Focus needs to be taken from the never-ending hype surrounding who will be the next recruit shaking hands with Tom Herman on the sideline of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and shifted to the 15 signees that will be taking the field at UFCU Disch-Falk Field next fall.

Fresh off a trip to Omaha and with a brand new practice facility in the works, Texas head coach David Pierce was able to land his second consecutive top-20 recruiting class on Wednesday, according to Perfect Game, the leading service for high school baseball prospect rankings.

“Today marks another step in the right direction for the Texas baseball program,” Pierce said following the signings of 15 members in the class. “I am very proud of Sean Allen and Philip Miller’s efforts to recruit with integrity and patience in order to land the best players in the country for our program and for The University of Texas.”

The 2019 class consists of just two out-of-state players, however Pierce believes the group will bring in the necessary talent and flexibility to keep the Longhorns competitive in the Big 12 and on the national stage.

“The class of 2019 fills the needs of our program,” Pierce said. “It consists of three catchers, three left-handed pitchers, a right-handed pitcher, two outfielders, two infielders and four two-way players — three right-handed pitchers and one left-handed.”

Showing an ability to win under Pierce early into his tenure with the Longhorns has proven to be a driving factor in why several recruits chose Texas over other schools.

“I fell in love with the campus, the baseball team, the winning tradition, the coaching staff and the city of Austin as soon as I stepped foot there on my visit,” said Silas Ardoin, a catcher from Lake Charles, Louisiana. “I love winning and I am excited to be able to be on one of the best college baseball teams in the country and get to compete for a national title.”

Ardoin is not the only signee enticed by the winning history of the Longhorns.

“The culture and winning tradition at Texas are second to none,” said left-handed pitcher Peter Hansen from El Dorado Hills, California. Hansen was named most valuable pitcher at the Perfect Game World Series in 2018, a tournament showcasing the most elite travel ball clubs in the nation.

Though there are still several months before this group will touch the field in Austin, there is obvious reason to be optimistic about the future of the program. Of course, a return trip to Omaha won’t hurt Pierce’s recruiting pitch come the next recruiting cycle.