David Eckert, Austin American-Statesman
| Hearst – Austin Transition
Texas baseball outfielder Max Belyeu was selected Sunday by the Colorado Rockies with the No. 74 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Belyeu, a college junior, has the option to reject the signing bonus offered to him by the Rockies, but recent history suggests that is unlikely. Since 2021, only 11 players selected in the first 10 rounds of the draft have declined to sign.
Belyeu’s draft position carries an expected slot value of $1.11 million.
A power hitter with a sweet left-handed swing, Belyeu spent most of his time as a Longhorn playing right field. His best collegiate season came in 2024, when he hit .329 with a 1.090 OPS and 18 home runs on his way to Big 12 Player of the Year honors.
His 2025 season was interrupted by a thumb injury that sidelined him for 26 games. Still, he managed a .303 batting average with a .986 OPS and nine home runs.
He also provided one of the most memorable moments of the year. In his first game back from injury. Belyeu slugged a go-ahead, three-run home run in the ninth inning against Oklahoma that won the Longhorns the SEC regular-season title in their first season in the league.
Texas’ two other starting outfielders for most of the season, Tommy Farmer IV and Will Gasparino, transferred out of the program. Texas added three outfielders via the transfer portal to make up the numbers.
Reach Texas Insider David Eckert via email at david.eckert@statesman.com.