Nebraska Faces Tough Slate at MLB Desert Invitational

Huskers open 2026 season with four games against NCAA Tournament teams

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Nebraska baseball team is set to open the 2026 season at the MLB Desert Invitational in Scottsdale, Arizona, facing a challenging slate of opponents that includes UConn, Northeastern, Grand Canyon, and Stanford. The Huskers will take on several teams that qualified for the 2025 NCAA Tournament, including three Super Regional teams and one College World Series team, as part of their 21 games against postseason foes this season.

Why it matters

Nebraska's tough early-season schedule will provide a strong test for the Huskers as they look to build on their success from the 2025 campaign, which saw them capture the Big Ten Tournament title and earn an NCAA Tournament berth. The Huskers will face a gauntlet of talented teams right out of the gate, giving them an opportunity to measure themselves against some of the top programs in the country.

The details

The Huskers open the season on Friday, February 13, against UConn, with right-hander Ty Horn taking the mound for Nebraska. The Huskers then face Northeastern on Saturday, Grand Canyon on Sunday, and Stanford on Monday to round out the four-game event. Nebraska holds a 2-1 all-time advantage over UConn, while the Huskers and Northeastern have met just once before, with Nebraska picking up an 8-6 win in the 2021 Fayetteville Regional. Nebraska and Grand Canyon have faced off three times, with the Huskers holding a 3-2 edge in the series, while Stanford holds a 6-2 advantage in the all-time series with Nebraska.

  • The Huskers open the season on Friday, February 13, against UConn.
  • Nebraska takes on Northeastern on Saturday, February 14.
  • The Huskers face Grand Canyon on Sunday, February 15.
  • Nebraska wraps up the MLB Desert Invitational on Monday, February 16, against Stanford.

The players

Ty Horn

The junior right-hander is Nebraska's opening day starter after posting a 4-4 record and striking out a team-high 76 hitters in 85.2 innings of work last season.

Carson Jasa

The redshirt sophomore right-hander is scheduled to start on Saturday after making 11 appearances, including four starts, as a redshirt freshman in 2025.

Cooper Katskee

The redshirt junior right-hander is set to start on Sunday after going 11-2 with a 3.08 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 84.2 innings across 16 appearances, including 10 starts, at Miami (OH) last season.

Gavin Blachowicz

The sophomore right-hander will take the mound on Monday after going 3-0 with a 3.80 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 21.1 innings as a freshman in 2025.

Jeter Worthley

The true freshman catcher is set to become the first Husker to start behind the plate on opening day this century.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

The takeaway

Nebraska's challenging early-season schedule at the MLB Desert Invitational will provide a strong test for the Huskers as they look to build on their success from the 2025 campaign. Facing a slate of NCAA Tournament teams right out of the gate will give the Huskers an opportunity to measure themselves against some of the top programs in the country and prepare for the rigors of Big Ten play.