Jim Schlossnagle begins his second season in Austin with as good a team as there is in the country. There are national championship expectations that follow.
The Texas Longhorns have received their second-best ranking ever in the D1Baseball preseason poll, confirming that the Horns have what it takes to contend for its seventh national championship in program history in Year 2 of the Jim Schlossnagle era.
Earlier this month, Texas slotted in at No. 8 in Perfect Game's first national rankings, but the love only begins there.
D1Baseball has the Longhorns at No. 3 in the country in its opening Top-25 ranking.
Texas sits just behind UCLA and LSU, with the Tigers and Longhorns leading a group of 11 ranked SEC teams.
"Schloss" made an impression in Year 1 with a 44-14 record, Texas' best in the last 15 seasons. They also claimed a conference championship in the school's inaugural season in the SEC, becoming the first team do accomplish that feat since 1933, according to Texas Athletics.
However, a sour taste remains after the upsetting loss to UTSA to get bounced from the Austin Regional.
A roster overflowing with experienced talent aims to let this season serve as a get-back campaign.
Along with star returners like LHP Dylan Volantis, 2B Ethan Mendoza and 3B Adrian Rodriguez, Texas brings in a recruiting class that is in a league of its own.
The Longhorns' 2026 recruiting class ranks as the No. 1 group in the country by Baseball America. Then there's the transfer portal class that ranks third nationally by D1Baseball. In total, 24 new faces join a program molded by excellence and in pursuit of what their reputation boasts.
Volantis is among the best MLB prospects in college and figures to be the Longhorns' Friday starter. He led a group that went 22-8 in conference play thanks to a 3.71 ERA, the sixth-best in the nation last year.
Behind the dish is Carson Tinney, one of the nation's best catchers who was a finalist for the Buster Posey Award and headlines Texas' nine transfer portal additions.
Mendoza, the Southlake Carroll prospect, returns to the Forty Acres in his home state for a second season. He earned All-SEC Defensive Team and All-Region recognition last year after leading the Longhorns in hits (75), batting average (.333) and multi-hit games (25).
Rodriguez, appropriately nicknamed "A-Rod" at the hot corner, hit .313 with seven homers, 23 RBI and a team-high 15 stolen bases. He was named to PG's Freshman All-America First Team for his efforts and is ready for an encore as a sophomore.
The rankings back up the star power Texas had on display last season. Another full year of stellar recruiting and development of top-tier talent has the Longhorns poised to chase more than just a trip to Omaha.
