Texas Longhorns Commit Gavin Fien Selected in MLB Draft

There are a ton of aspects about baseball across all levels, from little league all the way to the pros, that set it the sport apart from its other athletic counterparts. Perhaps most notably, is the fact that it is extremely common to see teams select players out of high school when it comes time for the draft.

As a result, it is not uncommon to see several elite recruits never lace up their cleats and play a single game in the spring for their respective colleges. This is certainly something the Texas Longhorns themselves are no strangers to. And on Sunday it rang true once again, as the Texas Rangers selected Longhorns commit Gavin Fien with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.

Fien was one of the top recruits in the 2025 class for the Longhorns and played at Great Oak HS in Temecula, Calif., a shortstop prospect with a big-time bat and an elite glove defensively. He was considered the second best recruit in the class, behind only Kayson Cunningham according to most rankings.

Gavin Fien heard his name called by the Texas Rangers during the first round of the MLB Draft

At 6-3 and 200 pounds, Fien is a big body with plenty of power in his bat from the right side of the plate. That isn't all, though, as he is also a well-balanced presence that can get on base with base knocks and doesn't rely solely on power to get the job done.

In the field the shortstop is equally as smooth. Ultimately, he's shown the range to play shortstop well but could also transition to a spot at third base down the road thanks to his cannon of an arm from the left side of the infield.

This is only the first of what is likely going to be multiple picks in the 2025 draft that will have an impact on the Longhorns' roster heading into next season. Most importantly, fellow commit in the 2025 class, Kayson Cunningham, is probable to hear his name called as well.

Joining them are a plethora of key contributors from this past season, including star right fielder Max Belyeu and star catcher Rylan Galvan. However, it isn't all bad for Texas. The trio of Ruger Riojas, Luke Harrison and Max Grubbs announced they would be foregoing the draft and opting to return for 2026.

Ultimately, there is still a ton of picks to come in the draft and as such, there is no telling where both future and former Longhorns will be drafted. Fortunately, Schlossnagle and his staff have been busy this offseason retooling the roster through the portal and with high school commits to counteract those losses.