LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's baseball team, which reached the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament for the first time since 2018 last season, has been picked to finish sixth this year in a poll of conference head coaches released by the conference on Thursday.

The Golden Eagles were 26-25 overall last season and finished fourth in the conference last season with a 23-17 record, their best conference mark since 2015. Cal State LA hosted the CCAA Tournament last season for the first time since 2007. The Golden Eagles fell in a first-round game to Chico State, while Cal State Monterey Bay went on to win the conference tournament.

Cal State LA has 22 players returning from last year's team, including 10 starters. The Golden Eagles return four players who earned All-CCAA mention last season, led by junior Brandon Gutierrez, who earned second-team All-CCAA honors. He led the team with a 4-7 record and a 4.23 earned run average. He tossed the first no-hitter for the program in 18 years in a 4-1 win at Cal Poly Pomona on March 22.

Also returning are a trio of players who earned All-CCAA honorable mention. Graduate student Alberto Prado returns after hitting .324 with nine home runs and 33 runs batted in and catcher Ben Lee is back after an outstanding junior season that saw him hit .316 with two home runs and 21 RBI and superb defense that saw him throw out a conference-leading 15 base runners trying to steal.

Ismael Quintero was named the CCAA Freshman of the Year last season after leading the team in both victories and saves with a 5-1 record and a 1.80 earned run average with five saves. His twin brother Isaac Quintero was 3-0 with a 4.95 ERA in eight appearances and a pair of starts.

Cal State LA has two more starting pitchers returning in seniors Lino Zepeda and Alejandro Huezo. Zepeda made 13 starts and was second on the staff with 66 2/3 innings pitched, while Huezo was Cal State LA's Friday starter through seven starts before suffering a season-ending injury.

Cal State LA also has experience coming back in their lineup with starters Kadyn Victorian, Ethan Gonzalez, Cesar Chavez and Carson Panarisi returning after successful 2025 campaigns.

Cal State Monterey Bay was picked to win the conference with all nine first-place votes and 81 points. Chico State was second with 61 points, Cal State Dominguez Hills was third with 58 points, Cal Poly Pomona was fourth with 56 points, Cal State San Marcos was fifth with 49 points, Cal State LA was sixth with 34 points, Cal State San Bernardino was seventh with 32 points, Cal State East Bay was eighth with 23 points and Stanislaus State was ninth with 10 points.

With only nine teams in the conference for baseball this season, there will be five spots in the CCAA Tournament in 2026. The tourney will be hosted by Cal State San Bernardino at Fiscalini Field.

Cal State LA will host its annual alumni game on Saturday with the Golden Eagles beginning the 2026 regular season on Friday, Jan. 30 in Hawaii with games against Hawaii Pacific and Chaminade.