Texas infielder Sam Ardoin enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Following Texas‘ exit from the 2024 NCAA Baseball Tournament, the Longhorns have lost a player to the transfer portal: infielder Sam Ardoin.

Joe Cook of Inside Texas reported the news on Monday morning, tweeting out the following announcement: “Freshman INF Sam Ardoin is in the transfer portal, Inside Texas has learned.”

Ardoin was a freshman for Texas this past season and hardly got on the field. He did see a few at bats, though, and while he didn’t record a hit, Ardoin did finish the year credited with two runs batted in thanks to a pair of walks that pushed runs across the plate.

Texas could target SEC coaches if Pierce is let go

Texas could be set to move on from head baseball coach David Pierce, according to Kendall Rogers of D1Baseball. If so, Rogers believes that Texas A&M‘s Jim Schlossnagle and LSU‘s Jay Johnson could be targets for the Longhorns.

Rogers joined 104.5 ESPN on Friday and shared where things stand with the Texas baseball program.

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“If I were an LSU fan, I’d keep a very close eye on Texas. Because I don’t think they’re getting Jim Schlossnagle and the next option will be Jay Johnson,” Rogers said. “I don’t think they’ll get Jay, either, but I can promise you they’re going to try.”

Texas finished 36-24 this past season, failing to advance out of the College Station Regional last weekend.

David Pierce has been the head coach at Texas since 2017 and has made the College World Series three times. However, he is coming off of a disappointing season in 2024.

Rogers isn’t optimistic that he will be back for another year.

“His answer over the weekend in College Station was… I didn’t think it was real positive,” Rogers said. “I thought it was kind of telling a little bit. Everything I’m hearing around there is that they’re more than likely going to make a change.”

If that does indeed happen, Rogers expects Texas Athletics Director Chris Del Conte to try to make a home run hire.

“I know how Chris Del Conte works. He will want to make a splash,” Rogers said. “He does not want them to repeat what happened when they hired Pierce. And I think he’s going to try to make a big splash.”

Former TCU and current Texas A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle will likely be the top target for Texas, according to Rogers. Schlossnagle has been to the CWS six times and is two wins away from getting back there again.

As for Jay Johnson, he led LSU to a national title in 2023.

“I don’t think he’s going to get Jim. Jim’s his pal and he’s got it rolling at A&M,” Rogers said. “They’re going to be really good again next year. They’ve got pretty much everyone except Montgomery back. And Jay Johnson’s a guy that, at least from their perspective, would make a lot of sense. I don’t think he’s going anywhere, I’d be shocked if he went anywhe