Texas enters its second fall under head coach Jim Schlossnagle with a reworked roster and real momentum after an SEC Regular Season Title last spring.
Fall dates to know
- Sat, Sept. 27 — vs. Texas Tech (exhibition), 1:00 p.m. CT, Dell Diamond (Round Rock).
- Fri, Oct. 3 — vs. Lamar (exhibition), 6:30 p.m. CT, UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
- These are the only two public exhibitions on the fall slate.
Who’s new via the transfer portal (on campus)
Carson Tinney, C — Notre Dame → Texas (Jr.)
Buster Posey Award finalist and first-team All-American in 2025; an immediate middle-of-the-order/defense anchor candidate.
Temo Becerra, SS — Stanford → Texas (Sr.)
Experienced, contact-oriented shortstop who started 50+ games for the Cardinal last season.
Haiden Leffew, LHP — Wake Forest → Texas (Jr.)
Power lefty (up to 97) with an elite changeup profile; projects to compete for rotation innings.
Ashton Larson, OF — LSU → Texas (So.)
Left-handed outfielder with SEC experience adds athleticism and on-base ability to the outfield mix.
Aiden Robbins, OF — Seton Hall → Texas (Jr.)
Cape Cod League batting champion and OPS leader joins the Longhorns after starring with the Pirates.
Callum Early, 2B — Liberty → Texas (So.)
Contact-first second baseman to bolster middle-infield depth.
Note: All six are listed or reflected in the current 2025–26 roster/commit reports; Texas’ official roster for 2026 shows Tinney, Becerra, Leffew, Larson, and Robbins on campus.
True Freshmen (High-School signees) On Campus
Highlighted newcomers
- Anthony Pack Jr., OF (Millikan HS, CA) — Highly regarded bat with advanced feel for the barrel.
- Sam Cozart, RHP (Wesleyan Christian, NC) — Physical right-hander with starter’s frame.
- Grady Westphal, RHP (Blue Valley, KS) — Power arm; part of the fall pitch-design group.
- Cooper Rummel, RHP (Dripping Springs, TX) — Local right-hander with swing-and-miss potential.
More Freshmen You’ll See in Scrimmages
Jack McKernan (LHP, Ridge Point TX), Michael Winter (RHP, Shawnee Mission East KS), Jack Paris (RHP, The Kinkaid School TX), Kaleb Rogers (RHP, Reagan TX), Will Hill (OF, Summer Creek TX), Presley Courville (C, Barbe LA), Brody Walls (RHP/INF, McKinney Boyd TX), Brett Crossland (RHP, Corona del Sol AZ), Jadyn Furgason (RHP, St. John Vianney MO), Maddox Monsour (OF/INF, GA).
All are listed on Texas’ 2026 roster.
HS signees who went pro instead
Two headline prep signees from Texas’ 2025 class were first-round MLB picks and signed:
- Gavin Fien, SS — No. 12 overall by the Texas Rangers.
- Kayson Cunningham, SS/2B — No. 18 overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Left-hander Xavier Mitchell (2025 signee) also signed with the Angels after being drafted, so he won’t be on campus this fall.
Early fall storylines (what to watch)
- Catcher picture: Tinney’s arrival sets up a straightforward path to heavy innings behind the plate. The staff will evaluate chemistry with a largely new-look weekend rotation.
- Middle infield shuffle: Becerra and Early give Texas multiple contact bats to pair with returning infielders as the staff replaces drafted departures.
- Rotation competition: Leffew enters with starter traits; several holdovers and freshmen right-handers (Westphal, Rummel, Winter, Paris) will push for innings.
- Outfield mix: Larson and Robbins join a group that must replace production lost to the draft; both have on-base track records that fit Texas’s approach.
Quick roster snapshot (as of Sept. 8, 2025)
Texas lists 2025–26 newcomers across the roster page, including the transfers above and a deep freshman class; fall exhibitions are limited to the two dates noted above. Expect additional intra-squad work throughout September/October.
Final thoughts
This fall is about blending proven college performers (Tinney, Becerra, Leffew, Larson, Robbins, Early) with a large, promising freshman class. If the rotation sorts itself out and the new bats click quickly, Texas will look the part of an Omaha contender again this spring.
Leave a Reply