One former Texas Longhorns baseball player might be headed back to his home state. The Texas Rangers have reportedly discussed bringing veteran first baseman Brandon Belt to Arlington, Texas.
The homecoming for Belt should bring a positive reception. The former Longhorns standout earned several honors while in Austin. Among those honors were Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Player and All-Big 12 team honorable mention.
While in Austin, Belt batted .321 for his career with a .399 on base percentage. The gifted athlete also posted a 4.19 ERA in one season as a pitcher on the Forty Acres.
The Longhorn legend has continued his strong play even late into his career. Since 2020, Belt ranks No. 5 among current MLB first basemen in on base percentage, No. 6 in slugging percentage, No. 4 in on base plus slugging plus and No. 2 in walk percentage.
Belt played a significant role in Texas’ runner up season in 2009 where the Longhorns fell to the LSU Tigers for a College World Series title. His knack for championship baseball carried over to the major leagues where Belt won World Series titles in 2012 and 2014 with the San Francisco Giants.
The productive player’s former manager Bruce Bochy is likely a leading voice in discussions about bringing Belt back to Texas. He would likely add a clubhouse leader to the fold that Bochy can trust.
Brandon Belt could be coming back to Texas. We will keep an eye on where he lands for the 2024 baseball season.
The Rangers have reportedly had internal conversations with free agent Brandon Belt.
Could Belt reunite with his longtime former manager Bruce Bochy?#MLBNHotStove | @jonmorosi pic.twitter.com/kpK4EO1bnh
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 30, 2024