IRVING, Texas — Texas Tech topped the Big 12 baseball preseason poll in a vote of league coaches, while West Virginia was picked sixth in the nine-team conference.
Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team.
The Red Raiders, participants in the College World Series last season, were again slotted to finish No. 1 in the poll with six of the nine first-place votes. Baylor, who won the Big 12 tournament, earned two first-place votes in the No. 2 spot.
Texas, which won the 2018 regular-season title and earned a berth to the CWS, was picked fourth.
West Virginia finished seventh in the Big 12 last season at 9-15, with a 29-27 overall record.
The Mountaineers open the season Feb. 15 at Kennesaw State, beginning a stretch of nine road games. Their home opener is scheduled for March 8 vs. Kent State.
2019 Big 12 baseball preseason poll
| 1. | Texas Tech (6) | 61 |
| 2. | Baylor (2) | 58 |
| 3. | TCU (1) | 48 |
| 4. | Texas | 40 |
| 5. | Oklahoma State | 39 |
| 6. | West Virginia | 31 |
| 7. | Oklahoma | 23 |
| 8. | Kansas | 16 |
| 9. | K-State | 8 |
(First-place votes in parentheses; coaches not allowed to vote for their own team)