OTF Premium How Jonah Williams fared in his first baseball series of 2026

[Jeff Howe]

AUSTIN, Texas — Jonah Williams punctuated his first series of the 2026 baseball season by taking a chance that had Jim Schlossnagle, Steve Sarkisian and anyone else with a stake in the two-sport standout’s future on the Forty Acres holding their breath.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning of Sunday’s 4-0 win over Michigan State at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Williams popped the first pitch he saw from reliever Brady Chambers into left field. When center fielder Trent Rice lost track of the ball, allowing it to fall to the turf for a base hit, Williams bolted for second base.

A late-season shoulder injury while suiting up as a safety for the football team delayed the start of Williams’ second season with the third-ranked Texas baseball team. His head-first slide into second base wasn’t quite the decision Schlossnagle wanted to see late in a game the Longhorns had under control, which is why Dariyan Pendergrass entered the game as a pinch runner after the 6-foot-3-inch, 210-pound Williams was called safe.

“When he starts slow out and then tries to bust the double – I felt like it was time,” Schlossnagle said. “And three straight days of playing. He didn't play the field, but I think he's getting really close. Our training staff is doing a good job with him.

“No other reason other than just to protect him moving forward.”

Manning the designated hitter spot for each of the team’s three wins over the Spartans, Williams went 3-for-10 after making his season debut in Friday’s 8-1 victory. Williams scored two runs, tallied two RBI, walked twice and struck out twice over the weekend, a solid start as he looks to build on a freshman season in which he hit .327 with three doubles, 10 RBI and three stolen bases in 20 games.

When Williams will be ready to resume his duties as a position player remains to be seen. Presumably, when the time comes, Williams will replace Ashton Larson in left field, with Anthony Pack Jr. off to a hot start in right field and Aiden Robbins patrolling center field.

Until then, Schlossnagle will continue monitoring Williams’ progress, looking for positive signs as he saw on Friday.

While going 1-for-3 at the plate and scoring two runs, Schlossnagle thought Williams had “great” at-bats and made smart decisions, like when he tried to turn an infield chopper into a base hit in the third inning.

“He wanted to go to a full gear, but we've told him — his 85-90 percent is still faster than most of the guys on our team,” Schlossnagle said. “I'm really proud of Jonah for pulling up just a little bit — not at the end, but in the middle — running down the line. Then, he got his base hit and made his turn around first base. You saw some maturity there from Jonah.”

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[Jeff Howe]

Jonah recorded his first RBI of the season with a bases-loaded walk in Sunday's win:

 

[Jeff Howe]

In the third inning of Sunday's win, Jonah followed a double by Carson Tinney with an RBI single to right:

 

[Thailand T Sip]

Thank Jeff! It's hard to rein in a thoroughbred.

Edited 1 hour ago by Thailand T Sip