Kansas State baseball proving they belong ahead of Big 12 conference play

March in Manhattan used to belong to basketball, but this year the spotlight has shifted, and it’s focused on Kansas State baseball. The 2026 season is off to a red-hot start, and the Wildcats are making plenty of noise before Big 12 play even begins.

Kansas State Wildcats baseball is turning heads ahead of Big 12 play

Kansas State opened its season away from Manhattan, starting with the MLB Desert Invitational. The Wildcats thrived, posting double-digit run totals in three of their first four games.

Their season high run total came in a 24-5, seven-inning win over the Penn State Nittany Lions. At this year’s home opener, K-State took two of three from Columbia, with the lone loss a 9-8 heartbreaker after a five-run seventh inning by the Lions.

Through six games, Kansas State is 6-4 – but none of those losses point to slowing momentum. Lapses against Auburn and Louisiana came against two teams also trending up, and shaping out as potential contenders in their respective regions.

Shortstop Dee Kennedy making his presence felt in the early stages of 2026

Through the opening slate of games, junior shortstop Dee Kennedy isn’t just making a name for himself – he’s putting the nation on notice. In the season opener against Iowa, Kennedy hit a grand slam, then followed it up with another against the Nittany Lions just two games later. 

His hot start earned him the Golden Spikes Player of the Week honors after the first week of collegiate baseball action.

But Kennedy isn’t the only Wildcat making headlines. Missouri State transfer Carlos Vasquez has turned heads with a revitalized start to the 2026 campaign. One of six Wildcats with 30 or more at-bats through the first handful of games, Vasquez boasts a .306 average with 11 hits and two runs. 

Against Nebraska, he racked up three hits and four RBIs – a drastic improvement from his numbers with the Bears last season. He cleared the outfield wall with a seventh-inning home run in the victory over Michigan.

There’s a lot for Kansas State baseball fans to get excited about

Five games sit ahead for the Wildcats in the upcoming weeks, and it all starts with a three-game home series against SIUE. Two days after the final game of that series, it’s a rematch with a familiar in-state rival, the Wichita State Shockers.

The Cougars haven’t quite found their footing, but make the trip after Tuesday’s game against Bradley. They split their last home series against Eastern Michigan, winning two of four games highlighted by a 12-7 win on Feb. 27.

The Shockers are a different story. Wichita State currently sits 9-3 on the young season, fresh off of a five game win streak split between games over Hawaii and Omaha. They won out in an opening four-game series against Northern Colorado, outsourcing the Golden Bears 43-7.

Kansas State took victories in each of the last four matchups, scoring 10 or more runs in each of the last two games. If it shapes up – get ready.

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