Texas Longhorns Star Transfers to UCLA Bruins

Texas Longhorns baseball lost one of its biggest names this offseason when outfielder Will Gasparino entered the transfer portal in June. He now embarks on a new journey with a new program, announcing his commitment to the UCLA Bruins.

Gasparino announced on X Thursday that he would be returning to his home state of California to play with UCLA after leaving Texas to enter the portal.

Why Did Gasparino Leave

At one point in the season, Gasparino was looking like the Longhorns' new power hitter after star outfielder Max Beyleu sustained a thumb injury that sidelined him for 26 games. In need of big at-bats, Gasparino's swing came alive, hitting 11 home runs in the first 28 games of the season. Seven of those home runs came in a six-game stretch that began just before Beyleu's injury.

It seemed as though Gasparino had stepped up in place of an injured Beyleu, taking on a consistent role as the number four batter in the lineup. It was during the struggles of Texas's offense in the Arkansas series that Gasparino began his descent toward the bottom of the batting order.

Fast-forwarding to the end of the season, Gasparino saw his position drop to the bottom of the order during the Austin Regional. Against UTSA and Kansas State, Gasparino found himself batting ninth in the final two games of the year.

Through four games in the Austin Regional, Gasparino recorded two hits in 11 at-bats, three runs and two RBI. His production had decreased, and then Texas had added an elite outfielder through the portal in early June. Joining Texas for next season is now former Butler outfielder Jack Moroknek, who had a .372/.443.702 slash line in his junior season.

Moroknek was not Gasparino's only competition entering next spring. It's more than likely that young dual-sport outfielder Jonah Williams will be taking on a starting role after an impressive campaign this past season. Williams finished the year batting .327 in 55 at-bats, with 10 RBI.

Gasparino now joins a UCLA team that finished 48-18 and made a College World Series Appearance in 2025. The Bruins defeated Murray State but lost to Arkansas and LSU, and were subsequently eliminated. In D1Baseball.com's final rankings for the season, UCLA finished as the No. 5 team in the country.

After the team's regional loss, Texas finished at No. 17 in the nation's top 25. Both UCLA and Texas are expected to be title contenders in 2026.