In 2027, there may not be many players in the Big 12 who are better than Cincinnati outfielder Derrick Pitts. The outfielder had a breakout sophomore season for the Bearcats in 2026.
In what will be a talented Big 12 Conference next season, Pitts will stand out amongst other great players in a huge way.
Pitts and his 2026 college season, plus his time with Team USA
Derrick Pitts had a quick rise to notoriety in 2026. During his sophomore season with the Cincinnati Bearcats, the outfielder had a .329 batting average with a .882 OPS. Pitts also finished the season with a .423 on-base percentage, 17 stolen bases, 12 doubles, six home runs, and 42 RBIs.
Pitts did have a quiet end to the 2026 college baseball season. This included just two hits in three games during the Starkville Regional in the NCAA Tournament.
However, the St. Louis native did finish the year with 24 multi-hit games. He had multiple hits in almost half of the games he played in.
Pitts’ season-high in hits came during an 11-1 win for Cincinnati over the Bowling Green Falcons. The Bearcats outfielder also had two RBIs and a double in that victory.
After wrapping up his sophomore season with Cincinnati, Pitts spent his summer training and playing with the USA Collegiate National Team.
In the 2026 World Collegiate Baseball Championship in Taiwan, Pitts had eight hits and four RBIs for the United States. He also scored six runs in the four games that the USA Collegiate National Team played during the event.
Cincinnati’s competitive rise with Pitts on the team
The Cincinnati Bearcats have become very competitive in the college baseball landscape since Pitts joined the team.
The Bearcats have made the NCAA Tournament in 2025 and 2026. It is the first time that the program has ever made consecutive NCAA Tournaments. Cincinnati also has a 71-48 overall record during Pitts’ time with the team.
The junior outfielder has been a huge help in making Cincinnati’s transition into the Big 12 a smooth one.
For more NCAA news: https://worldbaseball.com/news/category/ncaa