Three Texas pitchers reportedly forgoing the MLB Draft and planning to return to Austin

In an era where collegiate baseball programs regularly watch top-tier talent leave early for professional contracts, the University of Texas just received a game-changing boost for its 2025 season. According to multiple reports, three key Longhorn pitchers—each considered legitimate MLB Draft prospects—are forgoing the draft and planning to return to Austin, setting the stage for one of the most experienced and dangerous rotations in the nation next spring.

The decision marks a major development for head coach David Pierce and the Texas baseball program, which has been building momentum after a strong postseason showing in 2024 and a clear commitment to player development. While names have yet to be officially confirmed pending MLB Draft declarations, sources close to the program indicate that ace starter Luke Harrison, sinkerball specialist Travis Sthele, and left-handed reliever Zane Morehouse are the trio opting to run it back on the Forty Acres.

In doing so, they signal a powerful message to their teammates, fans, and college baseball as a whole: unfinished business remains in Austin.

Each of the three pitchers had reason to consider jumping to the professional ranks. Harrison was projected as a mid-round pick due to his polished mechanics and poise on the mound. Sthele, with his heavy fastball and upside, had drawn Day 2 interest. Morehouse, a crafty southpaw with swing-and-miss stuff, was widely expected to receive offers based on his postseason performance.

But instead of chasing early contracts and minor-league uncertainty, the trio has reportedly chosen to return and elevate Texas baseball to title contention.

“This is a culture win,” one source inside the program said. “These guys believe in each other. They believe in this coaching staff. And they believe they can do something special together.”

With the return of all three, Texas now boasts one of the most experienced and deep pitching staffs in the country heading into the 2025 season. Combined, the trio threw over 230 innings last season and registered more than 240 strikeouts. Their leadership and composure under pressure were essential to the Longhorns’ late-season surge, culminating in a Super Regional appearance.

Harrison’s return may be the most significant of all. A junior in 2024, he posted a 2.87 ERA with 94 strikeouts in 91 innings, regularly going toe-to-toe with some of the best lineups in the Big 12 and beyond. He opened eyes with his consistency, command, and ability to work deep into games.

More than stats, however, Harrison became the emotional center of the team—calm under pressure, ruthless in execution. His return as a likely Friday night starter gives Texas a legitimate ace and a mentor for the younger arms coming up behind him.

“He’s got bulldog in him,” said pitching coach Steve Rodriguez. “He wants the ball when it matters. He’s got the makeup of a pro, but he’s choosing to finish something here. That says everything.”

If Harrison is the control artist, Sthele is the enforcer. A right-hander known for his explosive sinker and hard slider, Sthele recorded a 3.65 ERA with 88 strikeouts over 82 innings in 2024. He also led the team in ground ball rate and proved invaluable in neutralizing power hitters.

Scouts had flagged his velocity and command improvements as reasons for mid-round draft consideration. But Sthele, a Texas native and lifelong Longhorns fan, reportedly turned down serious overtures from multiple organizations to remain in burnt orange.

“I want to win a title here,” he said in a closed team meeting, according to sources. “That’s what I came to Texas for.”

Now entering his fourth season in the program, Sthele brings not only a wealth of experience but the type of gritty, blue-collar presence that postseason contenders are built around. Look for him to slide into the Saturday starter role in 2025.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the three is Morehouse, the junior southpaw who emerged in the back half of the 2024 season as one of the most difficult bullpen matchups in the Big 12.

Though he began the year in middle relief, Morehouse quickly climbed the ladder due to his ability to generate strikeouts with a deceptive arm slot and sweeping breaking ball. He finished the year with a 2.91 ERA, 61 Ks in 48 innings, and 7 saves—including two clutch outings in postseason elimination games.

His ability to work both short and extended relief roles makes him a vital chess piece for Pierce’s pitching strategy in 2025. And while the draft was certainly in play, Morehouse chose another year of sharpening his arsenal over the unpredictable nature of minor-league contracts.

“He’s a dog,” said a teammate. “He’s not scared of any moment. And he wants to do this with us.”

The return of Harrison, Sthele, and Morehouse is about more than innings or ERA. It’s a cultural declaration.

At a time when the MLB Draft and NIL opportunities are constantly reshaping rosters, these three have chosen to invest in legacy over immediacy. Their decision reverberates throughout the clubhouse and makes Texas one of the early favorites to make a deep College World Series run in 2025.

With a strong nucleus returning in the field—including slugger Jalin Flores, catcher Jared Thomas, and outfielder Max Belyeu—the Longhorns now possess the balance, experience, and pitching depth that define elite programs in June.

In short: Omaha isn’t a dream. It’s the goal.

After several up-and-down seasons and heavy roster turnover, 2025 will be a defining year for head coach David Pierce. While Pierce has led Texas to multiple Super Regionals and a College World Series appearance in 2021, the pressure to get back to Omaha—and win—has steadily mounted.

The return of three core pitchers gives him the veteran backbone to do exactly that.

“This is one of the best rotations I’ve had in my time here,” Pierce reportedly told boosters this week. “And more importantly, these are men who love this university and are committed to our standard.”

The pitching staff’s leadership, combined with a revamped recruiting class and a few expected transfer portal additions, may give Texas its best shot at a national title since the heyday of the Augie Garrido era.

The return of three draftable arms also reflects a shifting landscape in college baseball, where Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities are increasingly influencing player decisions. Sources indicate that Texas’s collective—The Clark Field Collective—played a role in creating support packages that made staying financially viable for the trio.

While none of the deals were in the eye-popping million-dollar range seen in college football, the ability for these players to earn while finishing their education and building their draft stock contributed to their decisions.

More importantly, it marks a broader shift in how college baseball programs can retain upperclassmen talent and compete with professional options—something once thought impossible.

“College baseball isn’t just a stepping stone anymore,” said ESPN analyst Kyle Peterson. “For some guys, it’s the best place to develop, grow, and win. Texas just proved that again.”

With Harrison, Sthele, and Morehouse back in the fold, Texas immediately jumps into the national spotlight for 2025.

Baseball America and D1Baseball are expected to rank the Longhorns in the preseason top 5. Early betting lines project Texas as one of the top three favorites to win the national title, along with LSU and Tennessee.

For fans at Disch-Falk Field, it means more than rankings. It means another season of elite pitching, meaningful games in May and June, and a chance to chase the program’s seventh national championship.

And for the trio of returning pitchers? It means one last ride, together.

In an age where quick exits and early draft declarations are the norm, three Texas pitchers have chosen something rarer:

Loyalty. Brotherhood. A shot at history.

Luke Harrison, Travis Sthele, and Zane Morehouse could have taken their talents to the pros. Instead, they chose one more year in Austin. One more shot at Omaha. One more season in the burnt orange.

And in doing so, they didn’t just strengthen a team—they sent a message to the nation.

Texas baseball is back. And they mean business.