Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
BSB | Defending WCC Champs Picked to Finish 3rd in Preseason Poll, Four Gaels Named to Preseason Team
2/5/2026 10:00:00 AM | Baseball
MORAGA, Calif. - After a historic 2025 campaign, Saint Mary's was picked to finish third in the 2026 WCC Preseason Poll, earning 67 points and one first place vote behind Gonzaga and San Diego. The Gaels also tied the Zags and combined for four Preseason Team selections, the most out of any WCC school. Saint Mary's will open its 2026 season at home against Big East member Creighton on Friday, February 13th.
#38 Ian Armstrong | So. | C | El Granada, Calif.
Ian Armstrong finished the 2025 season as standout freshman for the Gaels, starting 43 games behind the dish as the team's primary catcher. The El Granada native anchored the bottom half of the Gaels batting order last season, finishing the year with a .364 batting average, 55 hits, 11 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 40 RBI. Along with a stellar freshman campaign, Armstrong wrote his name into the conference record books with a record setting five-hit performance in their 14-6 victory over Gonzaga in the WCC Tournament. Armstrong was one of the best two-way catchers in the WCC and was named to the All-WCC Second Team and All-Freshman Team. He became the first freshman in SMC history to be named to an all-conference first or second team since pitcher Tyler Thornton in 2019.
#5 Diego Castellanos | Jr. | OF | Morgan Hill, Calif.
Diego Castellanos was a great surprise for the Gaels in 2025, taking over the right field spot and slashing .311 from the dish along with a .488 slugging percentage and a .902 OPS. Castellanos finished the year with 65 hits, 11 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 40 RBI and eight stolen bases. The Morgan Hill native was a great left-handed bat in the middle of the order for Saint Mary's and his subtle pop of power made him a dangerous at-bat every time through. One of his more memorable at-bats of the season came in the NCAA Regional when he smashed a two-run home run to give Saint Mary's a 2-1 lead at the time over USC. He was named All-WCC Honorable Mention for his first career all-conference selection.
#45 Jared Mettam | Sr. | INF | Half Moon Bay, Calif.
Senior shortstop Jared Mettam will cap off a stellar four-year career at Saint Mary's this season as he was named to the WCC Preseason Team for the first time in his career. Mettam put up career numbers in 2025, finishing his junior season with a .295 batting average, 56 hits, ten doubles, four home runs, 35 RBI and 42 runs scored. Mettam was another solid bat in the bottom half of the order, recording 17 multi-hit games on the year including ten hits in the WCC Tournament. He was named to the All-WCC Tournament team for his efforts as the Gaels took home their second ever conference tournament title. Mettam was named to the 2025 Brooks Wallace Award watch list as one of the top shortstops in the country last season and will certainly be among one of the top shortstops in the WCC this season.
#48 Lukas Sarantos | So. | RHP | San Clemente, Calif.
Saint Mary's returned a strong freshmen class from 2025 and helping lead the charge on the mound this season is right hander Lukas Sarantos. Sarantos was a late bloomer for the Gaels last season but went an impressive 3-0 over his first three collegiate starts, earning wins over Pepperdine, LMU and Pacific. He threw 5+ innings in all three of those starts including back-to-back six inning performances against Pepperdine and LMU. Sarantos joined Armstrong on the WCC All-Freshman Team and will be another key piece in the team's rotation this season.
The full 2026 WCC Coaches Preseason Poll and Team can be found below or at wccsports.com.
2026 Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll
1. San Diego - 77 points (5)
2. Gonzaga - 73 points (4)
3. Saint Mary's – 67 points (1)
4. Portland – 55 points
5. LMU – 52 points
6. Santa Clara – 38 points
7. San Francisco – 29 points
8. Pacific – 24 points
9. Pepperdine – 23 points
10. Seattle U - 12 points
2026 Baseball Preseason Team (Position Players)
Ian Armstrong, Saint Mary's
Mikey Bell, Gonzaga
Diego Castellanos, Saint Mary's
Isaiah Lane, San Diego
Jayden Lobliner, San Diego
Jared Mettam, Saint Mary's
TJ Rogers, San Francisco
Jonas Salk, Portland
Hudson Shupe, Gonzaga
Zion Williams, LMU
2026 Baseball Preseason Team (Pitchers)
Max Bayles, Santa Clara
Erik Hoffberg, Gonzaga
Avery Laine, LMU
Finbar O'Brien, Gonzaga
Lukas Sarantos, Saint Mary's
Season ticket packages for Saint Mary's Baseball can be purchased HERE or at smcgaels.com/tickets. Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
#38 Ian Armstrong | So. | C | El Granada, Calif.
Ian Armstrong finished the 2025 season as standout freshman for the Gaels, starting 43 games behind the dish as the team's primary catcher. The El Granada native anchored the bottom half of the Gaels batting order last season, finishing the year with a .364 batting average, 55 hits, 11 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 40 RBI. Along with a stellar freshman campaign, Armstrong wrote his name into the conference record books with a record setting five-hit performance in their 14-6 victory over Gonzaga in the WCC Tournament. Armstrong was one of the best two-way catchers in the WCC and was named to the All-WCC Second Team and All-Freshman Team. He became the first freshman in SMC history to be named to an all-conference first or second team since pitcher Tyler Thornton in 2019.
#5 Diego Castellanos | Jr. | OF | Morgan Hill, Calif.
Diego Castellanos was a great surprise for the Gaels in 2025, taking over the right field spot and slashing .311 from the dish along with a .488 slugging percentage and a .902 OPS. Castellanos finished the year with 65 hits, 11 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 40 RBI and eight stolen bases. The Morgan Hill native was a great left-handed bat in the middle of the order for Saint Mary's and his subtle pop of power made him a dangerous at-bat every time through. One of his more memorable at-bats of the season came in the NCAA Regional when he smashed a two-run home run to give Saint Mary's a 2-1 lead at the time over USC. He was named All-WCC Honorable Mention for his first career all-conference selection.
#45 Jared Mettam | Sr. | INF | Half Moon Bay, Calif.
Senior shortstop Jared Mettam will cap off a stellar four-year career at Saint Mary's this season as he was named to the WCC Preseason Team for the first time in his career. Mettam put up career numbers in 2025, finishing his junior season with a .295 batting average, 56 hits, ten doubles, four home runs, 35 RBI and 42 runs scored. Mettam was another solid bat in the bottom half of the order, recording 17 multi-hit games on the year including ten hits in the WCC Tournament. He was named to the All-WCC Tournament team for his efforts as the Gaels took home their second ever conference tournament title. Mettam was named to the 2025 Brooks Wallace Award watch list as one of the top shortstops in the country last season and will certainly be among one of the top shortstops in the WCC this season.
#48 Lukas Sarantos | So. | RHP | San Clemente, Calif.
Saint Mary's returned a strong freshmen class from 2025 and helping lead the charge on the mound this season is right hander Lukas Sarantos. Sarantos was a late bloomer for the Gaels last season but went an impressive 3-0 over his first three collegiate starts, earning wins over Pepperdine, LMU and Pacific. He threw 5+ innings in all three of those starts including back-to-back six inning performances against Pepperdine and LMU. Sarantos joined Armstrong on the WCC All-Freshman Team and will be another key piece in the team's rotation this season.
The full 2026 WCC Coaches Preseason Poll and Team can be found below or at wccsports.com.
2026 Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll
1. San Diego - 77 points (5)
2. Gonzaga - 73 points (4)
3. Saint Mary's – 67 points (1)
4. Portland – 55 points
5. LMU – 52 points
6. Santa Clara – 38 points
7. San Francisco – 29 points
8. Pacific – 24 points
9. Pepperdine – 23 points
10. Seattle U - 12 points
2026 Baseball Preseason Team (Position Players)
Ian Armstrong, Saint Mary's
Mikey Bell, Gonzaga
Diego Castellanos, Saint Mary's
Isaiah Lane, San Diego
Jayden Lobliner, San Diego
Jared Mettam, Saint Mary's
TJ Rogers, San Francisco
Jonas Salk, Portland
Hudson Shupe, Gonzaga
Zion Williams, LMU
2026 Baseball Preseason Team (Pitchers)
Max Bayles, Santa Clara
Erik Hoffberg, Gonzaga
Avery Laine, LMU
Finbar O'Brien, Gonzaga
Lukas Sarantos, Saint Mary's
Season ticket packages for Saint Mary's Baseball can be purchased HERE or at smcgaels.com/tickets. Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
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