Not @Jeff Howe but here is my rough preseason overview. Maybe Jeff @Blake Munroe or @CJ Vogel can correct omissions. I’m sure they are quite busy with portal news.
Really getting excited about the Texas baseball team.
Overall strengths are the number of outstanding arms assembled, though many are freshmen. Transfers Carson Tinney (C) and Aiden Robbins (OF) are exciting transfer additions. Temo Bacerra (Stanford transfer) adds much needed infield experience after hitting 330 last season and averaged 314 in his 3 seasons at Stanford. Mendoza, Rodriguez, Borba and Jonah Williams should all be front line returning starters.
Weaknesses: Lack of depth at position players.
POSITION PLAYERS:
Third OF is a question mark unless Ashton Larson (LSU transfer) can become a consistent everyday player. Jonah Williams and Aiden Robbins are the other 2 OF starters.
Robbins has a chance to be a star. Last season at Seton Hall in 53 games he hit 422, with 19 doubles, 5 triples, 6 HR, 38 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, 44 BB, 32 SO in 255 plate appearances. This summer Robbins won the Cape Cod summer league batting title with a 307 average.
True freshman Anthony Pack is a speedster but needs to develop power but can help this team. Robbins, Williams and Ashton Larson “should” start. Anthony Pack and true freshman William Hill also plays OF along with true freshman Maddox Monsour who can play also play OF/INF.
Rodriguez is currently the starting SS but let’s see if can keep the position. Becerra was moved from SS to third with Mendoza at 2nd and Borba moving to from third to first.
Josh Livingston (Wichita State transfer) has power and is versatile. He can play 1st, 3rd, DH and maybe more. In 2025 with Wichita State he had 10 doubles, 15 HR and 48 RBIs in 56 games while hitting over .280.
Texas also added Callum Early (Liberty transfer) who can play middle infield and some OF if needed. As a freshman at Liberty he made 28 starts. He hit .295, with 23 runs scored, six doubles, two HR and 15 RBIs.
PITCHING
Volantis moving to the starting rotation, Starting pitcher Luke Harrison returns. The other starter will probably come from a group that includes Jason Flores, Ruger Riojas or one of the freshman. I’m guessing they would like to keep Riojas in the long relief/swing starter role. Hopefully Flores can seize the opportunity.
Not sure who the closer will be.
They added a couple of relievers from the portal in Cal Higgins (Western Kentucky) and Haiden Leffew (Wake Forest).
Relievers Max Grubbs, Thomas Burns, Ethan Walker, Kade Bing, Connor McCreery, Cody Howard and Hudson Hamilton return from last season.
The freshman class of pitchers has a chance to be special. Hopefully a couple of them can make a big impact this season. Brett Crossland, Sam Cozart and Michael Winters are my favorite pitchers to have an instant impact but there is a ton of young talent so it will be fun to see who emerges.
Our freshman class rankings per Perfect Game:
Sam Cozart (RHP) 47 nationally overall, (9 ranked RHP)
Brett Crossland (RHP), 62 overall, (11 ranked RHP)
Cooper Rummel (RHP), 81
Jack McKernan (LHP), 135
Brody Walls (RHP), 162
Kaleb Rogers (RHP), 169
Grady Westphal (RHP), 194
Michael Winter (RHP), 274
Jack Paris (RHP), 500
Anthony Pack (OF), 32 overall nationally
Maddox Monsour (OF/INF), 228
William Hill (OF), 241