Longhorns baseball gets major boost with commitment of pitcher Hayes Holton
While Holton initially committed to Mississippi State, recent coaching changes caused him to reopen his recruitment. Chris Lemonis was fired, and former Virginia head coach Brian O'Connor took over in Starkville. That gave the Longhorns an opportunity to add Holton to the mix.
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In the Lornager High School product, Texas is getting a pitcher who can overpower hitters. His fastball sits between 94 and 97 miles per hour. That should help him find success in an SEC conference where high velocity is needed. His arsenal includes a changeup, curveball, and slider to keep hitters opponents off balance.
As Holton has made headlines with his arm, he has not been afraid to challenge hitters. He emphasized that when speaking with Steve Robertson of 247Sports about his commitment to Mississippi State last November.
" On the mound, I attack early,' Holton said. 'First pitch strikes mean a lot. As a hitter, you go down 0-1 and you're thinking that you're down and you have to play the pitcher's game. If you get a first pitch strike as a pitcher, then I am playing my game. It can go either way the entire at bat, the percentages of a guy getting solid contact after getting down early in at bat are really low compared to going 1-0 on him. That's really what I like to focus on. I am not really a guy that believes you always have to go for the strikeout."
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This week, the Longhorns have improved their lineup and rotation. They also added former Butler outfielder Jack Moroknek in the transfer portal. During the 2025 campaign, he posted a .372 batting average in 54 games. He should be a key piece to the Longhorns' success along with Holton.
Although the Longhorns are far from done with retooling their roster, Holton is a much-needed addition to a program with national championship aspirations.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas Longhorns baseball add one of the top pitchers in 2026 class
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