Schlossnagle's reloading Longhorns boast elite pitching, deep talent, and a top recruiting class, poised for another dominant SEC run. Expectations are high.
If last season was Texas baseball’s statement, the preseason rankings say the Longhorns are no longer asking for permission ... they’re expected to contend.
Texas checked in at No. 8 in Perfect Game’s preseason Top 25, announced Thursday, giving the Longhorns a top-10 preseason ranking for the fourth time in the last five years and the third straight season.
The Longhorns are one of six SEC programs in the top 10, joining No. 1 LSU, No. 3 Tennessee, No. 4 Arkansas, No. 6 Mississippi State, and No. 10 Auburn.
In head coach Jim Schlossnagle’s first season on The Forty Acres, Texas delivered its best record in 15 years, finishing 44-14. The Longhorns didn’t just survive their SEC debut—they won the league outright, becoming the first team to capture an SEC title in its first season since the conference’s inaugural campaign in 1933.
Picked eighth in the preseason conference poll, Texas responded the old-fashioned way: by ignoring it and winning by two games anyway. Their 22-8 SEC mark was the program’s best conference record since 2010.
Schlossnagle’s blueprint is already clear ... elite pitching, depth everywhere, and relentless pressure. And most of that roster is still here.
Texas returns 16 letterwinners, including reigning Baseball America National Freshman of the Year Dylan Volantis, who headlines a staff that brings back a staggering 76 percent of its innings pitched. Last season, the Longhorns ranked second nationally in WHIP (1.18) and sixth in ERA (3.71).
This is a pitching-first team built to travel, win series, and grind out postseason games. If you like strike-throwers who don’t beat themselves, you’re going to enjoy this ride.
The offense isn’t exactly short on answers either.
Ethan Mendoza and Adrian Rodriguez, Texas’ top two hitters from 2025, are both back, providing continuity at the top and middle of the order.
Add in a nationally top-ranked recruiting class (No. 1 according to Baseball America) featuring 14 freshmen and 10 transfers, and suddenly this lineup looks deeper than a Buc-ee’s snack aisle.
Three Longhorns earned Perfect Game preseason All-America honors this week, with Volantis joined by transfers Carson Tinney and Aiden Robbins.
So what should Texas fans actually watch for early?
First, how Schlossnagle manages the pitching staff in nonconference play. With so much returning depth, expect some experimentation early, especially in midweek games.
Second, keep an eye on lineup flexibility. With this many newcomers, roles will shift, and that’s a good thing if you’re built for a long season.
Texas opens the 2026 season Feb. 13 against UC Davis at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, and while it’s only February, the message is already loud and clear.