David Eckert, Austin American-Statesman
 |  Hearst – Austin Transition

Three key Texas baseball pitchers are expected to forego the 2025 MLB Draft and return to play for the Longhorns next season, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told the American-Statesman on Wednesday. 

Ruger Riojas, Luke Harrison and Max Grubbs will all wear burnt orange again in 2026. 

Riojas was once considered by draft experts as a top-500 prospect in this year’s cycle, but that changed as the junior righthander’s production took a tumble late in 2025. Eventually moving into the Friday night role to replace the injured Jared Spencer, Riojas was brilliant in his first seven outings of the SEC campaign, allowing just 10 earned runs in 30 innings. But he gave up 25 earned runs in his final four showings of the campaign, finishing out 2025 with a 5.61 ERA. 

Harrison occupied the Saturday role for coach Jim Schlossnagle all season, and was Texas’ most statistically effective starting pitcher. The lefty finished with a 3.06 ERA, striking out 72 batters in 70 2/3 innings of work during his redshirt junior campaign. 

Spencer will be the only member of Texas’ 2025 starting rotation the Longhorns will have to replace, and they spent the back end the campaign without him anyway after he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. That’s key, because while the Longhorns have made several transfer moves that look likely to strengthen their bullpen, they have not added a proven starter. 

Grubbs’ return gives that bullpen another boost. The righty totaled a 2.84 ERA in 57 innings of work as a junior, whiffing 61 opposing batters. 

Reach Texas Insider David Eckert via email at david.eckert@statesman.com.Â