SEASIDE, Calif. – The Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team was tabbed No. 14 in the country to begin the season the NCBWA announced in its annual preseason poll.
 
CSUMB was previously named the unanimous preseason favorite in the CCAA Coaches poll, receiving 81 points and all nine first-place votes and were also named the No. 2 team in the West Region.
 
The Otters have won three consecutive CCAA Tournaments and the last four CCAA regular-season titles. Last year, CSUMB went 39-19 overall and posted a 26-14 CCAA record. 

Monterey Bay won its NCAA Regional pod and reached the NCAA Super Regional for the third straight year.

The Otters return CCAA honorable mention selections Andrew Kotin and Noah Zertuche. Kotin posted seven saves and held opposing batters to a .202 clip. Zertuche batted .307 and added nine home runs and drove in 31. Monterey. Bay welcomes NCBWA All-Region and CCAA first-team transfer Kyle Olimpia from San Francisco State.

CSUMB will open the 2026 season on the road for a three-game set at No. 19 Point Loma. The two squads face off in a doubleheader on Friday, Jan. 30, and close out the series with a Saturday matinee. 
 
Rank School (1st Place Votes) 2025 Record Pts. Prev.
1 Tampa (20) 55-10 500 1
2 Central Missouri 48-14 475 2
3 UT Tyler 49-13 448 5
4 Northwest Nazarene 46-16 442 3
5 Catawba 46-14 420 6
6 Lenoir-Rhyne 50-15 383 4
7 East Stroudsburg 41-15 356 8
8 Northwood 40-22 339 9
9 Colorado Mesa 42-14 333 18
10 Florida Southern 38-14-1 309 15
11 Minnesota State 51-8 294 14
12 Angelo State 48-10 260 7
13 North Greenville 45-15 235 24
14 Cal State Monterey Bay 39-19 226 13
15 Grand Valley State 43-14 205 21
16 Pittsburg State 42-12 200 11
17 West Florida 36-21 189 10
18 Felician 43-22 171 12
19 Point Loma 39-18 137 RV
20 Seton Hill 40-18 126 19
21 Young Harris 40-17 88 25
22 Millersville 44-10 82 16
23 Indianapolis 34-24 76 20
24 Westmont 43-14 62 17
25 Thomas Jefferson 40-17 41 RV

Others receiving votes: St. Edward's (37-23) 22 points; Delta State (33-20) 16 points; Davenport (42-15)
13 points; Francis Marion (40-13) 12 points; Bentley (33-15) 9 points; Arkansas Tech (32-23) 6 points;
Belmont Abbey (41-17) 4 points; Lubbock Christian (34-23) 4 points; West Chester (35-17) 4 points;
North Georgia (41-17) 3 points