As MLB deadline nears, who is returning to play baseball at Texas and who is leaving?
Texas can now look ahead to the 2024 college baseball season.
MLB.com reported Tuesday that Longhorns outfielder Dylan Campbell had signed a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers for $500,000. Campbell will forgo his final two years of college eligibility. Los Angeles selected Campbell earlier this month with a supplemental fourth-round pick in the MLB draft.
With Campbell's selection, Texas extended its streak of having a player drafted to 59 straight years.
The deadline for MLB draft picks to decide whether to turn pro or return to college was Tuesday. All six Longhorns who were taken in the 20-round, 614-pick draft have made their plans known.
Who won't return to UT? Campbell and four others
Supplemental 4th-rder Dylan Campbell signs w/@Dodgers for $500,000 (pick 136 value = $473,700). @TexasBaseball OF, underrated bat who put together Big 12-record 38-game hitting streak, good swing decisions, lot of line-drive contact, RF arm. @MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/Isf6t9woXH
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 25, 2023
Before the Dodgers used the 136th pick on Campbell, the outfielder had put together one of the better all-around seasons in recent memory at Texas. He hit .339 with 13 home runs, 50 RBIs, 65 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. He also produced a 38-game hitting streak that was both a Texas and Big 12 record. Defensively, he recorded eight assists from right field.
6th-rder Lucas Gordon's bonus w/@WhiteSox is $300k (pick 179 value = $317,400). @TexasBaseball LHP, Big 12 pitcher of year, plus changeup is best pitch. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 19, 2023
The Chicago White Sox used a sixth-round pick on left-handed pitcher Lucas Gordon. The 179th overall pick was also the Big 12 pitcher of the year in 2023. As the Longhorns' ace this spring, he was 7-2 with a 2.63 ERA and 103 strikeouts.
Signed! Welcome!
12th Rd – Travis Sthele – RHP – Texas
13th Rd – Liam Sullivan – LHP – Georgia
14th Rd – Elijah Nunez – CF – TCU
15th Rd – Mikey Tepper – RHP – Liberty
16th Rd – Austin Amaral – RHP – Stetson
17th Rd – Merrick Baldo – RHP – Loyola Marymount
NDFA – Brandon…— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) July 18, 2023
Right-handed pitcher Travis Sthele entered his third year of college as the Longhorns' Sunday starter. Sthele was eventually moved to the bullpen and finished the season with a 5.75 ERA. After missing the 2021 season with an elbow injury, the San Antonio product appeared in 36 games for the Longhorns. Washington selected him in the 12th round with the 345th pick.
Cleveland #Guardians have officially signed 2023 14th round pick 23-year-old RHP Zane Morehouse out of the University of Texas.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/UdX8oVjfkv
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 23, 2023
Like Sthele, Zane Morehouse moved to the bullpen after beginning this past season in UT's weekend rotation. Morehouse finished with a team-high seven saves and seemingly found his groove in the postseason. Over five appearances and 14⅓ innings in the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments, Morehouse allowed only four earned runs.
The fifth-year right-hander was selected by Cleveland in the 14th round with the 428th pick.
The Astros have now signed 19 of their 20 draft picks:
RHP Alonzo Tredwell (2nd)
OF Cam Fisher (4th)
SS Chase Jaworsky (5th)
OF Anthony Huezo (12th)
C Garret Guillemette (15th)
C Will Bush (16th)
RHP Derek True (18th)
SS Pascanel Ferreras (20th)https://t.co/k6cpOuncFB— Kenny Van Doren (@thevandalorian) July 18, 2023
Raised in California, catcher Garret Guillemette spent his first two years at USC. But he may be a Texan now. Guillemette transferred to Texas ahead of the 2023 season and hit .298 with a team-high 60 RBIs. One of his 11 homers was a memorable walk-off against Texas Tech. The Houston Astros used the 464th overall pick in the 15th round on him.
Dream come true! Can’t wait to get to work. @Nationals pic.twitter.com/Bpzzj0diE1
— Travis Sykora (@travissykora1) July 18, 2023
Although he never played at Texas, Travis Sykora can still be counted among the Longhorns' losses since he was a member of Texas' 2023 recruiting class. The talented pitcher from Round Rock High School signed with Washington after the Nationals took him with the 71st overall pick. Sykora confirmed to the American-Statesman that he signed for $2.6 million.
Who's returning? For starters, two key pitchers
Unfinished business🤘🏻
Psalm 138:8
“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.” pic.twitter.com/uF3hKk4h6t— Tanner Witt (@wittnesstwitty) July 12, 2023
Texas pitchers Lebarron Johnson, Jr., (8-4, 2.91 ERA in 2023) and Tanner Witt (2-1, 10.97) were both considered top-200 prospects by MLB.com. So was Will Gasparino, a high school outfielder that Texas had recruited out of California. All three will be wearing UT uniforms in 2024.
Johnson and Gasparino went undrafted, but Baltimore took a shot at trying to entice Witt. But one day after the Orioles selected him in the 18th round, Witt tweeted that he had "unfinished business" at Texas.
Witt missed most of the 2022 season after having Tommy John surgery and was unable to return to his pre-injury form over six appearances that he made late in the 2023 season.
The return of Johnson and Witt gives Texas a solid foundation for its pitching plans. Gasparino should contend for playing time in an outfield that will miss Campbell and Eric Kennedy, a fifth-year stalwart who signed with the Kansas City Royals as an undrafted free agent.
Additionally, three undrafted veterans have announced that they'll be back at Texas. Left fielder Porter Brown, third baseman Peyton Powell and second baseman Jack O'Dowd combined to start 184 games this spring. Brown was a unanimous selection to the Big 12's all-conference team while Powell beat out Campbell for the team's batting title.
On Tuesday, Texas also announced the reorganization of its coaching staff. Philip Miller and Caleb Longley, who were on UT's support staff this past season, will join Steve Rodriguez as the team's assistant coaches in 2024. Carli Todd will take over as the director of operations after doing that job on an interim basis during the spring.
The American-Statesman reported earlier this month that head coach David Pierce will mentor the Longhorn pitchers in the future. Former UT volunteer coach Troy Tulowitzki will return to the program as a director of player development.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Who is leaving, returning to Texas baseball team after draft deadline