Rockridge was picked as a unanimous favorite to win a conference championship in WRMJ’s TRAC West baseball preseason coaches poll.
The Rockets were picked as the favorite by all five other coaches in the conference. In the poll, Rockridge finished five points above Sherrard, the runner-up pick. Riverdale (third), Orion (fourth), Mercer County (fifth), and Monmouth-Roseville (sixth) rounded out the poll.
All six coaches in the TRAC West participated. They were asked to rank the teams in the conference, excluding themselves, 1-5. A first-place vote received five points, a second-place vote received four points, and so on.
The poll results are below. The number in parentheses represents how many first-place votes a team received.
2026 TRAC West Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rockridge (5) | 25 |
| 2 | Sherrard | 20 |
| 3 | Riverdale | 15 |
| 4 | Orion | 14 |
| 5 | Mercer County | 9 |
| 6 | Monmouth-Roseville | 7 |
Team Capsules
Rockridge Rockets
Head Coach: Justin Chisholm (3rd season)
2024 Record: 20-13, 6-4 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional final to Sherrard 5-4
Sherrard Tigers
Head Coach: Nick Basala (6th season at Sherrard, 15th overall)
2024 Record: 19-9, 9-1 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A sectional semifinal to Eureka 2-1
Riverdale Rams
Head Coach: Derek Peterson (6th season)
2024 Record: 9-17, 5-5 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional quarterfinal to Erie-Prophetstown 3-1
Mercer County Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Jacob Harrison (8th season)
2024 Record: 14-18, 5-5 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional semifinal to Sherrard 7-0
Orion Chargers
Head Coach: Larry Anderson (3rd season)
2024 Record: 17-15, 3-7 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional final to IVC 6-3
Monmouth-Roseville Titans
Head Coach: Mike Huston (2nd season)
2024 Record: 8-22, 2-8 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional quarterfinal to Mercer County 1-0
WRMJ’s coverage of the TRAC is powered by…
- Midwest Bank, with locations that include Aledo, Andalusia, Monmouth, and Moline
- Local COUNTRY Financial representatives Tracy Bigham, Jason Potter, and John Waugh in Aledo, Brent Bigham in Edgington, and Julie Hessler in Orion.
- Breedlove’s Sporting Goods in Kewanee