The Longhorns just advanced to the Super Regional after sweeping their way through the first round of the NCAA Baseball Tournament.
As Texas prepares to host the Oregon Ducks, the must-win matchups aren't the only thing on the Horns' minds, with head coach Jim Schlossnagle already turning at least a small part of his attention toward the recruiting trail.
The transfer portal for collegiate baseball players opened yesterday, June 1, and a handful of elite players have already tossed their names in the ring, including former Samford infielder Jake Souders and former Notre Dame outfielder Bino Watters.
Already, Schlossnagle and the Longhorns are hot on the trail to bring the two transfer prospects to Texas, as the team hosts the two players on visits to the 40 Acres.
Texas Longhorns hosting big-time outfield targets in the transfer portal
While Souders is an elite target coming out of a mid-major program, Watters is the true gem in the transfer portal so far.
Watters led the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in multi-hit games with 16 throughout the 2025 season. In this season, he batted an incredible .362 for 79 hits, including 10 home runs, for 51 RBIs, as well as coming across home plate 46 runs of his own.
Notre Dame OF Bino Watters is entering the transfer portal I’ve been told.
— Andrew Riedell (@RiedellAndrew) May 31, 2026
Watters has been one of Notre Dame’s best hitters his last two years there hitting .343 in his two years there with 19 home runs and 90 RBIs and 27 doubles. pic.twitter.com/lrqlfCn0he
Now, this shouldn't discount Souders' season. The former Samford Bulldogs infielder batted .356 this season, amassing 78 hits of his own, and even 11 home runs. He had 46 RBIs and 48 runs. He entered the transfer portal with a "No Contact Tag," but that hasn't stopped him from making plans with the Longhorns.
NEW: Samford INF Jake Souders plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal with a "Do Not Contact" tag, his agent @Pchap_Kares tells @PeteNakos.
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) May 27, 2026
The Southern Conference All-Freshman hit .356 with 11 home runs this season.https://t.co/N3c1It3cDd pic.twitter.com/F0yVmfK64J
It is readily apparent that Schlossnagle and his staff are going after heavy hitters, hoping to continue Texas's dominance on the offensive side of the ball for at least one more season.
While Souders' future in the MLB is unclear for now, Watters is expected to be a first-round pick in the 2027 MLB Draft, giving him a clear nod of approval even at the next level, much less what experts believe he could still do at the collegiate level.
Read more: ESPN’s Super Regional schedule reveal gives the primetime nod to Oregon-Texas
With Texas's postseason still unfolding, for a couple more weeks hopefully, the Longhorns can't enter the transfer portal yet. However, if they want to, Texas players can decide to transfer once the season comes to an end, whether that's in a Super Regional exit or a College World Series appearance.
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