Portal Transfers & Recruits

[Chop]

It’s going to be a very tough year for Pierce next year. ALL the offense and pitching that was left over from the previous record year from 2022 will now be gone and no one is ready beside Thomas to replace them.

My expected losses are: (*I have no inside info just my feeling)

Kennedy
Campbell
P. Brown
Powell
Tanner Carlson
Daly (already in the portal)
Morehouse
Gordon
T. Witt
LBJ
Stehle

Replacements:

Cummings - could be considered a replacement offensively for one of our losses

Werchan - don’t consider him a replacement for any of our outfielders (offensively)

Rigney- pitcher - injury prone, high strike out to inning ratio but can’t stay healthy. High risk reward.

I saw an article saying Texas is going to be even better next year. I don’t know what they are smoking cause there is a lot of productivity to replace even if a couple of those guys return. We have almost zero pitching and I doubt we have 2+ incoming freshmen who will be able to pitch on the same level as Gordon and LBJ.

not knocking Werchan but Pierce is going to have to work the portal hard if he wants to compete next year on any level.

Powell may be back. And, believe it or not, Gordon may actually be back. For various (and some ignorant) reasons, MLB scouts don't seem to value this guy much. He's an awesome college-level pitcher. Of course, Geno could have even less leverage next year, so he may be gone...?

 

[Chop]

Stuart's going away.

Chris Stuart has entered the portal. The Dutchman has flown.

Real good velocity, but he got hit, and hit, and hit, and hit, and hit.....

I get the desire to transfer. Good luck to him. He could very well end up a starter at some of the mid-majors or lower-ranked programs.

 

[Chop]

I wouldn't hold any animosity at all against the guys who transfer. They may feel they are not getting the right opportunities for them here, so they need to find a platform where they can succeed. There could be better players in front of them, the competition is too strong, or they just need a fresh start in a new place. Good luck to them.

 

[Chop]

Here's a look-back on one we lost last year: Josh Stewart.

This year, at aTm, Josh Stewart:
16 innings
10 walks.
6.75 ERA.
Opponents' batting avg: 0.313.

He's basically the same pitcher over there as he was here. He had/has fantastic "stuff"--up to the high 90s fastball, and a nasty wicked slider. But until he gets his control down, he's a liability on the mound. He could still develop into a guy that makes the major leagues someday, but for now he's still a non-contributor in college.

 

[Chop]

And, for a completely opposite story, here's another loss from last year that's really kicking some a$$ at Miss. State:

Aaron Nixon

20.1 innings
2.66 ERA
1.03 WHIP
0.159 Opponents' batting avg.

He found his spot. Congrats to him.

Nixon is a guy who has a pretty good shot at making the big leagues as a closer or other reliever.

I think here, it was mental. He struggled with fastball control in 2022. He also may not have been impressed with our former pitching coach. And after that Tech guy stole home on him, he was never quite the same.

 

[aUTfan]

Where is this article?

I've got to read it........like now........

See if this works. It’s written by Cameron Parker. Dude wrote the headline in a way that seems misleading at first glance, just trying to get clicks I guess. I can tell you right now, I’m not optimistic about next year at all, I don’t know how we are going to even be middle of the pack.

Reacts Results: Longhorn fans feeling optimistic heading into 2024 — Burnt Orange Nation


I guess Powell could return same as Kennedy did, I just expect he leaves cause he is ready and so is Gordon. Whether or not they actually make it is a crap shoot.

 

[aUTfan]

Losing Aaron Nixon hurt pretty bad, I knew he could contribute at a high level. I lay blame at Pierce’s feet for that one in naming Allen the pitching coach, total disaster.

 

[aUTfan]

I really like this incoming recruiting class though and I feel optimistic about their ability to contribute heavily. I do think a lot of them actually make it on campus.

Baseball announces 2023 signing class - University of Texas Athletics.

 

[Chop]

Incoming Freshman pitcher Cole Selvig threw a perfect game in May.

 

[Chop]

I really like this incoming recruiting class though and I feel optimistic about their ability to contribute heavily. I do think a lot of them actually make it on campus.
https://texassports.com/news/2022/1...ional,Letters of Intent in the class of 2023.
Baseball announces 2023 signing class - University of Texas Athletics.

Sykora and Gasparino could be pipe dreams of getting them on campus. I think the rest will come to the 40.

 

[Chop]

It's a really good crop of pitchers coming in as Freshmen next year, even if Sykora goes pro (90%+ chance he does). The only problem is that they're ALL right handers.

That means Lummus, Ace Whitehead, and Walbridge are our only left handers. We may not be able to start Ace, even if we want to.

 

[Chop]

Incoming Freshman pitcher Cole Selvig threw a perfect game in May.

Selvig and/or Morris could be starters as early as next year, depending on who all we lose to the draft.

Tumis is also a real gem--could be a lot like Harrison or Shaw.

Hamilton, Miranda, Zaharias -- these are all guys who could see significant innings in relief next year.

 

[Chop]

Hayden Morris:

 

[Chop]

More Hayden Morris:

"ramped up to 95 with late life..."

"2400 (rpm) spin" on his curveball. (2430-2530 is the MLB average rpm spin rate for curveballs)



Understanding Rapsodo Pitching Data: Spin Rate & Efficiency Profile (Curveball, Slider, Changeup).

 

[Chop]

Well now..................

I hope we get to see Hayden Morris for a couple of years before he signs with the pros.............

This is the kind of stuff that opens the eyes of the MLB scouts: 95 mph on the radar gun, wicked breaking stuff, really big dude (6'8" 260lbs) out there on the mound.

 

[aUTfan]

When does first day of class start? Guess we will need to know that.
Draft is July 9-11 and we will find out soon after that who actually signs and who prefers to go to school

 

[aUTfan]

For many of those top recruits, including Sykora, Texas is their dream school, so I’m expecting one or two to come to school inspite of being drafted. There are a 2-3 major league sons in the class, Sweeney and Gasparino. Defensively the freshmen should fill holes very well. It’s offensively and on the mound that has me predicting a finish near the bottom of the big XII next year, it’s too much to ask so many freshmen and sophomores to compete for a chance to play in the postseason much less actually do anything in the postseason. But, in two years, keeping even some of these folks, this team should be about as salty as any team in the country.

 

[Chop]

2024 (next year)

Are we Big 12 or SEC in baseball?

 

[aUTfan]

Big XII

 

[aUTfan]

Houston, Cincinnati, BYU, and UCF are in the conference this coming school year.

 

[Chop]

Houston, Cincinnati, BYU, and UCF are in the conference this coming school year.

I think they all have baseball teams? UH does, of course.

 

[Chop]

Andre DuPlantier is coming back.

2024 is the year it all comes together for him. He's always had really good breaking pitches. His control improved a lot this year, and his numbers this year were good. .He's going to get a lot of innings next year.

Nobody tell mchammer though--he may not be able to control his ecstasy upon hearing the news.

 

[mchammer]

Andre DuPlantier is coming back.

2024 is the year it all comes together for him. He's always had really good breaking pitches. His control improved a lot this year, and his numbers this year were good. .He's going to get a lot of innings next year.

Nobody tell mchammer though--he may not be able to control his ecstasy upon hearing the news.

I am ecstatic. 2024 will be his year. I figured he was coming back to play with his brother.

 

[Your Wrong]

Glad to hear it.

If there were questions about J returning, that’d remove them about little brother.

 

[Chop]

Gumbo just might be our starting SS. He had that one awful series in Arlington to start the year, but was otherwise ok in the field. And he can hit pretty well for average. Nearest comparison would be Carlson.

Flores-Gumbo at SS & 3rd.

Newcomers might challenge them for starting positions and/or spell them some games.

Now if Powell's back he'll obviously start--either at 3rd or DH (or possibly 1st base if Thomas goes to the OF).

 

[aUTfan]

I think Flores has SS locked up, he looked dang good there but we need a better arm at 2nd, we should have turned more double plays but O’Dowd didn’t have the quick release or the arm speed to turn it. So JDup could go there or 3rd. I imagine Thomas has 1st locked up but if he has a great arm I suppose he could move to the outfield and I guess if Schuessler returns he could be an option at 1st. If O’Dowd returns, he could be the DH, I would really rather see a better arm at 2nd next year.
Im curious if even GG returns too but we have options there, I expect Galvan will make a pretty big leap in year two.

what I see right now until I have concrete info on who is returning/incoming class:

Thomas CF
Flores SS
O’Hara/Sweeney 2nd
JDup/freshman 3rd
Schuessler 1st
Belyeu LF
Cummings/Whitehead RF
O’Dowd DH
Galvan C
Freshman/transfer/ P

if O’Dowd doesn’t return, Werchan to CF, Thomas back to 1st and Schuessler to DH

I’m so skeptical about returning players, the only ones I’m more sure of are the freshman that played this year, the rest I’m skeptical they come back, that includes O’Hara and GG. I left off GG because he’s a Senior now and so few kids seem to stay through their senior year.

good grief we have no pitching for next year.

 

[Phil Elliott]

I lay blame at Pierce’s feet for that one in naming Allen the pitching coach, total disaster.

Short memory. He was D1Baseball Assistant Coach of the Year in 2021.

 

[Your Wrong]

Is all this uncertainty good or not good for college baseball?

You sign guys. They may or may not show up. But that’s nothing new.

Then you have multi year starters and big time producers up and leave. Well those guys take spots from perhaps guys waiting in the wings.

All these types of guys played over Powell for example. We likely never see his season had they all gotten off to a solid start.

We are sitting here in the latter half of June with no idea how this team will look. I’m a bit surprised we haven’t had a few more guys hit the portal. We will see if that changes.

 

[Your Wrong]

Short memory. He was D1Baseball Assistant Coach of the Year in 2021.

So why did DP let him go shortly thereafter?

 

[Your Wrong]

And, for a completely opposite story, here's another loss from last year that's really kicking some a$$ at Miss. State:

Aaron Nixon

20.1 innings
2.66 ERA
1.03 WHIP
0.159 Opponents' batting avg.

He found his spot. Congrats to him.

Nixon is a guy who has a pretty good shot at making the big leagues as a closer or other reliever.

I think here, it was mental. He struggled with fastball control in 2022. He also may not have been impressed with our former pitching coach. And after that Tech guy stole home on him, he was never quite the same.

Good for him. We did a poor job in my opinion of handling pitchers working through some struggles. Here’s Exhibit A.

Sometimes guys stuff moves too much. I think you saw this with Nixon. You say how can it move too much? Because they lose the strike zone too much.

Once the struggles hit, you need to find opportunities to build them back up. And it’s not one appearance. For many relievers, that is going to be one clean inning at a time. Let them settle into expectations. We’re not very good at that. For some guys it doesn’t matter. Some guys it does. And for guys with control issues sporadic, infrequent appearances is not the best path to get them on track.