6-foot-7 freshman RHP Caden Cooper gives Houston a high-upside arm with swing-and-miss life
In the 2026 season, Cooper flashed starter traits for Houston: he opened with 5.1 scoreless innings against Rice, and later worked 6.2 innings with 7 strikeouts and just 1 run allowed against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, showing real poise for a freshman. He’s a tall, long-levered right-hander at 6-7, 200 who can miss bats and hold up in longer outings, which makes him intriguing beyond the box score. The risk is normal freshman volatility, but the ceiling is loud—and that’s the kind of arm a program wants to keep starting on Tuesdays, Fridays, and eventually every big night.
