OTF Premium Baseball: St. Mary’s catcher Ian Armstrong commits to Texas

[Jeff Howe]

Jim Schlossnagle and the Texas baseball program secured a transfer portal commitment from St. Mary’s catcher Ian Armstrong on Saturday.

Armstrong’s commitment, which he announced on Instagram, fills one of the Longhorns' most significant roster needs with one of the top prospects available in the portal. After Carson Tinney’s All-American season at (.326/.483/.688 with 22 home runs and 58 RBI) and behind the plate (ABCA Division I Rawlings Gold Glove winner) in 2026, and Rylan Galvan’s an All-American campaign during Schlossnagle’s debut, Texas couldn’t afford to take a significant step back at a position upon which Schlossnagle puts a high value when building his roster.

Tinney is expected to be an early-round selection in the 2026 MLB Draft, paving the way for Armstrong, who visited campus late in the week ahead of the current dead period (runs through Monday), to bring his two-way talent to the Forty Acres.

As a sophomore for the Gaels, the 6-foot-1-inch Armstrong hit .351 with 16 home runs, 51 RBI and a 1.070 OPS en route to first-team All-West Coast Conference honors. According to D1Baseball and Synergy, Armstrong is fifth in Division I in defensive runs saved and seventh in defensive wins above replacement (1.33, which currently ranks fourth among SEC catchers).

Armstrong is the second transfer portal commitment the Longhorns have landed in the current cycle, joining Texas Tech infielder Linkin Garcia. With the futures of Casey Borba and Ethan Mendoza uncertain as the two starters from a team that won 46 games and reached the College World Series await the upcoming draft, Armstrong and Garcia give Schlossnagle two key pieces of the 2027 infield, along with returning postseason standout Adrian Rodriguez.

On Texas Football expects up to two more infielders, two outfielders and three pitchers to be what Texas tries to add in the portal. The baseball transfer portal window will close on June 30.

As of Saturday, the Longhorns have lost five players to the transfer portal: right-handed pitchers Jadyn Ferguson and Cooper Rummel, catchers Presley Courville and Andrew Ermis (the only catchers other than Tinney on the 2026 roster) and outfielder Will Hill.

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[CutaneousHorn]

Here we go!

[Jeff Howe]

This is one of the big portal targets we’ve been talking about for a few days. Arguably the biggest positional need for Texas in the transfer portal has been filled by one of the best catchers available.

[Hank South]

🤘

[Glass Joe]

Remind me who Nolan Cain is again?

[rocketman]

And there you are!

[Texansarebetter]

YES!!!!🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[CJ Vogel]

Major fan here

[Texansarebetter]

Armstrong hit .351 with 16 home runs this year. Had ZERO passed balls the entire season. Sign me up🤘🏻

[Red Five]

How's his arm?

[texcoyote15]

Great pickup.  WOW the sky isn’t falling 😃😃

[Texansarebetter]

Savoie would have been nice but he hasn’t been a full time catcher. He’s played OF as well in his first 2 years of college. Armstrong is a true catcher with elite defense and a big time bat. He’s probably a better fit for what we need behind the plate and his offensive numbers speak for themselves. Great pickup!! Hook em’!!🤘🏻🤘🏻

[Jedi Master Bevo]

Huh, got the catcher Schloss wanted. 

[Texansarebetter]

[texcoyote15]

5 minutes ago, texcoyote15 said:

Great pickup.  WOW the sky isn’t falling 😃😃

This kid might hit 25 homers in Austin. You know how when that wind gets to blowing regular fly balls start jumping out. 

[BurntOrangeDriller]

Let’s go!!!

[Jedi Master Bevo]

25 minutes ago, CJ Vogel said:

Major fan here

But Cain left. How was this possible? 😆 🤣 

[Jedi Master Bevo]

https://x.com/i/status/2068384391160557961

[davisxcole]

Wait so what does this mean for Tinney? Isn’t he a junior 

[Longhornfrenzy]

Great get🤘🏻 Almost took my mind off of spending money on furniture for my new home 😁

[BurntOrangeDriller]

5 minutes ago, davisxcole said:

Wait so what does this mean for Tinney? Isn’t he a junior 

Tinney is a projected second round pick. He gone 

[HonkEm]

19 minutes ago, Texansarebetter said:

Thks for posting this...don't watch too much baseball, but one of my questions was>>>>was Tinney a liability behind the plate? He seemed to make a lot of errors in some of the games i've watched. This guy seems pretty good on defense.

[Texansarebetter]

Blake just said Armstrong is the #30 draft prospect for the 27’ draft. Guy is a stud🤘🏻

[Jeff Howe]

18 minutes ago, davisxcole said:

Wait so what does this mean for Tinney? Isn’t he a junior 

He'll be drafted high enough that he'll sign a professional contract. He's not coming back.

[Ace Recruiter]

So, we're not shutting down the program? Good to know.