in these rankings at No. 4 while Trinity sat just behind them at No. 7. The matchup quickly turned into exactly what early-season rankings need most: two elite programs testing each other in a series that actually tells us something.

Whitewater opened the set with a 6–2 win, but Trinity responded with authority, taking the next three games to secure the series and make a loud early statement. The Tigers exploded for a 12–1 victory in game two, followed it with a tight 5–4 win, and then capped the weekend with a dramatic 6–5 walk-off victory in the finale. The series showcased the type of depth and resilience that has become synonymous with both programs, but Trinity’s ability to respond after the opening loss and close out the series ultimately made the difference.

With most Division III teams still just getting their seasons underway, there simply haven’t been many results significant enough to justify major movement in the rankings. This series, however, was the exception. As a result, Trinity and Whitewater trade places this week, with the Tigers moving up to No. 4 and the Warhawks sliding to No. 7. Beyond that flip-flop, the rest of the rankings remain largely stable while the early-season picture across Division III continues to come into focus. ⚾

In the 2026 Perfect Game Division III preview, the Keene State Owls baseball were identified as a team with the pieces to make noise this spring. They’ve opened the season by sweeping Methodist, so that prediction is looking good right out of the gate. Still, the real measuring stick is coming quickly.

Next up is a major early test when the Owls travel west to face the Cal Lutheran Kingsmen baseball. The Kingsmen represent a bit of the Division III old guard, a program that captured a national championship not that long ago and continues to field strong, disciplined teams year after year. The upcoming series should be an excellent barometer for both sides. For Keene State, it’s a chance to prove the early buzz is real. For Cal Lutheran, it’s an opportunity to remind everyone that the established powers of Division III baseball are still very much in the mix. ⚾

Rank School State Record LastWk. Prev
1 Lynchburg Hornets VA 6-2 3-1 1
2 Endicott Gulls MA 1-2 0-0 2
3 Denison Big Red OH 4-1 3-0 3
4 Trinity Tigers TX 5-2 2-1 4
5 Salve Regina Seahawks RI 4-1 2-0 5
6 Salisbury Seagulls MD 5-1 2-0 6
7 UW-Whitewater Warhawks WI 1-3 0-0 7
8 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags CA 6-3 2-1 8
9 Cortland State Red Dragons NY 2-2-1 1-1-0 11
10 Kean Cougars NJ 4-2-1 0-1-1 9
11 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays MD 6-1 4-0 12
12 Centre Colonels KY 7-2 2-1 14
13 Case Western Reserve Spartans OH 4-2 1-2 13
14 Messiah Falcons PA 2-5 2-3 10
15 Rowan Profs NJ 0-0 0-0 15
16 Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens CA 10-5 3-1 16
17 Keene Owls NH 3-0 3-0 17
18 Belhaven Blazers MS 7-0 3-0 18
19 Penn State Harrisburg Lions PA 5-1 3-0 19
20 Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets OH 4-2 2-1 20
21 Alvernia Golden Wolves PA 2-0 1-0 21
22 Gettysburg Bullets PA 5-0 2-0 22
24 Coast Guard Bears CT 0-0 0-0 24
25 Cal Lutheran Kingsmen CA 8-3 0-2 23
25 Adrian Bulldogs MI 5-0 3-0
DROP East Texas Baptist Tigers TX 7-5 25
 
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