UPDATE (9/22) - 8:37PM
Make it 8 now.
LHP Bryce Krenek has announced his commitment to Texas. The Katy native will not over power you on the mound with a FB that sits 86-89 currently, but with a 6'2 frame, there is plenty of growth available there as he does have a strong arm and moves the ball around in the zone really well.
ANALYSIS: The Horns continue to load up on LHP talent and Krenek is a guy that down the line is one you want on the mound in high pressure situations. He is a strikeout machine and just has that knack for pitching.
UPDATE (9/22) - 7:52pm
The staff is en fuego right now.
2026 LHP Tucker Thompson has announced that he has committed to the Longhorns. The 3rd ranked player out of the state of Kansas has an outstanding FB (89-92) with good sink, a firm slider (80-82) and changeup (79-81). Thompson has had an excellent summer and looked outstanding on the mound during the Futures Games.
QUOTES from Tucker:
1. My main focus was a great relationship with the pitching coach [Max Weiner]. That’s who I will spend the most time with so I wanted our relationship to be as strong as family.
2. Some of the other schools I was looking at was Tennessee, Oregon, and ole miss.
3. I have definitely talked to Grady Westphal [Texas commit from Kansas] about Texas and his opinions on the University of Texas. He is definitely a kid I’m excited to play with especially just knowing him and both being from Kansas. I’m also pumped to hopefully play with Bryce Navarre, he was my host while I was there and took me in with open arms.
ANALYSIS: Thompson is a really nice pickup for the Horns that has the stuff that will play up at the next level. He has an outstanding frame that Coach Max will be able to further develop and turn into a weapon on the mound.
UPDATE (9/22)
Another day, another commitment. My goodness, the staff is on a heater right now!
This time, the Horns snag a commitment from LHP Matthew Manis out of Houston. The southpaw out of Memorial HS spent his summer playing for the San Diego Padres scout team and put up some excellent numbers. His fastball sits in the high 80s, but has some late life and comes out of the hand quickly with solid command. His slider sits in the high 70s with late break to it. In addition, Manis has really good spin rates on both his fastball and slider, which the coaches love.
QUOTES from Matthew: "I'm super pumped. Growing up in Houston, as a little kid, playing at Texas is every kids dream. Everyone has been great and I can't wait to show people why I deserve that spot!"
ANALYSIS: Manis is a kid that projects well and will add more velo. Really nice add to the class that can come in and develop further to be a difference maker.
UPDATE (9/21)
Make it 5 commits for the Longhorns this week!
Reiston Durham – The 5th ranked prospect in the state of Georgia for the class of 2026, Durham is an athletic middle infielder that has excellent lateral range. A left handed hitter that can get a bit long in his swing, he does have very good bat speed and a frame to grow into. A guy that continues to get better and better as a prospect, he has shown well on the circuit.
ANALYSIS: Durham is an athletic INF that the staff really likes for his left handed hitting ability and projectability with the defensive ability to stick at SS at the next level.
UPDATE (9/20) at 2:22pm
Make it 4 for the Horns!
Easton Autrey – the one-time A&M commit from Corsicana backed off his pledge after the coaching change and after evaluating his options has decided to commit to Texas. Easton is the son of long time Corsicana head coach Heath Autrey. Easton’s brother Hunter hit .300 this past season for Sam Houston State, racking up 9 HRs and 48 RBIs.
Easton isn’t just a coach’s kid though; he is one of the top ranked junior prospects in the state of Texas for 2026. Autrey’s future likely lies in a corner infield spot based on his frame and size. The left-handed hitter has good bat speed and can really drive the ball with some outstanding exit velocity. Easton is also part of the Canes Southwest organization and a member of the Five Tool Texas 55.
ANALYSIS: Talented kid that can really hit and make an impact in the middle of the lineup.
QOUTES:
1- I was looking for coach’s that would support me and develop me the best
2- The coaching staff is incredible and the tradition at Texas is something unmatched
3- My dad and brother have helped me tremendously my dad has made me who I am as a player And my brother has talked me through a lot about approach and helping me prepare for college.
4- I’m good friends with James Jorgensen and Treant Maybin really excited to play with them and grow as players Together.
UPDATE - 9/19 at 6:51pm
The first (three) dominos of several has fallen.
The Texas coaching staff continues to hustle on the recruiting front, having had a steady stream of recruits in for official visits. Having a top ranked football team certainly helps the cause, but make no mistake about it, this is a Texas staff that has a ton of connections and can really recruit at a high level. The amount of committed talent in the 2025 and 2026 classes is elite and while both classes will have MLB Draft risks and guys that don’t make it due to being taken high in the MLB Draft, both are poised to be Top 5 classes.
Texas secured a commitment from 2026 RHP Cooper Harris last week and this week the Horns have secure several more. Jorgensen is but the first to announce.
James Jorgensen – One of the top players in the class of 2026 and a top ten player in the Five Tool Texas 55, Jorgensen is talented enough to play at a high level at both shortstop and RHP. On the mound, Jorgensen has a compact build, but at 6’ is a physical player with outstanding strength with a fastball that sits 89-91 but has hit 93. In addition, James has a breaking ball that has good spin rate and sweep. Jorgensen has a smooth delivery that allows him to repeat his delivery and attack the zone. Defensively, he is quick to the ball with a nice arm motion and strong glove work. Jorgensen has good bat speed and power, driving the ball well to the OF.
Jorgensen plays for Dallas Jesuit College Preparatory and Dulin’s Dodgers. He was also named the MVP of the 2024 PG All Star Game that took place in August.
ANALYSIS: Really nice pick up for the Horns, getting a guy that is an elite player in the state of Texas for 2026. He is a kid that you get to campus and figure out his position at the next level because he definitely is talented enough to stick either on the INF or on the mound. This also represents a nice head to head win over several prominent programs in and out of state.
UPDATE - 9/19 at 6:31pm
Trent Maybin – the top ranked player in the state of North Carolina decommitted from Duke in late July. After taking some time to consider his options, Maybin has decided to commit to Texas. Maybin is an uber athletic player with extremely fast hands and projectable power. With MLB bloodlines (Cameron Maybin), athleticism, and projected power, its hard not to be excited for what the end product could look like.
ANALYSIS: Sound like a broken record, but another really nice commitment by the Horns who pull the top ranked player from the state of North Carolina in. Maybin is athletic and toolsy and with the projected power and hit tool, this is another big win for the Horns staff.
UPDATE - 9/19 at 6:51pm
Phinn Waters - One of the top 60 pitchers at the Future Games for the class of 2026 has committed to the Horns. The southpaw from Tennessee sports a high 80s fastball that has been up to 92 and a firm slider in the low 80s. Phinn has a good feel for spin and hides the ball well. The fastball has some ride and will carry up and with his over-the-top motion, it can keep batters off balance. The talented lefty recently visited Texas A&M back on September 8th, but has chosen the Horns over the Aggies.
Phinn plays high school ball for Briarcrest in Tennessee, who were the 2024 Div II-AA stat champions and Waters was named to the All-State team.
ANALYSIS: Big time pickup on the mound for the Horns as they grab one of the best pitchers out of the state of Tennessee. Waters has 22" of rise on his fastball, which puts him in the 99% in the SEC. Has the ability to be really really good for the Horns.
Quotes from Waters:
“I had a gut feeling during the first call with Coach Schlossnagle and Coach Max that I wanted to be a Longhorn. During my visit, learning more about their development philosophy and talking to the team, confirmed that the 40 is where I want to play ball next.”
“I love to watch video of Kyle Harrison and of course Kershaw. I like to dominate the zone, keep the intensity high, and rack up IZMs.”
Make it 8 now.
LHP Bryce Krenek has announced his commitment to Texas. The Katy native will not over power you on the mound with a FB that sits 86-89 currently, but with a 6'2 frame, there is plenty of growth available there as he does have a strong arm and moves the ball around in the zone really well.
ANALYSIS: The Horns continue to load up on LHP talent and Krenek is a guy that down the line is one you want on the mound in high pressure situations. He is a strikeout machine and just has that knack for pitching.
UPDATE (9/22) - 7:52pm
The staff is en fuego right now.
2026 LHP Tucker Thompson has announced that he has committed to the Longhorns. The 3rd ranked player out of the state of Kansas has an outstanding FB (89-92) with good sink, a firm slider (80-82) and changeup (79-81). Thompson has had an excellent summer and looked outstanding on the mound during the Futures Games.
QUOTES from Tucker:
1. My main focus was a great relationship with the pitching coach [Max Weiner]. That’s who I will spend the most time with so I wanted our relationship to be as strong as family.
2. Some of the other schools I was looking at was Tennessee, Oregon, and ole miss.
3. I have definitely talked to Grady Westphal [Texas commit from Kansas] about Texas and his opinions on the University of Texas. He is definitely a kid I’m excited to play with especially just knowing him and both being from Kansas. I’m also pumped to hopefully play with Bryce Navarre, he was my host while I was there and took me in with open arms.
ANALYSIS: Thompson is a really nice pickup for the Horns that has the stuff that will play up at the next level. He has an outstanding frame that Coach Max will be able to further develop and turn into a weapon on the mound.
UPDATE (9/22)
Another day, another commitment. My goodness, the staff is on a heater right now!
This time, the Horns snag a commitment from LHP Matthew Manis out of Houston. The southpaw out of Memorial HS spent his summer playing for the San Diego Padres scout team and put up some excellent numbers. His fastball sits in the high 80s, but has some late life and comes out of the hand quickly with solid command. His slider sits in the high 70s with late break to it. In addition, Manis has really good spin rates on both his fastball and slider, which the coaches love.
QUOTES from Matthew: "I'm super pumped. Growing up in Houston, as a little kid, playing at Texas is every kids dream. Everyone has been great and I can't wait to show people why I deserve that spot!"
ANALYSIS: Manis is a kid that projects well and will add more velo. Really nice add to the class that can come in and develop further to be a difference maker.
UPDATE (9/21)
Make it 5 commits for the Longhorns this week!
Reiston Durham – The 5th ranked prospect in the state of Georgia for the class of 2026, Durham is an athletic middle infielder that has excellent lateral range. A left handed hitter that can get a bit long in his swing, he does have very good bat speed and a frame to grow into. A guy that continues to get better and better as a prospect, he has shown well on the circuit.
ANALYSIS: Durham is an athletic INF that the staff really likes for his left handed hitting ability and projectability with the defensive ability to stick at SS at the next level.
UPDATE (9/20) at 2:22pm
Make it 4 for the Horns!
Easton Autrey – the one-time A&M commit from Corsicana backed off his pledge after the coaching change and after evaluating his options has decided to commit to Texas. Easton is the son of long time Corsicana head coach Heath Autrey. Easton’s brother Hunter hit .300 this past season for Sam Houston State, racking up 9 HRs and 48 RBIs.
Easton isn’t just a coach’s kid though; he is one of the top ranked junior prospects in the state of Texas for 2026. Autrey’s future likely lies in a corner infield spot based on his frame and size. The left-handed hitter has good bat speed and can really drive the ball with some outstanding exit velocity. Easton is also part of the Canes Southwest organization and a member of the Five Tool Texas 55.
ANALYSIS: Talented kid that can really hit and make an impact in the middle of the lineup.
QOUTES:
1- I was looking for coach’s that would support me and develop me the best
2- The coaching staff is incredible and the tradition at Texas is something unmatched
3- My dad and brother have helped me tremendously my dad has made me who I am as a player And my brother has talked me through a lot about approach and helping me prepare for college.
4- I’m good friends with James Jorgensen and Treant Maybin really excited to play with them and grow as players Together.
UPDATE - 9/19 at 6:51pm
The first (three) dominos of several has fallen.
The Texas coaching staff continues to hustle on the recruiting front, having had a steady stream of recruits in for official visits. Having a top ranked football team certainly helps the cause, but make no mistake about it, this is a Texas staff that has a ton of connections and can really recruit at a high level. The amount of committed talent in the 2025 and 2026 classes is elite and while both classes will have MLB Draft risks and guys that don’t make it due to being taken high in the MLB Draft, both are poised to be Top 5 classes.
Texas secured a commitment from 2026 RHP Cooper Harris last week and this week the Horns have secure several more. Jorgensen is but the first to announce.
James Jorgensen – One of the top players in the class of 2026 and a top ten player in the Five Tool Texas 55, Jorgensen is talented enough to play at a high level at both shortstop and RHP. On the mound, Jorgensen has a compact build, but at 6’ is a physical player with outstanding strength with a fastball that sits 89-91 but has hit 93. In addition, James has a breaking ball that has good spin rate and sweep. Jorgensen has a smooth delivery that allows him to repeat his delivery and attack the zone. Defensively, he is quick to the ball with a nice arm motion and strong glove work. Jorgensen has good bat speed and power, driving the ball well to the OF.
Jorgensen plays for Dallas Jesuit College Preparatory and Dulin’s Dodgers. He was also named the MVP of the 2024 PG All Star Game that took place in August.
ANALYSIS: Really nice pick up for the Horns, getting a guy that is an elite player in the state of Texas for 2026. He is a kid that you get to campus and figure out his position at the next level because he definitely is talented enough to stick either on the INF or on the mound. This also represents a nice head to head win over several prominent programs in and out of state.
UPDATE - 9/19 at 6:31pm
Trent Maybin – the top ranked player in the state of North Carolina decommitted from Duke in late July. After taking some time to consider his options, Maybin has decided to commit to Texas. Maybin is an uber athletic player with extremely fast hands and projectable power. With MLB bloodlines (Cameron Maybin), athleticism, and projected power, its hard not to be excited for what the end product could look like.
ANALYSIS: Sound like a broken record, but another really nice commitment by the Horns who pull the top ranked player from the state of North Carolina in. Maybin is athletic and toolsy and with the projected power and hit tool, this is another big win for the Horns staff.
UPDATE - 9/19 at 6:51pm
Phinn Waters - One of the top 60 pitchers at the Future Games for the class of 2026 has committed to the Horns. The southpaw from Tennessee sports a high 80s fastball that has been up to 92 and a firm slider in the low 80s. Phinn has a good feel for spin and hides the ball well. The fastball has some ride and will carry up and with his over-the-top motion, it can keep batters off balance. The talented lefty recently visited Texas A&M back on September 8th, but has chosen the Horns over the Aggies.
Phinn plays high school ball for Briarcrest in Tennessee, who were the 2024 Div II-AA stat champions and Waters was named to the All-State team.
ANALYSIS: Big time pickup on the mound for the Horns as they grab one of the best pitchers out of the state of Tennessee. Waters has 22" of rise on his fastball, which puts him in the 99% in the SEC. Has the ability to be really really good for the Horns.
Quotes from Waters:
“I had a gut feeling during the first call with Coach Schlossnagle and Coach Max that I wanted to be a Longhorn. During my visit, learning more about their development philosophy and talking to the team, confirmed that the 40 is where I want to play ball next.”
“I love to watch video of Kyle Harrison and of course Kershaw. I like to dominate the zone, keep the intensity high, and rack up IZMs.”
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