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Texas Baseball Lands Elite 2026 Commit Hayes Holton

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Connor Zimmerlee | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 5:25 PM ET

The season may have ended for the Texas Longhorns, but that does not mean Jim Schlossnagle and his staff have taken any days off trying to retool the roster this offseason. So far they've been able to do so thanks to an aggressive approach to the transfer portal. Then on Saturday morning they landed an elite commit from the class of 2026.

After opening up his recruiting process again, right-handed pitcher Hayes Holton took to social media to announce he would be making his way to The Forty Acres. It marked yet another big win on the recruiting trail for Schlossnagle and pitching coach Max Weiner, who was instrumental in the dominance from the Texas pitching staff this season.

Holton hails from Loranger High School in Loranger, La. and adds another talented arm to a stable of weapons for Weiner to work with. He comes in featuring a healthy assortment of pitches, especially a fastball that he effortlessly blows past hitters.

His heater sits comfortably in the mid 90s that has topped out at as high as 96 mph. Aside from his untouchable fastball, the right-hander boasts a solid trio of off-speed pitches with his changeup, curveball and slider. All three of these pitches have shown they can give hitters trouble and could develop into serious out getters at the next level.

“The heart of a man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

After reopening my recruiting process, I have decided to commit to play baseball at @TexasBaseball. Thank you @TheArmFarm and @CoachSchloss for this opportunity! pic.twitter.com/NwJiJ7kTbf
— Hayes Holton (@HayesHolton22) June 14, 2025

Landing Holton is undoubtedly a big win for Schlossnagle and Weiner. The goal at Texas will always be more than simply making the postseason. Rather, anything less than a trip to Omaha is often seen as a strong season but ultimately a disappointment. And hey, when you have the storied history the Longhorns do, that may be a fair assessment.

However, getting to Omaha is no easy task and requires an elite roster to do so. Schlossnagle has shown he has what it takes to get aggressive and land a plethora of big-time recruits. If he continues to do so then don't be shocked if Texas gets back to the College World Series sooner rather than later.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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