Five things we learned from Texas Baseball's Alumni Game

On Friday I wrote about the five things Texas fans should be looking out for on Saturday’s Texas baseball alumni game, the first look at the 2025 roster and coaching staff.

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While the general setup of the matchup was a bit odd, the Longhorns played a 10-man lineup and the alumni didn’t use any of their own pitchers, we did get a strong look into the shape of the roster for the rest of the grueling four month season. Though not all of my questions got answered, especially about the pitching rotation and the outfield with Max Belyeu sitting the game out, there were a few key takeaways that Texas fans who didn’t tune in need to know about.

1. Texas fans showed up for Schloss

I’ve been in person to a past alumni game and watched online for another two during the David Pierce era. Between my own observations and talking to some people around the program, it’s clear that this was the most anticipated and most energetic alumni game crowd we’ve ever seen.

That’s not fully a knock on Pierce; he is responsible for so many great players that came back for this game, but the vibe in the Disch was different. I don’t have attendance numbers but it felt like the most attended alumni game I’ve seen in a while, and the crowd brought energy from a ton of different age groups. There were a ton of fellow students, a great crowd of kids and the usual string of diehards occupying left field or congregating behind the plate.

Jim Schlossnagle’s hype and prestige is giving me the same vibes of a certain basketball coach from the early 2020’s. Fans are extremely excited about Schlossnagle, and he’s bringing them into the stadium for exhibition matches. This is a fantastic look for the program, and I couldn’t be more excited for this era.

2. Texas has its own A-Rod

If you’ve kept up with any of IT’s early season baseball reporting, you would have heard a lot about a kid named Adrian Rodriguez. The true freshman wasn’t a recruit on the level of Arch Manning for football or Tre Johnson for basketball, but he’s going to have that level of hype throughout the 2025 season.

Rodriguez showed out on Saturday, proving that he’s already gained Schlossnagle’s full trust. The top six hitters in the lineup were all returning starters, except for Rodriguez hitting in arguably the most important spot in the lineup, the two hole. Rodriguez fielded third base smoothly and got on base three times, including an oppo-bomb from the left side of the plate.

Actually comparing him to former Texas Rangers MVP Alex Rodriguez would be hasty, but it’s hard not to see the similarities past the coincidental names. Longhorn Rodriguez is a smooth fielder who may also be the team’s backup shortstop with an extremely fast bat at the plate. This kid is going to be special, and if you haven’t checked out his highlights from Saturday you’re doing yourself a disservice.

3. Weiner is cooking

In my previous article I talked about how I was looking out for who pitching coach Max Weiner was going to be trusting on the mound on Saturday’s game. We truly didn’t get a full answer, as presumed Friday and Saturday starters Jared Spencer and Luke Harrison sat comfortably in the dugout the entire afternoon.

Still, we got a great look at just how impactful having a top tier pitching coach can be to a program. Freshman starter Dylan Volantis was extremely solid in his three innings of work, allowing just two hits to players playing professional baseball. Their sole run came on an error. Other freshman like Drew Rerick and Jason Flores also pitched well, but it was the portal pitchers that stood out to me.

LSU transfer Aiden Moffat looked deadly. His fastball hit 98, and his off-speed was fooling some of the highest level players that came back to Austin. UTSA transfer Ruger Riojas gave the 2025 team some impactful strikes throughout the middle of the game, and guys like Burns and McCreery looked good as well.

Weiner has used the portal to add seven arms, and most of these guys were not only on display but performed well. His impact already feels major, and that will be something to look out for come February 14.

4. Catcher defense could be a problem

When Silas Ardoin left the team three seasons ago, the Longhorns had to dip into the portal to acquire a CWS level starter at catcher. Since then, homegrown catcher Rylan Galvan has become the main man behind the dish, boasting high-level pop and consistency at the plate.

Unforutnately, however, Galvan struggled with something that was one of Ardoin’s strengths: playing defense behind the plate. With Ardoin returning to Austin on Saturday, a lot of eyes were on Galvan and backup catcher Oliver Service II, a returning sophomore with fantastic potential. Unforutnately, both catchers struggled defensively, mostly when it came to throwing the baseball.

There wasn’t much pressure to make impressive blocks or frame 3-2 pitches for strikes like there will be later in the season, but Galvan and Service were both tested on the base paths. Volantis’ sole run came from what should’ve been an impressive piece of “get out of the jam” pitching. Volantis rolled a grounder right back to the mound with the bases loaded, quickly getting the out at home and giving Galvan a good chance to get the runner at first. Instead, Galvan skied his throw to the bag, allowing a runner to score instead of ending the inning.

On the other side, Service struggled to keep players off the basepaths. His throws to second base were often inaccurate or late, and his awareness lacked when Texas performed a double steal on him, opting for the longer second base throw instead of picking off a slower Jaquae Stewart at third.

5. The depth could take Texas to Omaha

Head coach Jim Schlossnagle said this during the Longhorn’s first practice a week ago.

“I think the front end of our team is that (referring to the team being Omaha-ready). I think what we have to build up over time is, like last year, at A&M we get a guy go down, and you plug somebody in like Caden Kent who becomes the hero of the College World Series. We had SEC players sitting on our bench that just couldn’t happen to get in that lineup. We just need those top end players. We got to keep them healthy, and they need to do well. Not that the other guys can’t do that, they’re just not ready yet. And there will come a day here where if a guy goes down, we feel really good about the next one.”

There’s a lot going on in this quote, but Schlossnagle is basically saying that at A&M, the reason his team was so good is that he had CWS-level players just waiting for a turn. At Texas, players like Max Belyeu and Jalin Flores are obviously ready for that level, but heading into the year there was some concern about the team behind them: the coach even said it.

I will tell you that I am much less concerned now than I was 48 hours ago. At the moment we know the lineup almost entirely 1-9, but there are some guys not in that group that you were forced to keep tabs on on Saturday.

Firstly, Tommy Farmer IV is really making a run at becoming a full time starter this year. While I would guess that Casey Borba is the team’s starting DH, I wouldn’t be surprised if Farmer’s defense and floor-raising playstyle forces Borba to the bench and left fielder Easton Winfield to the DH role. Farmer had a fantastic day on Saturday and contributed on both sides of the ball. He is the team’s fourth outfielder right now, but don’t be surprised if he wins a starting spot come SEC-play.

Cole Chamberlain is another name that killed it on Saturday. The freshman catcher hit a two-run blast in the second inning, helping the 2025 team take the lead over the alumni. The ball was crushed, and he added another hit later in the game. Chamberlain, along with Jaquae Stewart, are going to make Schloss think twice about just giving Borba the starting job. The depth at DH is fascinating, and between the four players that could take the final lineup spot every position on the field is covered. Texas has eight hitters I feel really good about, and another four reserves that I wouldn’t skip a beat seeing out on the field in an SEC game. That’s not even counting Service, speedy junior Jayden Duplantier or top-30 recruit Sam Richardson. That’s a good spot to be in.

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With the first real action of Texas’ offseason behind them, the Longhorns will turn their focus to two weeks from now, when they face Louisville to kick off the 2025 season at the Shriners Children’s College Showdown on February 14.