Texas Baseball Lands Indiana State Transfer LHP Jared Spencer

The Longhorns land another valuable arm out of the transfer portal under Jim Schlossnagle.

Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Since taking over as the coach of the Texas Longhorns, Jim Schlossnagle has made it a goal to put together a team ready to compete in its first season in the SEC. From securing the return of multiple key players to being aggressive in recruiting, he and his staff have done an excellent job on that front so far.

Those returning include shortstop Jalin Flores and reigning Big 12 Player of the Year, Max Belyeu, as well as the pitching duo of Ace Whitehead and Max Grubbs. Joining those two will be a number of key transfer portal additions, with multiple pieces being added to the pitching staff so far for Max Weiner to work with.

On Sunday, that pitching staff got even stronger. Orangebloods' Zachary Symm reported on X that Schlossnagle and his staff had secured a commitment from Indiana State left-handed pitcher Jared Spencer.

May 31, 2024; Lexington, KY, USA; Indiana State pitcher Jared Spencer (22) throws a pitch during the sixth inning of a NCAA Division I Baseball Championship game between the Indiana State Sycamores and Illinois Fighting Illini at Kentucky Proud Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports / Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Spencer had been selected in the 14th round of the 2024 MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies, and instead of going pro will instead make his way to Austin to pitch for the Longhorns during the 2025 season.

He boasts an impressive pitch arsenal, including a fastball that has topped out at 97 and a slider that generates a healthy amount of swings and misses. When healthy, Spencer is undoubtedly an electric arm with plenty of potential for the Longhorns' coaching staff to work with.

Making 18 appearances for the Sycamores last season, nine of which were starts, he posted a strong 6-0 record. In those appearances he recorded a 4.08 ERA in 53 innings of work, tallying 72 strikeouts and just 33 walks while holding opponents to a mere .216 batting average when facing him.

While pitching was far from a major area of concern for the Longhorns in 2024, the lack of depth did become an issue by the time the NCAA Tournament came around. Ultimately, there just weren't enough reliable arms to count on in high-pressure moments.

Next season, however, it is looking like that same problem won't be as prominent for Texas under Schlossnagle and his staff. With the additions of players like Spencer from the portal plus recruits from the high school level, as well as the return of key arms from 2024, this pitching staff has the talent to be really, really good.