2024 Texas Baseball

[Hookem2147 21348]

Not a shock total shock that Sthele went and will sign. His velo ticked up this year and he could be an intriguing bullpen arm with some development. 

Numbers are also starting to get awfully tight on the mound with all the incoming guys and Witt + LBJ hopefully returning.

[HenryJames 66160]

No further damage in the 12th.

[UnhappilyMarried 817]

I guess I didn’t realize Bosacker was draft eligible. Wonder if he makes it to Stillwater 

[jimmyjazz 46099]

The Nationals appear to have a thing for central Texas.

[HenryJames 66160]

 

[YGIFS 19452]

Raul Romero, a Nats founding partner/owner, is a big UT guy (former Regent).  He nudges them every year to take more kids from Texas, particularly UT, whenever they're on the fence between 2+ players in a slot.  I think they're only behind NYY, CHC, and Rangers in terms of UT draft picks and they've only been doing it for ~15 years unlike those other franchises, which is quite telling.  

Who we still worried about on the recruit/commit side?

And when does the portal close?  I assume a lot of those guys on the fence are waiting to see who comes back to what teams after the signing deadline, thus you can't really get an accurate feel on where you might plug into a lineup/staff until 2 August, no?  

Edited July 11, 2023 by YGIFS

[MuellerHorn 4265]

12 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

 

From Madison, MS. This is likely to be an "SEC highest bidder" contest like many others.

Edited July 11, 2023 by MuellerHorn

[MuellerHorn 4265]

9 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

Who we still worried about on the recruit/commit side?

It honestly seems as though everyone will make it to campus except Sykora - which is phenomenal.

[HenryJames 66160]

Morehouse 428 to Cleveland.

[MuellerHorn 4265]

Zane in the 14th to Cleveland.

[BigOrange1 6469]

Zane Morehouse to Cleveland in the 14th.

[texifornia 57078]

4 minutes ago, MuellerHorn said:

Zane in the 14th to Cleveland.

 

[MuellerHorn 4265]

@Hookem2147 Any chance Zane returns? I know you said it wasn't likely coming in.

[Hookem2147 21348]

1 minute ago, MuellerHorn said:

@Hookem2147 Any chance Zane returns? I know you said it wasn't likely coming in.

Yeah I would expect him to sign.

[HenryJames 66160]

He turns 24 in November.

[zlavydra 2123]

If you had to guess now, who would be voted "most likely to fulfill the role of shutdown closer in 2024"?

[chase25 2048]

I’m trying to think of a better draft for Texas. Lucas and Dylan are the only guys we will miss. Sykora is the only recruit not going to make it to campus. Aging arms that never reached their potential like Morehouse and Sthele get taken high enough that they likely move on and free up roster spots.

 

[HenryJames 66160]

Guillemette to the Astros with the last pick of the 15th.

[BillyGoatHill 4312]

GG gets picked by the Astros (15th rd)

Edited July 11, 2023 by BillyGoatHill

[MuellerHorn 4265]

4 minutes ago, chase25 said:

I’m trying to think of a better draft for Texas. Lucas and Dylan are the only guys we will miss. Sykora is the only recruit not going to make it to campus. Aging arms that never reached their potential like Morehouse and Sthele get taken high enough that they likely move on and free up roster spots.

 

We'll miss GG, but you posted before he got drafted. Galvan needs to improve defensively.

[texifornia 57078]

6 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

Guillemette to the Astros with the last pick of the 15th.

 

[UnhappilyMarried 817]

18 minutes ago, zlavydra said:

If you had to guess now, who would be voted "most likely to fulfill the role of shutdown closer in 2024"?

Mercer? Tough question. Hopefully that answer is yet to be added to the roster 

[txhorns 2413]

I think it would be well worth it for Texas to pay GG to come back if he was willing to.  

[chase25 2048]

Yeah GG is likely gone, can’t really improve his stock much more than that

[UnhappilyMarried 817]

Would think that’s it. Would be very annoying to lose Hurley late. 
 

Brown didn’t enter the portal until after the draft last year so I’d imagine there will still be time and opportunities to plug final roster holes 

[Hookem2147 21348]

For a team that many claim didn’t have good talent, we have 5 draft picks and it would have easily been 7 if Witt and LBJ lowered their signing bonus number.

This is a year after we had 8 draft picks.

Edited July 11, 2023 by Hookem2147

[BERT 4381]

19 minutes ago, MuellerHorn said:

We'll miss GG, but you posted before he got drafted. Galvan needs to improve defensively.

And get his damn knee off the ground when runners are on base. 

[NorthLoop 14226]

So we need a Catching Coach. 

[AUS-97HORN 11814]

14 minutes ago, BERT said:

And get his damn knee off the ground when runners are on base. 

Galvan's next throw out, caught steeling... will be his first.

[YGIFS 19452]

8 minutes ago, NorthLoop said:

So we need a Catching Coach. 

I think Briscoe Cain dabbled a bit back there a little in high school and college. 

Oh wait, we talking about baseball?  

We've been so fortunate over the decades with so much great talent at so many spots on the diamond and mound.  But I am consistently amazed at how abundant our catching position has been over the 25-30 years I've followed UT baseball in person.  Trey Salinas, Castenada, Hubele, Thigpen, Teagarden, Preston, Rupp, Lusson (to the extent he played behind the plate), Barerra, Ardoin, and now GG.  That's quite a run...

[NorthLoop 14226]

Yes but don't ever forget 2019. Can't let that shit happen again. 

[YGIFS 19452]

Tanner Witt, Baltimore 18th.  

Hope he comes back.  Or the Wire reboot gonna be lit as fuck.

[HenryJames 66160]

Tanner Witt to Baltimore at 541.

[Snake Diggity 4627]

Rounds 18-20 are usually when teams will take a guy in the off chance he changes his mind about his asking price, or as insurance a overslot guy they previously chose not signing.  Witt should be safe to expect back to Texas.

[closetojumping 62785]

2 hours ago, UnhappilyMarried said:

Wow, was that expected? 

Well, @Wulaw Horn was expecting the Astros to immediately spend most of their day 3 picks on Longhorns that they’d then pay through the roof to sign, so, yeah, at least one person was expecting UT to get historically slaughtered on Day 3.

 

[Hookem2147 21348]

Orioles also took another long-shot in the 19th round

Edited July 11, 2023 by Hookem2147

[VirginiaLonghorn 4781]

4 minutes ago, Hookem2147 said:

Orioles also took another long-shot in the 19th round

Two years in a row the Birds selected an incoming HS SS headed to Okie Lite.

[Hookem2147 21348]

Gasparino and Borba are headed to Austin. LBJ and Witt are headed back to lead the rotation. Good chance Powell returns.

This is about as successful of a draft as Texas has had since I can remember.

Let’s ride.

[Wulaw Horn 19147]

23 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Well, @Wulaw Horn was expecting the Astros to immediately spend most of their day 3 picks on Longhorns that they’d then pay through the roof to sign, so, yeah, at least one person was expecting UT to get historically slaughtered on Day 3.

 

Not exactly expecting it.  Rooting for someone to do something intelligent and upend the draft by taking a lot of guys like Witt.  The main point was, that I was trying to say, is that day 3 guys can still get 7 figures and they can work those deals out with teams they want to play for by telling everyone else they won't sign and telling that team what their number is.  I would assume Witt doesn't have an agreement worked out with Baltimore or they'd have likely taken him in the 11th round instead of the 18th, so we are probably ok, but yeah, it's not like day 3 guys only get 125k and are stuck, they can and sometimes do get way more.  

[Rickylovesweed 14538]

22 minutes ago, Hookem2147 said:

Gasparino and Borba are headed to Austin. LBJ and Witt are headed back to lead the rotation. Good chance Powell returns.

This is about as successful of a draft as Texas has had since I can remember.

Let’s ride.

Gasparino, Borba, and Morris collectively is the best we've done on draft day with signees since I can remember. 

I think the talk was all about Sykora so people don't know how good Morris is. He's an absolute stud and IMO he's even more developed than Sykora. 

Edited July 11, 2023 by Rickylovesweed

[MuellerHorn 4265]

10 minutes ago, Rickylovesweed said:

Gasparino, Borba, and Morris collectively is the best we've done on draft day with signees since I can remember. 

I think the talk was all about Sykora so people don't know how good Morris is. He's an absolute stud and IMO he's even more developed than Sykora. 

Yep. Pending progression with Witt and the typical in-season development trajectory we see with Pierce’s teams, this squad, frankly, should fuck. 
 

Let’s see what happens with the portal, but I’m very happy. 

[Mac8111 2114]

So LBJ wasn’t drafted at all???

[Snake Diggity 4627]

Witt, LBJ, and Hurley on the weekends with Morris, Harrison, Whitehead, and others during the week is a stout starting pitching staff.

Thomas, Borba, Gasparino, Powell, Cummings, Belyeu, Flores, O’Dowd, Galvan, Sanders, and Sweeney is a deep lineup.  Adding in Porter Brown would be awesome too.

Seems like there’s more big league potential on this roster than I’ve seen in the last 4-5 years at least.

[Chuckie Finster 22726]

 

 

[Rickylovesweed 14538]

Another huge name in the portal. 

 

[Rickylovesweed 14538]

Well, if we need a catcher here's our answer. 

 

[zlavydra 2123]

37 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

Witt, LBJ, and Hurley on the weekends with Morris, Harrison, Whitehead, and others during the week is a stout starting pitching staff.

Thomas, Borba, Gasparino, Powell, Cummings, Belyeu, Flores, O’Dowd, Galvan, Sanders, and Sweeney is a deep lineup.  Adding in Porter Brown would be awesome too.

Seems like there’s more big league potential on this roster than I’ve seen in the last 4-5 years at least.

How about Rigney? Assuming Pierce can get that delivery under control. Man, it would be sweet to have enough depth to roll the same guy out there every Tuesday.

[Rickylovesweed 14538]

There are also still 3 stud starting pitchers in the portal. 

Texas may still be looking to add to the rotation. 

[Guadaloopy 11012]

Just catching up the thread after the last few days.  Appreciate you guys tracking closely.  Exciting stuff!

[Rickylovesweed 14538]

9 minutes ago, zlavydra said:

How about Rigney? Assuming Pierce can get that delivery under control. Man, it would be sweet to have enough depth to roll the same guy out there every Tuesday.

I don't know if there's NIL money to be allocated but if I'm Texas I'm dropping a bag on Molina, Holman, or Burns. 

A rotation of LBJ, Witt, with any of those 3 gives us arguably the best rotation in the country and easily makes us a top 5 team.