Texas baseball looking to get Austin Todd back in the lineup this season
As head coach David Pierce and No. 2 ranked Texas baseball get set to face the No. 16 ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders on the road to open up Big 12 play this weekend, there is some injury news worth talking about. Texas has already lost one key player for the season due to injury issues with standout pitcher Tanner Witt out as he prepares for a Tommy John procedure later this month.
Another key injury update came down from Pierce and the Longhorns this week concerning one of the team’s better players out in the field. According to a report confirmed by Inside Texas (part of the On3 Network, paid content) this week, the Longhorns are getting more positive news than originally anticipated concerning the injury status and timeline of redshirt senior outfielder and Round Rock, TX, native Austin Todd.
Todd is currently out for the Longhorns due to a shoulder injury he suffered earlier this month. It sounds like that shoulder injury could still keep Todd out for a little while. There is no exact timeline for his return.
Texas baseball could get OF Austin Todd back in the hitting lineup at some point this season
But the fact that Todd is reportedly “progressing much quicker than we thought” (words from Pierce) is good news.
Update from Texas HC David Pierce on Austin Todd who is currently out with a shoulder injury - He has been able to hit front-toss and do tee work this week without pain and is “progressing much quicker than we thought”. #HookEm
— Aaron Little (@AaronLittleOB) March 23, 2022
The aforementioned IT report notes that Texas could get Todd back in the lineup to at least make an impact with his bat at some point during Big 12 play. That’s also good news since Todd is one of the more experienced and proven bats in the Longhorns lineup this season.
The last game that Todd played in for the Longhorns was back on March 8 in a road win over the Texas State Bobcats. In 10 games played this season, Todd has a .258 batting average, no stolen bases, no home runs, seven runs batted in, and five runs. He also has a perfect fielding percentage on the season so far.
What Texas will miss most of all with Todd out, though, is his defensive impact. Todd is one of the best and most proven defensive outfielders in the Big 12 this season. That is obviously a big loss for Texas to likely not have Todd in the outfield for the remainder of the 2022 campaign.
dark. Next. 3 candidates for Texas to replace Ulric Maligi
Texas is set to open up the Big 12 slate on March 25 on the road in Lubbock against Texas Tech. Pierce and the Longhorns carry a record of 18-5 (0-0 Big 12) into the Big 12 opener against Texas Tech, riding a five-game winning streak following their March 22 triumph over the Central Arkansas Bears.