Sam Cozart Gives Texas A Freshman Edge In Omaha

Sam Cozart didn’t just arrive for Texas baseball this season; he kicked the door open, grabbed the biggest outs on the schedule and made the Longhorns look even more dangerous heading into the College World Series.

The freshman right-hander has been named the NCBWA National Freshman Pitcher of the Year, and yes, it’s hard to argue with the selection.

READ MORE: Longhorns Prep For All-SEC Showdown in MCWS

Cozart has been electric in burnt orange, posting a 6-0 record with a 1.64 ERA, nine saves and 71 strikeouts against just 12 walks over 49 innings. That’s not freshman-adjusted good. That’s grown-man, Omaha-ready nasty.

The numbers tell the story, but they don’t fully capture the vibe. Cozart has been Texas’ pressure-release valve all season, the arm Jim Schlossnagle can trust when a game starts getting weird and the margin disappears.

Starter? Reliever? Late-inning fireman? It hasn’t really mattered. Cozart has answered every assignment with the same cold-blooded approach.

Opponents hit just .132 against him, and his 0.69 WHIP put him among the most dominant arms in college baseball.

At 6-6 and 260 pounds, he already looks like the kind of pitcher built for June baseball.

Then he backs it up with command, swing-and-miss stuff and the rare freshman poise that doesn’t blink when the season is on the line.

Oregon saw that up close.

With Texas fighting for a College World Series berth, Cozart recorded the final outs of the Austin Super Regional and slammed the door on the Ducks.

It was his ninth save of the season, matching Portland’s Alex Via for the national freshman lead, and it sent the Longhorns back to Omaha with momentum and a weapon nobody wants to deal with late.

Cozart also joins serious company in Texas history. Corey Knebel won the same honor in 2011, and Dylan Volantis earned it last season. Now Cozart makes it three Longhorn winners, while Texas becomes the first program to claim the award in back-to-back years.

READ MORE: Aiden Robbins Powers Texas Into Omaha

Still, the trophy isn’t the finish line. Texas hasn’t won a national title since 2005, and this roster isn’t heading to Omaha for a participation banner. If the Longhorns are going to end that drought, Cozart will almost certainly be asked to own another massive moment.

So far, he hasn’t looked scared of any of them.