2022 Texas Baseball Preview: Longhorns Looking For Omaha
For Texas Longhorns baseball, dogpiling is only acceptable after winning the College World Series. When a program makes the CWS 37 times and claims six national titles, that high standard is to be expected. The 2021 season, however, ended in heartbreak for the Longhorns, a program that only accepts championships.
2021 Season Recap
For some programs what Texas accomplished in 2021 would be the best season in team history. Texas went 50-17 (17-7 Big 12) while claiming yet another Big 12 championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. They would take that success all the way to Omaha where they would eventually fall to Mississippi State in extra innings, one game away from the championship series. While the season may not have ended the way they would have liked it to, there is a lot to be optimistic about with the 2022 Longhorn baseball team.
Keys to 2022
Experienced roster ready to rock
Simply put, the Texas baseball roster in 2022 is absolutely stacked. The Longhorns return a plethora of experience all over the diamond as the team features seven Preseason All-Big 12 team members. From Golden Spikes candidate Pete Hansen to the Hispanic Titanic Ivan Melendez, there is no shortage of talent on this Texas roster. As a result, Texas enters the season as the number one overall team with lofty expectations. Whether or not the Longhorns can finally capture another CWS title is yet to be seen but they certainly do not lack the talent to get there.
Stay humble and stay hungry
With the amount of talent on this Texas roster, the expectations are high, and for good reason. It is championship or bust for Texas baseball, and anything less is not good enough. That being said if the Longhorns aren’t careful, the preseason rhetoric surrounding the team could hurt them. It can be easy to get lost in the preseason hype and awards but as long as Texas keeps their heads down and works hard, there is no reason to not anticipate yet another deep CWS run in Omaha.
Players to watch
LHP Pete Hansen
Pete Hansen had a hell of a 2021 season and is poised to repeat in 2022. Hansen finished the 2021 season with a 9-1 record while recording a 1.88 ERA in 91 innings pitched. He also tossed 80 strikeouts while only walking 23 batters en route to a NCBWA Freshman All-American team selection. This 2022 Texas pitching staff will go as Hansen goes. If he can repeat his stellar 2021 season, look for the Texas staff to be one of the deadliest rotations in the entire country.
INF Ivan Melendez
Ivan Melendez, aptly nicknamed the Hispanic Titanic, had a phenomenal season which included a stretch in which he hit a home run in six straight games. Melendez earned All-Big 12 Team honors as the DH following a season that saw him bat a team-leading .319 with a .603 slugging percentage, 13 home runs, and 51 RBI. He is a deadly bat in the middle of the lineup that will power a potent Texas offense that aims to match their 2021 production and return to Omaha for a 38th appearance.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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