I crunched some numbers to compare what ASU will leave behind with the Pac-12 and what it'll join into with the Big XII, and it seems like a really good opportunity for things to get back on track.
Keep in mind, neither Colorado nor Iowa State have baseball programs, so that would create a 14-team conference for baseball.
The numbers below compare two different time frames: The last full five seasons (i.e., excluding 2020) and the data since 2011.
Note: The data for the Big XII does not include Texas or Oklahoma, but includes the 11 baseball programs in the conference right now that figure to still be in the conference when ASU joins in 2024. The data for the Pac-12 includes all 11 teams that have been in the league since 2011.
Last 5 Full Seasons (2018-19; 2021-23):
Pac-12
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 25
Super Regional Appearances: 10
College World Series Appearances: 6
National Championships: 1
Big XII
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 20
Super Regional Appearances: 5
College World Series Appearances: 3
National Championships: 0
Since 2011 (First Year of Pac-12)
Pac-12
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 59
Super Regional Appearances: 23
College World Series Appearances: 13
National Championships: 3
Big XII
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 49
Super Regional Appearances: 16
College World Series Appearances: 10
National Championships: 0
Of these achievements for the Pac-12, ASU and Arizona have accounted for 5 total tournament appearances since 2018 with one super regional and one CWS appearance (Utah has no postseason appearances in that span), so the bulk of the recent high-level achievements have been by teams like Stanford, Oregon State and UCLA, and to a lesser but still notable extent Oregon and Washington. Only two programs in the Big XII (that will still be in the conference in 2024) have three or more tournament appearances in the past five full seasons. There are five such examples among Pac-12 teams from 2018-19/2021-23.
The clear headliners of the Big XII are TCU and Texas Tech, which have accounted for all five super regional appearances across the past five full seasons, and 9/10 super regional appearances since 2011. Oklahoma State had a CWS appearance in 2016 and is essentially a perennial tournament team as well.
By comparison, six Pac-12 programs have advanced to at least one super regional since 2018 and eight have done so since 2011. On the other hand, four Pac-12 teams have 0-1 tournament appearances in the past five full seasons, while there are six Big XII teams with 0-1. The four new additions to the Big XII for 2023 (BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, UCF), bring very little in terms of baseball with two combined tournament appearances since 2018 with no super regional appearances. Those four teams combine for only one super regional appearance since 2011. Kansas State and Kansas each have zero tournament appearances since 2018 and three combined appearances since 2011.
The moral of the story: To depart from the likes of Stanford, Oregon State and UCLA -- as well as competitive programs like Oregon and Washington -- and to replace those with TCU, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and the rest, could be an intriguing opportunity for ASU to improve.
Keep in mind, neither Colorado nor Iowa State have baseball programs, so that would create a 14-team conference for baseball.
The numbers below compare two different time frames: The last full five seasons (i.e., excluding 2020) and the data since 2011.
Note: The data for the Big XII does not include Texas or Oklahoma, but includes the 11 baseball programs in the conference right now that figure to still be in the conference when ASU joins in 2024. The data for the Pac-12 includes all 11 teams that have been in the league since 2011.
Last 5 Full Seasons (2018-19; 2021-23):
Pac-12
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 25
Super Regional Appearances: 10
College World Series Appearances: 6
National Championships: 1
Big XII
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 20
Super Regional Appearances: 5
College World Series Appearances: 3
National Championships: 0
Since 2011 (First Year of Pac-12)
Pac-12
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 59
Super Regional Appearances: 23
College World Series Appearances: 13
National Championships: 3
Big XII
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 49
Super Regional Appearances: 16
College World Series Appearances: 10
National Championships: 0
Of these achievements for the Pac-12, ASU and Arizona have accounted for 5 total tournament appearances since 2018 with one super regional and one CWS appearance (Utah has no postseason appearances in that span), so the bulk of the recent high-level achievements have been by teams like Stanford, Oregon State and UCLA, and to a lesser but still notable extent Oregon and Washington. Only two programs in the Big XII (that will still be in the conference in 2024) have three or more tournament appearances in the past five full seasons. There are five such examples among Pac-12 teams from 2018-19/2021-23.
The clear headliners of the Big XII are TCU and Texas Tech, which have accounted for all five super regional appearances across the past five full seasons, and 9/10 super regional appearances since 2011. Oklahoma State had a CWS appearance in 2016 and is essentially a perennial tournament team as well.
By comparison, six Pac-12 programs have advanced to at least one super regional since 2018 and eight have done so since 2011. On the other hand, four Pac-12 teams have 0-1 tournament appearances in the past five full seasons, while there are six Big XII teams with 0-1. The four new additions to the Big XII for 2023 (BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, UCF), bring very little in terms of baseball with two combined tournament appearances since 2018 with no super regional appearances. Those four teams combine for only one super regional appearance since 2011. Kansas State and Kansas each have zero tournament appearances since 2018 and three combined appearances since 2011.
The moral of the story: To depart from the likes of Stanford, Oregon State and UCLA -- as well as competitive programs like Oregon and Washington -- and to replace those with TCU, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and the rest, could be an intriguing opportunity for ASU to improve.
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