Hansen named Big 12 preseason pitcher of the year, six Longhorns make preseason all-Big 12 team
The Big 12 announced Wednesday that sophomore left-hander Pete Hansen was named the conference’s preseason pitcher of the year by the league’s nine head coaches, who could not vote for their own players. He was joined on the Big 12 preseason all-conference team by six other teammates from the No. 1 Texas Longhorns.
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Hansen, who went 9-1 in 2021 during Texas’ run to the national semifinals, was a first-team freshman All-American and an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection. He finished 9-1 with a 1.88 ERA over 91 innings and became the Longhorns’ No. 3 starter midway through Texas’ run to the Big 12 regular season title.
Tristan Stevens and Ivan Melendez were named to the preseason team as unanimous selections. Stevens was first-team all-Big 12 in 2021 as Texas’ No. 2 starter. He was 11-3 with a 3.31 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 111.1 innings.
Melendez, who is attempting to make the transition from designated hitter to first baseman, was the first-team All-Big 12 designated hitter in 2021. He led the Longhorns in hitting with a .319 mark and added 13 home runs and 51 RBI.
Catcher Silas Ardoin, shortstop Trey Faltine, second baseman Mitchell Daly, and closer Aaron Nixon joined Hansen, Melendez, and Stevens on the preseason All-Big 12 team.
Texas Tech infielder Jace Jung was selected as the preseason player of the year. Jung, a consensus All-American in 2021, hit .337 with 21 home runs, 10 doubles, and 67 RBI.
An Oklahoma State duo nabbed preseason newcomer and freshman of the year honors. Victor Mederos, a transfer pitcher from Miami (FL), received newcomer of the year honors. He was 2-3 with a 5.11 ERA over 44.0 innings for the Hurricanes in 2021.
Roc Riggio was named freshman of the year. Riggio was drafted in the 11th round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers out of Thousand Oaks High School in Simi Valley, Calif.
The 2022 season will be the sixth under Longhorns head coach David Pierce. Since his first season in Austin in 2017, Pierce has guided Texas to two regular season Big 12 championships and two trips to the College World Series. In five seasons, Pierce is 172-94 overall.
Texas was named the preseason No. 1 team by Baseball America, D1Baseball.com, and Collegiate Baseball. Perfect Game tabbed the Longhorns as the No. 2 team in the country behind the Vanderbilt Commodores.
The Longhorns are coming off a 50-17 season that included the program’s 37th trip to the College World Series.
The 2022 season begins on Feb. 18 with a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field against the Rice Owls.
