No. 1 TCU headlines field of heavyweights

Those wanting a look at who might show up in Omaha, Neb., for the College World Series this summer should probably stop by Minute Maid Park this weekend.

The latest edition of the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic boast perhaps its most talented field. Five of the six teams — No. 1 TCU, No. 4 LSU, No. 20 Mississippi, No. 21 Texas Tech and No. 25 Texas A&M — are ranked in Baseball America’s latest poll. Baylor, the lone unranked team, is undefeated at 9-0.

It’s a Big 12 versus Southeastern Conference affair.

TCU (7-1) is the headliner, though, as the No. 1 team in the country, according to most rankings. Oak Ridge product and first baseman Luken Baker will be one to watch after a breakout freshman campaign.

Texas A&M (8-1) features a local product, too, in pitcher and Cypress Ranch graduate Corbin Martin, who is garnering some draft buzz as a junior.

TCU and Texas Tech (9-1) were in the College World Series last season.

Another notable wrinkle to this year? No Rice or University of Houston for the first time. Every year since 2001, both or one of the teams have participated in the showcase. The 2015 season was the only year just one of those two teams were in the College Classic — that was UH.

This will be the 10th appearance for both Baylor and Texas Tech and the ninth for Texas A&M. It’s the seventh for TCU.

It’s a first for Mississippi (7-1) and just the second for LSU (8-1), which was in last year’s version.