Texas pitcher David Shaw enters NCAA transfer portal

Texas pitcher David Shaw has entered the NCAA transfer portal, On3 has learned. The lefty appeared in 18 games for the Longhorns this past season. He was 1-1 with a 7.79 ERA in 2024.

While Shaw struggled this past season, in 2023 he was 2-2 with a 3.09 ERA. He appeared in 26 games that year, which was the second-most of any Texas pitcher.

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Shaw is a native of Houston. He transferred to Texas after beginning his career at Rice. During his 2022 season with the Owls, the 6-foot-7 pitcher was 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA. He led Rice with 18 appearances that season.

Shaw is leaving a Texas program that recently underwent a coaching change. The Longhorns moved on from David Pierce last month and replaced him with former Texas A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle.

Texas pitcher Will Mercer recently announced return for 2025 season

While Texas lost a player to the transfer portal on Saturday, the Longhorns also recently learned that one will be back for the 2025 season.

Since Jim Schlossnagle arrived in Austin, the Longhorns have added a couple of guys through the NCAA transfer portal. But sometimes, the biggest gets are players returning for another campaign. Will Mercer is the latest example for the Longhorns, announcing he will be back for the 2025 season on Tuesday evening.

Mercer is an experienced pitcher and entering his second year with the program. However, an injury prevented the left-hander from playing at all in 2024, sidelining him for what would have been his sixth season in college baseball.

Texas was feeling good about Mercer heading into the year, expecting him to play a huge role. Fall ball results were positive before being shut down. Now, a staff led by Schlossnagle and pitching coach Max Weiner is hoping the stuff translates while transitioning into the SEC.

Mercer began his college career with Notre Dame back in 2020 and was a nice piece for the Fighting Irish as they made multiple runs in the NCAA Tournament. Having experience in Omaha is always a plus and Texas fans had to enjoy the results.

Against Texas A&M back in 2022, Mercer threw 3.2 innings, allowing no runs on just one hit while striking out four and walking one. While the Longhorns did fall to Notre Dame during that College World Series, seeing positive results against the Aggies is always a plus.

In his final season in South Bend, Mercer posted a 2.43 ERA with 37 strikeouts across 33.1 innings. He has never been a starter, always coming out of the bullpen. Texas should be hoping for the same once Mercer is back 100% from his injury.