Texas baseball entered the season unranked after losing to Texas A&M in the College World Series last year. Despite entering 2023 with a young, unproven starting roster, returners like junior outfielder Dylan Campbell will try to lead the Longhorns to their third straight trip to Omaha.

“It’s the University of Texas,” Campbell said. “No matter who we have on the team, we’re not out of the picture. We’re competing for a national championship every year.”

Campbell and senior outfielder Eric Kennedy, along with the returning pitching duo of junior Lucas Gordon and redshirt sophomore Tanner Witt, make up the core group of impact returners that look to take Texas back to the College World Series. 

Texas lost many of its starters to the MLB draft after last year’s World Series run, leading to a drastically different starting lineup for the Longhorns in 2023.

“You had (to utilize the transfer portal) with so many guys getting drafted last year, a couple of free agents, and recruiting players that are potential first rounders … so it’s going to be a very different team,” head coach David Pierce said. “We don’t have the luxury of having five, six, 10 years of guys, so we’re kind of accustomed to it, but there’s a lot of transition right now.”

Campbell and Kennedy, along with the incoming group of freshmen and transfers, will attempt to fill the monumental hole left on offense by the No. 43 pick of the MLB draft, former Longhorn first baseman Ivan Melendez. Melendez led the nation in home runs as a redshirt junior and swept the national player of the year awards. He earned the program’s first Golden Spikes Award, given to college baseball’s most outstanding player of the year.

While Campbell and Kennedy can’t necessarily replace Melendez’s record-breaking production by themselves, they along with other incumbents set the standard for the newer players when it comes to Texas baseball’s winning tradition.

“They said not to worry, and not to go and go out all crazy,” redshirt junior Porter Brown said in reference to the returners’ message after starting 0-3. “(They said) all we need is everyone in the locker room and the support staff and the coaches to stay close to each other.”

The tough start wasn’t ideal for the Longhorns, but Pierce only expects this team to get better as the year goes on. Texas is a young team, dripping with potential and equipped with the leaders both on and off the field to help develop the fresh talent.

“Coach (Pierce) told us after our game Sunday … ‘Y’all just entertain them,’” junior catcher Garret Guillemette said during Thursday’s media availability. “(He told us) you’re entertainers, you play the game you’re supposed to play and at the end of the day, you guys are going to make stuff happen … so just play loose. Be yourself.”