Baseball Archives

The Texas Ten: Bijan Robinson, Greg Brown, Skylar Fields all ready to shine for Longhorns

Brian Davis American-Statesman Staff

August 28th, 2020

The pandemic has upended college athletics across the nation, forced major conferences to cancel fall sports and prompted university presidents to weigh the ethics of sending 18- to 22-year-old athletes into competition. The athletes themselves? They just want to play. The Big 12 marches on, and so will Texas athletics. Read More

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After a long stay in the minors, ex-Longhorn Mark Payton finally reaches baseball’s biggest stage

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

August 22nd, 2020

A winding road that took Mark Payton through states like Florida, Nevada and Pennsylvania has finally reached the major leagues. After his contract was selected by the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, Payton was used as a pinch hitter in a 3-0 loss at St. Louis. In … Read More

Kirk Bohls

American-Statesman Staff

Bohls: Texas’ Jim Gideon is now the latest in a long line of Horns Hall of Famers

Admittedly, he was nervous, oddly enough. Jim Gideon had pitched many times before as a freshman and sophomore at Texas and was the new ace of one of the Longhorns’ most talented staffs ever. But those games were at rustic Clark Field, where they might shoehorn in 1,500 fans at … Read More

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Former Texas pitcher Jim Gideon to be inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

August 6th, 2020

The National College Baseball Hall of Fame announced on Thursday that its newest class of inductees will include ex-UT pitcher Jim Gideon. Gideon pitched at Texas from 1973-75 and was a two-time All-American. Gideon set a school record with his 19 wins during the 1974 season. The following year, he … Read More

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‘Burnt orange runs through my veins’: Westlake’s Blake Peterson to play baseball at Texas

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

August 5th, 2020

Before he earns his first varsity at-bat, Blake Peterson has decided where he’ll take his cuts in college. Peterson gave a verbal commitment to UT’s baseball program on Wednesday. In a post on Twitter, Peterson said that “I was born here and I’ve been raised here, burnt orange … Read More

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Former Texas baseball coach Cliff Gustafson suffers heart attack

Kirk Bohls American-Statesman Staff

July 15th, 2020

Cliff Gustafson, the winningest coach in Texas baseball history, underwent surgery on Wednesday after suffering a major heart attack. He remains in stable condition at Ascension Seton Medical Center, his daughter, Jann Shepperd, told the American-Statesman. Gustafson, 89, had two stents placed in, Shepperd said. She added that her father … Read More

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Longhorns add reinforcements for 2021 baseball season as two graduate transfers sign with Texas

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

July 7th, 2020

Texas announced on Tuesday afternoon that graduate transfers Mike Antico and Palmer Wenzel had officially joined the Longhorns. UT also added freshman pitcher Lebarron Johnson to its roster. The three newest Longhorns join a 2020 recruiting class that Baseball America once ranked as the nation’s best. Texas, however, … Read More

David Pierce on 2020 recruits: ‘We definitely held on to a few that will compete for roles right away’

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

July 3rd, 2020

On Friday, Petey Halpin chose the Cleveland Indians over the Texas Longhorns. A California-raised outfielder who signed with Texas this past fall, Halpin headed into the holiday weekend with a $1.53 million signing bonus after agreeing to a deal with Cleveland. Halpin and fellow Longhorn recruits Carson Tucker, Jared Jones … Read More

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Texas’ Swindell and Street acknowledged as ESPN unveils its all-time baseball team

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

July 1st, 2020

Former Texas stars Greg Swindell and Huston Street were two of the three pitchers named to ESPN’s Greatest All-Time College Baseball Team on Tuesday. Swindell was the fan-selected team’s left-handed pitcher.  Street made the cut as the lone reliever. Swindell and Street’s selections come nearly three weeks after Cat Osterman, … Read More

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Ex-Longhorns to resume spring training as MLB works its way back from a coronavirus hiatus

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

June 29th, 2020

The Texas baseball program will have nine of its alumni vying for playing time in the major leagues this summer. With Major League Baseball looking to start its 2020 season by the end of July, attention has shifted to the resumption of a spring training that was cut short by … Read More

‘The expectation at Texas is to win championships and that’s exactly what we plan to do’: A Q&A with Texas’ new baseball commits

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

June 26th, 2020

Texas hasn’t played a baseball game in more than 100 days, but the team has kept busy this offseason. The Longhorns recently received five commitments in the span of seven days. Lampasas pitcher Ace Whitehead and Monsignor Kelly first baseman Gavin Kash joined the 2021 recruiting class. And Texas added … Read More

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Texas crosses three names off its baseball team’s roster as Elder, Ellis and Fields move on

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

June 20th, 2020

When the first pitch of the 2021 baseball season is thrown, a few familiar faces will be missing from Texas’ dugout. Texas confirmed on Friday that pitcher Kamron Fields has entered the NCAA’s transfer portal. On Friday, the agency representing UT outfielder Duke Ellis also announced his signing with the … Read More

Lampasas junior Ace Whitehead commits to Texas — in baseball

Rick Cantu American-Statesman Staff

June 17th, 2020

Lampasas quarterback Ace Whitehead has already established a legacy of excellence while playing football. His future, though, will be on a much different playing field. Whitehead has accepted a scholarship offer to play baseball for the University of Texas. The pitcher-infielder, who will begin his senior year in the fall, … Read More

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A sixth season for No. 6: DJ Petrinsky set to return to Texas in 2021

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

June 14th, 2020

After years of wearing the No. 6 jersey at Texas, DJ Petrinsky will extend his collegiate baseball career into a sixth season. Petrinsky took to Instagram on Saturday to announce that “I’m back… again.” Petrinsky was a senior catcher this past season, but the NCAA has given back a year … Read More

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Taking advantage of an NCAA decision, Austin Todd announces his return to the Texas outfield

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

June 12th, 2020

Even after 151 games and four seasons, Austin Todd isn’t done playing baseball at Texas. Todd will return to Texas for a fifth baseball season. In a tweet that was published on Thursday night, Todd said “Well Texas, can’t get rid of me yet, we’ve got unfinished business.” Todd was … Read More

Bryce Elder drafted by Atlanta as MLB teams also pounce on Texas recruits

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

June 11th, 2020

If Bryce Elder isn’t pitching in Austin next spring, he will instead be throwing in Atlanta’s farm system. A right-handed pitcher, Elder was chosen by Atlanta in the fifth round of the MLB draft on Thursday. The Braves selected Elder with the 156th overall pick. Elder becomes the 12th pitcher … Read More

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Texas recruit Carson Tucker chosen by Cleveland in the MLB draft’s first round

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

June 10th, 2020

Texas signee Carson Tucker was selected by Cleveland with the 23rd pick in the MLB draft on Wednesday. A shortstop from Phoenix, Tucker had signed with Texas this past November. He was drafted six years after Pittsburgh used a first-round pick on his older brother, Cole. Tucker was Texas’ only … Read More

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Brayden Randle’s commitment signals the start of 2023 recruiting for Texas

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

June 9th, 2020

When he looks far into his future, Brayden Randle now sees himself playing baseball at Texas. Randle announced on Tuesday afternoon that he has given the Longhorns a verbal commitment. A middle infielder, Randle played varsity baseball as a freshman at Rockwall High this spring. He is the first prospect … Read More

His evolution at Texas now complete, pitcher Bryce Elder turns toward the MLB draft

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

June 9th, 2020

What does one do in the days leading up to the MLB draft? If you’re Texas pitcher Bryce Elder, you golf. You prepare for a watch party with your family. And you head over to your grandmother’s home to mow the lawn because even a potential draft pick has chores … Read More

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List of college baseball’s top freshmen includes Texas newcomer Pete Hansen

Danny Davis American-Statesman Staff

June 4th, 2020

Texas pitcher Pete Hansen has been named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. The last Longhorn to earn these freshman-year accolades was designated hitter Zach Zubia in 2018. No UT pitcher had been recognized since Morgan Cooper’s freshman year in 2014. Just a … Read More