The 2026 baseball season featured some highs and some lows for the Texas Longhorns.
Texas went 46-15 this spring, finished in second place in the SEC standings and made the program’s 39th College World Series appearance. Longhorns such as Dylan Volantis, Carson Tinney and Aiden Robbins also put together All-American campaigns.
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The Longhorns, though, lasted just three games in Omaha and are still searching for their first national championship since 2005 (the rival Oklahoma Sooners winning it all didn’t help matters). And while failing to defend the conference championship that it won in last year’s SEC debut, Texas suffered two losses during Jim Schlossnagle’s return to the Texas A&M campus.
Here are the American-Statesman’s grades for the Longhorns’ 2026 season:
Texas Longhorns pitcher Dylan Volantis (99) and catcher Carson Tinney (8) celebrate a strikeout during the game against Missouri at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Thursday, May. 14, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Starting pitching: A
As Texas used some variation of the same rotation during every weekend series, Dylan Volantis (10-2, 2.08 ERA) developed into an ace while Ruger Riojas (6-2, 3.97 ERA) and Luke Harrison (6-4, 4.10 ERA) were more than serviceable. Volantis, Riojas and Harrison all recorded 100 strikeouts this season, which gave Texas three pitchers with triple-digit strikeouts for the first time since 1988.
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Bullpen: B-
As a freshman, Sam Cozart earned seven saves in SEC play and another save in the NCAA Tournament. But aside from boasting one of college baseball’s top closers, Texas struggled to find consistency with its other bullpen arms and needed to turn to Harrison twice in the NCAA Tournament.
Catcher: A
The end of what will likely be Carson Tinney’s only season at Texas was spoiled by defensive miscues at the College World Series, but we’re grading the Notre Dame transfer on the entirety of his year in Austin. Tinney’s 22 homers rank fifth in the Texas record books, and he was also a Buster Posey Award finalist and a Rawlings Gold Glove winner.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Ashton Larson (44) catches the ball at first during the game against Missouri at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Thursday, May. 14, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
First base: B
The majority of UT’s reps at first base went to Casey Borba, who was the team’s starting third baseman in 2025, and Ashton Larson, who is an outfielder by trade. Still, Texas got solid defensive play at that position. Borba (.554 slugging percentage, fourth on the team) and Larson both hit around .260, but the former was always a threat to go deep.
Second base: C
Ethan Mendoza (.278 batting average, 52 runs, 50 RBIs) proved to be a gamer as he remained in the lineup despite a shoulder injury that limited him to DH duties over the season’s final month. But UT’s best hitter from last season saw his batting average drop 55 points during his junior year, and Temo Becerra was somewhat streaky while splitting time between third base and second base.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Adrian Rodriguez (24) score a run in the first inning as the Texas Longhorns play their first game of a three-game series against the Alabama Crimson Tide, April 17, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Shortstop: A
Rodriguez showed enough defensively to validate UT’s decision to make the sophomore its starting shortstop, and he hit .327 at the plate while dealing with the complications of an offseason hand surgery. During the postseason, however, Rodriguez showed what the hype was all about. He produced a .613 batting average during the NCAA Tournament and then earned all-tournament honors during a College World Series run that included the third hitting cycle in the 79-year history of the event.
Third base: B
Could Borba and Becerra have been better on offense? Sure, although an 18-homer season from Borba and the .301 batting average produced by Becerra weren’t bad. But the defensive versatility and consistency of Becerra, who was the only Longhorn to start in all 61 of the team’s games, and Borba in the Texas infield were underrated keys of the Longhorns’ success this season. The two combined for just nine errors, regardless of position.
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Outfield: B
Yes, Aiden Robbins was an All-American. Yes, Anthony Pack Jr. was arguably the best freshman in the country. And yes, Texas seemingly found the right defensive combination in the outfield by the time the NCAA Tournament started. But injuries, inconsistencies and ineffectiveness prevented UT from truly finding a third outfielder and that created a huge hole near the bottom of the Longhorn lineup.
Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle meets Tarleton State head coach Fuller Smith ahead of the NCAA Baseball Regional game at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Saturday, May 30, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Coaching: A-
During Jim Schlossnagle’s second year in Austin, the Longhorns took a big step and made it back to the College World Series for the first time since 2022. Texas ranked 10th nationally with its 3.98 ERA, so a tip of the cap to assistant coach Max Weiner. Texas also became the first team from a power conference in 15 years to produce 100 homers and 100 steals in the same season, so a tip of the cap to assistant coach Troy Tulowitzki.
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