Here's a preview of Oklahoma State, which Vanderbilt will play on the road in March.

2020 record/RPI: 13-5 / 9

2019 record/RPI: 40-21 (14-9 Big 12) / 6

Coach: Josh Holliday (8 seasons, all at OSU, 271-153-1)

Rank in preseason polls: 17 (CB), 18 (Coaches), 20 (D1)

Rank in Big 12 preseason forecasts: 4th (coaches), 5th (D1 Baseball)

Last NCAA tournament appearance: 2019 (Lost 2-1 in Lubbock Super Regional)

Former Vanderbilt assistant Josh Holliday has been successful at his alma mater, missing the NCAA tournament just once (his first year, 2012), going to three super regionals and one College World Series while winning one Big 12 title (2014).

OSU entered 2020 coming off another excellent season in which it earned the No. 9 national seed in the 2019 NCAA tournament. The Cowboys won the Stillwater Regional, then, fell a game short of the College World Series with an 8-6 loss to Texas Tech in Game 3 of a super regional.

OSU ended last year with five straight wins (three against BYU, two vs. St. Louis) before the Covid-19 pandemic ended the season.

The Cowboys enter this season with a 46-man roster. The only significant players Oklahoma State lost were infielder Kaden Polcovich (picked 78th overall by Seattle in the 2020 MLB Draft) and closer Ben Leeper (signed as an un-drafted free agent with the Cubs).

OSU appears to be a regional-caliber team again, and a possible title contender in a hyper-competitive Big 12.

The Cowboys return most of a lineup that averaged 7.9 runs last season. It's a physically-impressive bunch loaded with experience, and players who clubbed 22 of OSU's 24 homers last year return.

Much of that is headlined by a returning outfield of Carson McCusker, Carden Trinkle and Cade Cabbinness. But newcomers Christian Encarnacion-Strand (third base) and DH Nolan McLean should help there, too, and the Cowboys might also find some pop from guys like two-way player Justin Campbell (who doesn't have an obvious role) and Jake Thompson, who had a good fall and is battling with McLean for the DH role.

Middle infielder Hueston Morrill hit a pair of homers last year, too, but is more of a singles and doubles hitter and should hit leadoff. Catcher Max Hewitt should provide a high on-base average, too, and walked (seven times) more than he struck out (five) last season.

OSU's infield defense should be terrific. Kentucky transfer Matt Golda is good enough that he may push Morrill, an all-conference shortstop, to second. Encarnacion-Strand was a JUCO Gold Glove winner, while Hewitt (who didn't catch collegiately until last year) and first baseman Alix Garcia are also good defenders.

The Cowboys got a boost with the return of fifth-year player Parker Scott, who passed up chances for a pro free agent contract before returning to Stillwater. Scott, who's made 12 starts the past two seasons, led the Big 12 in conference ERA with a 1.11 mark in 2019.

Right-hander Bryce Osmond came in as a two-way player and struggled with control last season. Osmond piitched for Tulsa summer league team and did well. He's a 6-foot-3 right-hander with a fastball-slider change-up combo and will touch the mid-90s with his fastball at times.

Lefty Justin Wrobleski was talented enough to open the season in Clemson's rotation as a freshman, but that didn't go well as he ended up back in the bullpen and had a 10.38 ERA in 13 innings. Wrobleski has improved considerably between Clemson and OSU--that included a JUCO stop--and gives OSU another pro prospect with a mid-90s fastball.

The Cowboys have a lot of other options if something goes wrong there.

Eric Walker was a weekend starter at LSU and won 13 games there and is now three years removed from Tommy John surgery.

Justin Campbell was in the rotation last year, and posted a 4.43 ERA with 22 strikeouts and six walks in 20 1/3 innings. Injuries have been an issue for Campbell and he'll probably start the year as a mid-week starter.

The Cowboys have several returning options in the bullpen, including Zach Cable, Brett Standlee and C.J. Varela. Colton Bowman and Wyatt Cheney both had significant bullpen roles as freshmen last year and should again.

Nolan McLean is probably OSU's most highly-touted freshman, but he missed fall ball due to football. He's just getting on the mound this winter and can throw in the mid-90s.

Six-foot-9 lefty Mitchell Stone is a wild card. The 260-pound former high school All-American missed all of 2020 and most of 2018 with injuries. Stone made five starts in 2019 and posted a 4.88 ERA with 19 strikeouts and 14 walks in 27 2/3 innings.