The 1896 college baseball season, play of college baseball in the United States began in the spring of 1896. Play largely consisted of regional matchups, some organized by conferences, and ended in June. No national championship event was held until 1947.

• The Western Conference played its first season of baseball, with Chicago, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin participating.
• Central Michigan, Clemson, Indiana State, Kentucky, Marshall, UConn, and Wisconsin played their first varsity seasons.

This is a partial list of conference champions from the 1896 season.

The following is an incomplete list of conference standings: