Tulane University’s baseball team has received notable recognition in D1Baseball’s preseason player rankings, with several athletes highlighted as top prospects within the American Athletic Conference and nationally.
Relief pitcher Aidan Rath was ranked No. 13 among American Conference draft prospects for the 2026 class. Infielder Nolan Nawrocki placed at No. 40 in the same class. Outfielder Tanner Chun earned the No. 11 spot among 2027 draft prospects, while outfielder Jason Wachs was listed at No. 15 for that year.
Jason Wachs also received national attention, being named the No. 122 outfielder in the country. As a freshman last season, Wachs led Tulane with a .335 batting average over 51 games, including 45 starts. He scored 46 runs and recorded 56 hits, along with 14 doubles, two triples, two home runs, and drove in 25 runs with a .479 slugging percentage. Wachs drew 31 walks and posted a .457 on-base percentage. He finished his first season on a streak of reaching base in 26 consecutive games and hitting safely in his last 23 games. Wachs was unanimously selected to the All-Freshman Team for the conference and named Preseason All-Conference by league coaches.
Starting pitcher Trey Cehajic was recognized as the No. 170 starting pitcher nationally. Last season, Cehajic went 5-2 with a 4.89 ERA over 57 innings pitched and tallied an equal number of strikeouts across his appearances—15 games total, including 13 starts—which led all Tulane starters in wins and ERA. He previously earned Preseason First Team All-Conference honors from Perfect Game.
Freshmen Bryson Ayala (infielder) and Evan Burg (outfielder) were named Freshmen to Watch by D1Baseball. Ayala concluded his high school career at Melbourne High School in Florida with a .310 batting average, collecting over one hundred hits and scoring ninety runs; he was ranked as one of Florida’s top shortstops by Perfect Game for the class of 2025. Burg graduated from Rummel High School in Louisiana as a two-time All-District selection who amassed eighty-nine RBIs; he was rated third-best outfielder statewide by Perfect Game for his class.
The Green Wave is coming off three straight appearances in the American Conference Championship Game and has won nine of its last ten conference tournament contests during the past decade—claiming two championships along with NCAA Tournament berths.
In their most recent campaign, Tulane finished with a record of thirty-three wins against twenty-five losses while placing five players on all-conference teams: Michael Lombardi (first team pitcher), Connor Rasmussen (first team second baseman), Gavin Schulz (second team designated hitter), Jason Wachs (All-Freshman), and Tanner Chun (All-Freshman). Three players made the All-Tournament Team; two were honored on Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s All-State Team; additionally, Lombardi (Kansas City Royals – second round), Tayler Montiel (Arizona Diamondbacks – twelfth round), and Rasmussen (Kansas City Royals – fifteenth round) were selected in last year’s MLB Draft.
For the upcoming season, Tulane will play twenty-seven home games at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium alongside one neutral-site contest in Mississippi plus twenty-eight road matchups across seven states—including California, Alabama, Texas, Mississippi, Kansas, Florida, and North Carolina—and will face seven teams that reached last year’s NCAA Tournament: Southern Miss (two games), UTSA (three), Creighton (three), East Carolina (three), TCU (three), Mississippi State (one), UCLA (one), LSU (one).
The season begins February thirteenth on the road against Loyola Marymount University—the first time since twenty-twenty-three that Tulane opens away from home—with their home opener scheduled for February twentieth versus Harvard University.
Fans can follow Tulane baseball through official social media channels or download their mobile app for updates about schedules and results.
“Giving to the Green Wave Club provides Tulane Athletics with the resources student‑athletes need to excel in competition and in the classroom,” according to program materials provided by Tulane Athletics staff members.”Your support directly improves the lives of current and future Green Wave student‑athletes and enhances Tulane’s competitiveness in intercollegiate athletics.”
Tickets are available via phone or online through TulaneTix.com, or by visiting James W. Wilson Jr. Center ticket office.
