Tag: longhorns baseball

Texas Ranked Fifth in Big 12 Coaches Poll

The Texas Longhorns baseball team is coming into the season as the fifth ranked team in the Big 12 preseason coaches poll.

The Texas Longhorns baseball team will begin their quest for the conference title on February 14th in hopes of starting off on the right foot in their pursuit of another trip to Omaha. The Big 12 coaches released their rankings for the conference on Thursday.

It comes as little to no surprise that the Texas Tech Red Raiders finished a top the preseason poll rankings for the third-consecutive year. They received six first place votes and Texas comes in at fifth had one first place vote. The single vote did not come from David Pierce as coaches aren’t allowed to vote on their own team.

The Longhorns, Texas Tech and the TCU Horned Frogs are the only teams to ever be voted number one in three or more consecutive seasons as the top baseball team in the conference since 1999.

The Longhorns finished 2019 with a record of 27-27 overall and 8-16 in the conference. Texas needs a big year to reclaim the baseball throne in the state of Texas.

Tres Barrera Hopes of Earning Big League Opportunity

Former Longhorns catcher Tres Barrera is hoping to get his Major League Baseball opportunity with the Nationals in 2020.

Tres Barrera’s major league career has been a short one so far. After being drafted in the sixth round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals. The former Longhorns catcher was invited to the Nats’ major league camp in 2019 before being assigned to Double A Harrisburg Senators.

In the minors during the 2019 season, Barrera batted .249 with eight HRs and 46 RBIs. He was called up to the big leagues on September 8th. He went hitless in two at bats while appearing in two games. He was not a part of the postseason roster as the Nationals defeated the Houston Astros to win the World Series.

In 2020, Barrera will be looking to have more of a role with the Nationals. Following the World Series victory for Washington they declined the second-year option of catch Yan Gomes who was behind the plate for the final four games of the fall classic. That might have opened the door for Barrera, however Gomes was brought back on a new two-year deal.

The other catcher on the roster Kurt Suzuki will be in the final year of his contract. Suzuki will be 36 this season which marks his 14th in the league. Given that Gomes and Suzuki are in place for the Nat’s title defense run, it might be another year that Barrera will have to plug away in the minors in hopes of earning his shot in 2021.

 

Corey Knebel Eyeing Mid April Return To The Mound?

Former Texas Longhorns closer and current Milwaukee Brewer Corey Knebel is eyeing a mid April return to the mound.

It wasn’t quite the 2019 season that former Texas Longhorns pitcher Corey Knebel had hoped for. After a career year in 2017 for the Milwaukee Brewers, the numbers weren’t quite up to snuff in 2018. For Knebel, he was an All-Star for the Brewers in 2017.

That year he led the Majors in appearances with 76, while getting the save in 39 games. He would finished the season with a 1.78 (ERA) earned run average. His 2018 season wouldn’t be near as kind as Knebel posted a 3.58 ERA with a 4-3 record in 57 appearances while earning 16 saves. The 2019 season was hoping to see him return to his All-Star form for the Brewers.

In March of 2019 it was reported that Knebel would miss the season due to an injured elbow that would require Tommy John surgery to repair a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament. The typical recovery and best case scenario is a 13-month recovery time to begin playing baseball again.

According to CBS Sports, Knebel is eyeing a mid-April return to the mound. Barring any setbacks which the report states that there were none, fits right in with the 13-month recovery period. The former Longhorn will likely come in as a middle reliever and eventually getting an opportunity to earn his spot as the Brewers’ closer once again.

Knebel came to Texas in 2011 where he became the closer. That year he recorded 19 saves earning him First Team All-American honors and tying a school record. He played until 2013 where he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers with the 39th overall pick.

He made his Major League Debut against the Texas Rangers in 2014 before being traded from Detroit to Texas. That year Knebel sprained that same UCL before being shut down. In the offseason, Knebel was part of a package that sent him to Milwaukee. In 2017 he was named National League All-Star.

Brandon Belt Looks For Bounce Back Year In 2020

Former Texas Longhorn Brandon Belt is looking for a bounce back season in 2020 for the San Francisco Giants.

Former Longhorn and current Giants’ first baseman Brandon Belt is preparing to head into his 10th season in the majors, all of which have been with the Giants. Belt received his call to the big leagues in 2011, appearing in 63 games while batting .225 with nine home runs and 18 runs batted in at the age of 23. Outside of an injury-riddled season in 2014, that would be the fewest games that Belt would play in.

In 2019, the former Longhorn and Nacogdoches native appeared in a career-high 156 games that he also matched in the 2016 season. Belt batted just .234 with 127 strikeouts to only 83 walks. He added 17 HRs and 57 RBIs. Looking for a bounce back season, Belt will report to spring training for the Giants in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 16th.

The Giants will be looking to overtake the two teams that finished above them in 2019, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks. The Giants finished with a combined record of 16-22 against those two clubs. For Belt, he is trying to bring the Giants back to contention. The team hasn’t had a playoff berth since 2016 and haven’t won the pennant since 2014 when they won the World Series.

Belt spent 2008-2009 with the Texas Longhorns. He decided to go to school over starting his baseball career when he was selected in the 11th round by the Boston Red Sox straight out of Lufkin High School. Belt spent 2007 with San Jacinto college where again he was drafted in the 11th round by the Atlanta Braves. He transferred to Texas where he would spend the next two seasons.

As a member of the Longhorns team in 2008, the team finished with a 39-22 record and was eliminated in the NCAA Regionals after falling to Rice 7-4. The following year Belt transitioned to first base and gave up pitching due to his shoulder. The Longhorns finished as runner-up in the 2009 College World Series. He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the fifth round of the 2009 MLB Draft.

Brandon Belt’s MLB Accolades

  • National League All-Star (2016)
  • Two-time Wold Series Champion (2012, 2014)
  • Career Batting Average .261
  • Career Home Runs: 129
  • Career Runs Batted In: 472
  • Career On Base Percentage: .354

Pitcher Andre Deplantier II Wearing Cast On Non-Throwing Hand

Texas freshman pitcher and infielder Andre Deplantier II was seen with a soft cast on his non-throwing hand.

The Texas Longhorns baseball team is only a matter of weeks away from their season opening series against Rice. Freshman Andre Deplantier II was seen with a soft cast on his non-throwing hand according to Dustin McComas of Orange Bloods.

The fractured hamate bone injury might push Deplantier to focus on just pitching for the immediate future. According to his Texas bio, Deplantier was a force on the mound and in the infield.

Lettered in every season at Summer Creek High School under head coach D.J. Wilson…named the 2019 Summer Creek baseball team MVP and Pitcher of the Year…unanimous first team All-District pitcher and second team third baseman…helped lead the team to the most wins in school history and the first playoff series win…recorded a 9-0 record in 10 starts with 90 strikeouts and batted .304 with 33 RBI as a senior…played third, shortstop, and pitched…named first team All-District pitcher as a junior and senior and second team All-District at third base in both of those seasons…named to the Perfect Game World Wood Bat Championship All-Tournament team as both a hitter and pitcher on three occasions (2016, 2017, 2018)…member of the National Honor Society.

With the injury to Deplantier, recovery will be key to get him back on the diamond and help bring Texas back to the top of the college baseball world in the Big 12.

Texas Longhorns Miss Out On Baseball America’s Top 25

Baseball America has released their preseason top 25, with three Big 12 teams in the polls the Texas Longhorns miss making the cut.

Baseball season is almost upon us and the Texas Longhorns are looking to return to Omaha in 2020 for the College World Series. The Longhorns didn’t have the best regular season a year ago but they were able to finish with the best conference record. It marked the first time since 2015 that Texas would get to Omaha.

With the success of last season, the Longhorns are looking to repeat as conference champions. They finished the regular season without being ranked in the top 25. Baseball America has come out with their preseason top 25 rankings and the Longhorns didn’t make the cut.

There are three teams from the Big 12 ranked in the preseason rankings with Texas Tech (6), Oklahoma State (16) and Oklahoma (19). The Longhorns will need another 2018 like season to take down three of the best teams in the country to build upon last year’s success.

Texas Baseball Team To Retire The Number of Longhorns Legend

The Texas Longhorns will be retiring the number 25. That number was worn by Austin native and Longhorns legend Huston Street.

The Texas Longhorns are looking to return to the College World Series in hopes of capturing the elusive World Championship that has evaded their grasp since 2002. To do so, the Longhorns brought back the man that helped lead them to Omaha during that season, former Major League Baseball pitch Huston Street. He was the MVP of that championship run.

Huston Street’s number 25 jersey will be retired. A huge honor bestowed upon a legend in the streets of Austin. During his time with the Longhorns, Street finished with 41 career saves. He is regarded as one of the best college closers of all time. In 2010, Street was named to the NCAA College World Series Legends Team.

Street finished his professional career with 324 saves that spanned 13 seasons. His career record finish 42-34 with 665 strikeouts. Street joined the staff this past offseason. He was also named AL Rookie of The Year in 2005 while a member of the Oakland A’s. The two-time All-Star finished with a 2.95 earned run average (ERA).

What a way to welcome back Streeter.

Four Longhorns named to Big 12’s All-Decade baseball team

Kody Clemens, Mark Payton, Taylor Jungmann, and Corey Knebel are named to D1 Baseball’s Big 12 All-Decade team.

It was a successful decade for Texas baseball, consistently winning throughout all ten years. Winning the Big 12 regular season three different times in 2010, 2011, and 2018. The only other program to come close to the Longhorns was Texas Tech, also winning three.

Texas also added a Big 12 tournament win in 2015, sending them straight to the NCAA tournament. Making it to the tournament in 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018, the Longhorns got to the College World Series in three of those years.

All of this success was due to a few players who made it into the D1baseball.com Big 12 All-Decade Team. Kody Clemens, Mark Payton, Taylor Jungmann, and Corey Knebel all made it in for the Longhorns. You can check out the full team here:

Here are the four players that made it into the Big 12 All-Decade team:

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LOOK: Texas Baseball unveils state-of-the-art player development center

The Texas Longhorns baseball team just unveiled its new player development center, called the J. Dan Brown Family Player Development Center

The Texas Longhorns baseball team just unveiled its brand new, state-of-the-art player development center, called the J. Dan Brown Family Player Development Center. This facility is packed to the gills with amenities aimed to help players improve and for Texas to field the best group of players it possibly can on any given day. Check out this video giving a brief tour through the facilities:

This center makes its’ mark as the first fully donor-funded athletics facility on the Forty Acres. It includes a sports performance center for weight training, a nutrition center, a multi-use turf room outfit with multiple batting cages, the new Roger Clemens pitching lab, and an alumni locker room for former Longhorns who have since gone pro to work out in the off-season.

This facility is truly remarkable, and is another way that Texas sets itself apart from the competition. The Longhorns baseball team will utilize the facility in hopes of making a run at the College World Series this season.