Skip to main content
Texas

Texas Baseball adds second lefty arm from transfer portal

by: Evan Vieth06/20/25
Western-Kentucky-LHP-Cal Higgins-commits-to-Texas-out-of-NCAA-transfer-portal
Photo via WKU Athletics

Texas baseball has landed the commitment of Western Kentucky transfer Cal Higgins. The 6’4″, 245-pound southpaw will join the Longhorns for his final year of eligibility.

In his senior season at WKU last year, Higgins earned All-Conference USA Second Team honors thanks to a 1.87 ERA in 43.1 innings for the Hilltoppers. Higgins’ most impressive stat is his 0.90 WHIP, combined with 52 strikeouts to just 11 walks.

Higgins possesses everything Texas wants in an arm. He’s tall and athletic and dominates the strike zone, both staying away from high-ball counts and having the ability to punch out batters. In an early April game against Vanderbilt, the lefty struck out three in 2 2/3 innings without allowing a base runner, almost completely shutting down the Commodores late in the game before an eventual loss in extra innings.

Higgins’ fastball reaches 96 MPH, and he is likely not a threat to be drafted in the 2025 MLB Draft. He will officially be denoted as a graduate transfer for Texas in the 2026 season and joins Mississippi State transfer Luke Dotson as power-lefty portal additions to this Texas bullpen.

Higgins once again fills a large need for this Texas team, particularly on the pitching side. With last year’s closer, Dylan Volantis, likely moving to a starting spot in 2026, Texas was down to just one left-handed reliever in Ethan Walker, who threw under 15 innings last season.

Pitching coach Max Weiner already made last year’s staff one of the best in the nation, ranking top five in almost every important pitching statistic. With the additions of Higgins and Dotson, Weiner is looking to create a shutdown bullpen for the SEC next season. The two transfers will join the likes of Max Grubbs, Thomas Burns, Grayson Saunier, Jason Flores, Walker, Cody Howard, and Hudson Hamilton as priority bullpen arms for 2026.

Texas still has some work to do in the portal, needing answers at shortstop, potentially catcher, and even a third lefty arm in the bullpen if they choose. The Longhorns are creeping up the portal class rankings and will look to finish the season inside the top 10 once again.

Texas Baseball Transfer Portal Additions

INF Josh Livingston, Wichita State, Senior
OF Jack Moroknek, Butler, Senior
UTIL Kaleb Freeman, Georgia State, Senior
LHP Luke Dotson, Mississippi State, Junior
OF Aiden Robbins, Seton Hall, Junior
LHP Cal Higgins, Western Kentucky, Graduate


You may also like