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Texas Baseball lands third coveted lefty arm in the transfer portal

by: Evan Vieth06/27/25
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Jim Schlossnagle poses for photos with his assistant coaches Nolan Cain and Max Weiner at his introductory news conference at the Frank Denius Family - Jay Janner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

They say that two’s company, three’s a crowd, but Texas entered the transfer portal window with anything but a crowded left-handed pitching bullpen.

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Outside of Ethan Walker, a funky-delivering lefty who had under 15 IP last year, Texas was barren at the position thanks to Dylan Volantis’ likely ascension into the starting role and Kade Bing continuing to be the choice as the Tuesday starter.

This, however, has changed, as after the additions of Luke Dotson and Cal Higgins, Texas has added a third major lefty in the pen, signing Wake Forest’s Haiden Leffew.

Leffew was one of the best remaining players in the transfer portal, according to 64Analytics, and has big-time potential to be one of the most dominant arms in the SEC next year. While Texas has looked at more mid-major programs for most of its hitting recruits, the Longhorns add their second arm from a major program, as Dotson hailed from Mississippi State.

Wake Forest is one of the top programs in the nation, meaning any transfer added from them likely has the potential to become something great at their next stop. While 2025 saw them lose in a regional similar to Texas, Leffew was a bright spot for their pitching staff, tossing 34 1/3 innings with 59 SOs and a 4.46 ERA. While his rate stats like ERA and WHIP weren’t totally impressive, his high strikeout rate showed signs of stardom, especially against Tennessee when he struck out the side to hold the Volunteers in the ninth before his team walked them off in Knoxville.

Leffew’s upside mostly stems from his youth, still possessing two more years of eligibility, and his fastball-changeup combo. His fastball often reaches 96 MPH, and his changeup was one of the best analytically in the ACC all season.

Texas has now gone from a bullpen lacking depth, especially with lefties, to a group featuring some of the most intimidating arms in the SEC. Between the three transfers and returning arms like Max Grubbs, Grayson Saunier, Thomas Burns, and Jason Flores, the Longhorns have set themselves up to repeat as the best staff in the nation. A lot of credit has to go to pitching coach Max Weiner, who has done a great job of diagnosing a need and adding multiple options at the spot.

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Leffew marks Texas’ 10th transfer this cycle, and potentially the final one for the Longhorns. As it stands, Texas has, on paper, filled up every spot it could need for the 2026 season. The Longhorns still has some question marks about who will start in center field or who the Sunday starter may be, but those kinds of additions would be luxuries at best at this current moment.

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
SS Timo Becerra, Stanford, Graduate
C Carson Tinney, Notre Dame, Junior
C Andrew Ermis, Temple College, Junior
LHP Haiden Leffew, Wake Forest, Junior

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