Longhorns Baseball Lands Trio of Elite 2026 Recruits

The Longhorns stay hot on the recruiting trail as they bolster their 2026 class.

Jay Janner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Everyone knows that football is king in Texas, especially for those who support the Longhorns. And that has only intensified with the return to prominence, and a reclaiming of the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll, that the Longhorns have seen this season.

However, while dominance on the gridiron is occurring in Austin, we must briefly shift your attention back to the diamond at Disch-Falk Field. On Thursday the Longhorns landed not one, not two but three elite recruits in the 2026 class.

The first announcement came from James Jorgensen, a player who has shown two-way potential as both an outfielder and pitcher. Jorgensen, hailing from Dallas Jesuit, is one of the top recruits in the 2026 class and got the ball rolling for the Longhorns on Thursday.

He was then followed shortly after by Trent Maybin, an outfielder from North Carolina with a smooth stroke from the right side of the plate.

Now, if that last name sounds familiar then there's a good reason. Maybin, out of the state of North Carolina, is the son of former big-leaguer Cameron Maybin. Congratulations folks, you know you're getting old when the players you grew up with send their respective kids to college.

Last but certainly not least came Phinn Waters from the great state of Tennessee. A dominant presence on the mound, the southpaw keeps hitters off balance with a fastball sitting in the low 90s that he pairs with a devastating slider to put them away.

As is the case with recruits of their stature in baseball, there is a chance none of these three ballplayers ever set foot in Austin. That's the risk you take when landing big-time commits in baseball thanks to the threat of the MLB draft.

Despite that, though, landing these guys bodes well for the Longhorns' future under Schlossnagle. Continuing to put together elite teams year after year will be pivotal for Texas to compete in the SEC, and a challenge that the new coaching staff has handled well so far.