After a season in which the Longhorns made a second consecutive College World Series appearance, Texas baseball saw several of its players selected in the 2022 MLB Draft. Eight Longhorns were selected throughout the 20 round draft, tied for fourth most by a school in the country.

Ivan Melendez, 2nd round, Arizona Diamondbacks

Golden Spikes Award winner Ivan Melendez was the first Longhorn to hear his name called. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected the first baseman with the 43rd pick of the Draft on Sunday night.

After being taken in the 16th round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins, Melendez turned to then-volunteer assistant coach Troy Tulowitzski for advice on if he should sign or not.

Melendez said the five-time MLB All-Star told him to come back to Texas and Melendez followed suit. After sweeping essentially every major college baseball award with his 2022 season, Melendez was drafted over 400 slots higher than he was last year.

“It was probably the best thing for me,” Melendez said after being drafted. “I trusted his word and it worked out.”

Pete Hansen, 3rd round, St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals selected Pete Hansen with the 97th pick of the Draft on Monday afternoon.

The left-handed pitcher thrived this past season in his new role as the Friday night ace. Hansen earned a record of 11–3 while throwing 120 strikeouts and only issuing 19 walks during the 2022 season.

Hansen largely focused on building up his endurance throughout his Texas career, throwing more pitches as each season progressed. In his career, Hansen posted a record of 22–4 with a 2.67 ERA.

Silas Ardoin, 4th round, Baltimore Orioles

Son of a former Major Leaguer, Silas Ardoin can claim bragging rights over his father Danny. The Baltimore Orioles selected Ardoin in the fourth round, one round earlier than Ardoin’s father was selected in 1995.

Already an excellent defensive catcher, Ardoin upped his draft stock in a big way in 2022 by showing what he can do with a bat. While only hitting a single home run throughout his first two seasons at Texas, the redshirt sophomore exploded for 12 homers this past season.

Only time will tell if Ardoin can best his father’s 15 years of playing professional baseball.

Douglas Hodo III, 6th round, Baltimore Orioles

With the first pick of the sixth round, the Baltimore Orioles selected redshirt sophomore Douglas Hodo III.

Following Mike Antico’s departure, Hodo grabbed the opportunity to play the centerfield position. In a defense that claimed the best fielding percentage in the country, Hodo shined in the outfield and was named a Golden Glove finalist for his position.

On offense, Hodo hit for a .319 batting average with 10 home runs this season. The outfielder will join fellow Longhorn Ardoin in Baltimore’s farm system.

Trey Faltine, 7th round, Cincinnati Reds

With the 213th overall pick, the Cincinnati Reds selected redshirt sophomore shortstop Trey Faltine. 

With a rocket for an arm and an ability to throw on the run, Faltine dazzled scouts with his defensive abilities. While his high strikeout rate was a concern for MLB teams, Faltine has made strides with his bat. The shortstop increased his slugging percentage and home run totals each year he was on campus.

Unlike most of the Longhorns drafted this year, Faltine has a decent chance to return to the team. If he can lower his strikeout rate, Faltine would be a strong candidate to be a higher draft pick in 2023. 

Murphy Stehly, 10th round, Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals selected redshirt senior Murphy Stehly in the 10th round with the 291st overall pick.

Entering the 2022 season, Texas needed someone to emerge onto the scene to replace the offensive production from the departed Zach Zubia, Cam Williams and Antico. Stehly largely was that guy for Texas, recording 102 hits, 19 home runs, and batting at an .367 average.

While the Nationals drafted him at third base, Stehly is largely considered to be a utility player. His ability to play almost every position on the infield and outfield is something that could fast-track him into a Major League role.

Jared Southard, 12th round, Los Angeles Angels

With the 358th overall pick, the Los Angeles Angels selected relief pitcher Jared Southard.

While Texas’ bullpen was inconsistent throughout the season, Southard grew into one of the more flashy arms on the team. Following a 2021 season in which he did not see much action, Southard dominated opposing pitchers with a fastball that landed in the upper 90s. 

Southard allowed just nine earned runs in his 25 relief appearances, collecting a 4–1 record with a 2.76 ERA.

Skyler Messinger, 19th round, Colorado Rockies

Growing up a Rockies fan, graduate transfer Skyler Messinger was drafted by his childhood team with the 566th overall selection.

A Kansas transfer, Messinger used an early season offensive turnaround to bat .364 with 11 home runs in his sole season as a Longhorn. On the defensive side, Messinger fielded at a .971 clip with only five errors at third base.