College Baseball Picks: Best Bets for Friday, February 13

Connor Fennell and Vanderbilt help kick off the 2026 college baseball season, and they also land among John Venezia's top picks for Friday's slate.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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College baseball is back, and John Venezia has two top picks for the opening day slate on Friday, February 13. He likes UC Santa Barbara as an underdog against Southern Miss, and he's also backing TCU to upset Vanderbilt in a matchup of top pitchers.

Why it matters

The start of the college baseball season is an exciting time, as fans get to see some of the top prospects and programs in the country take the field for the first time. Venezia's picks highlight two intriguing matchups that could set the tone for the rest of the year.

The details

In the first game, UC Santa Barbara sends ace Jackson Flora to the mound against a solid Southern Miss lineup that lost some key pieces from last year. Venezia likes the Gauchos' chances of pulling off the upset, especially with Flora's dominant stuff. The nightcap features a pitching duel between Vanderbilt's Connor Fennell and TCU's Tommy LaPour, and Venezia thinks the Horned Frogs' offense has enough to pull off the win on a neutral field.

  • The games will take place on Friday, February 13, 2026.

The players

Jackson Flora

A 6'5" right-handed pitcher for UC Santa Barbara who is projected to be a top draft pick this summer. He has an electric arsenal headlined by a fastball that has reached 102 mph.

Connor Fennell

Vanderbilt's ace right-hander who had a 2.53 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 52.1 innings last season. He has a funky arm slot and a mix of strong secondary pitches that give hitters fits.

Tommy LaPour

TCU's ace right-hander who was the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year in 2025 after posting a 3.09 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 90.1 innings. He sits 95-98 mph and can reach 101 with heavy sink on his fastball.

Sawyer Strosnider

A potential top-10 draft pick for TCU who hit .350 with 11 home runs as a freshman in 2025.

Tim Corbin

The head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores, who is looking to replace some key offensive pieces from last year's team.

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What they’re saying

“I would put College Baseball Opening Day up there with July 4th, my birthday, St. Patrick's Day, and Christmas as one of the single best days of the year. We've waited so long for this moment, and now that it's finally here, I don't know what to do with myself.”

— John Venezia (rotowire.com)

“If you followed me last season, you should be familiar with some of the star power.”

— John Venezia (rotowire.com)

What’s next

Venezia plans to provide picks and breakdowns all season long on his Breaking Bet podcast and Discord channel.

The takeaway

The start of the college baseball season is an exciting time, with top prospects and programs taking the field for the first time. Venezia's picks highlight two intriguing matchups that could set the tone for the rest of the year, with UC Santa Barbara's Jackson Flora and TCU's Tommy LaPour leading their teams against tough opponents.