Texas Baseball: 5 best Longhorns of all-time in the MLB

Honorable mentions

Tex Hughson, P

Career: 1941-1949, 3 ASG, 24.2 WAR (3.47 points)

One of the casualties of the metric calculation in terms of the all-time greatest Longhorns to play in the MLB is the former Boston Red Sox three-time All-Star right-handed pitcher Tex Hughson. The Buda, TX, native and Longhorn legend only played eight seasons in the MLB due to a combination of shoulder/arm injuries and military service.

Hughson was a perennial All-Star in the early-to-mid 1940s, as one of the more dominant right-handed starting pitchers in the MLB. He made three All-Star Games in a row from 1942-1944. But his All-Star streak was severed in 1945 due to military service during World War II.

Unfortunately, injuries halted Hughson’s career in the late 1940s. He only started two games in 1948 and 1949 before retiring before the start of the 1950s.

Huston Street, P

Career: 2005-2017, 2 ASG, 14.5 WAR, 1 major award (2.4 points)

A recent Longhorn standout to pitch in the majors is the former Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels right-hander Huston Street. The longtime closer was one of the most reliable arms at the back end of a bullpen in the MLB from 2005-2014. He did have some decent seasons in the mid-to-late 2010s before retiring following the conclusion of the 2017 season.

Bibb Falk, LF

Career: 1920-1931, 0 ASG, 22.7 WAR (2.27 points)

The story of the Austin, TX, native and former Longhorn baseball and football player Bibb Falk is well-known in baseball lore for a weird reason. Falk wound up being the left-fielder that replaced Hall-of-Famer Shoeless Joe Jackson in the Chicago White Sox outfield following the “Black Sox” scandal that got eight players suspended in the early 1920s.

Falk took full advantage of his opportunity to shine with the White Sox in the 1920s, batting over .300 in eight of the 12 seasons he played in the MLB. He also never hit worse than .285 in his MLB career.