Sam Cozart emerging star in Texas Longhorns baseball rotation—
Sam Cozart emerging star in Texas Longhorns baseball rotation
Freshman Sam Cozart is making the most of his opportunities with the Longhorns
Entering the 2026 campaign, Sam Cozart was expected to be an important piece of the Longhorns rotation. In three starts, the North Carolina native has not only met expectations but shattered them. In a pitching staff that is full of talent, the talented freshman is making a name for himself.
Through three outings, the Longhorns’ right-hander has posted a 1.38 ERA and only allowed five hits. During that stretch, Cozart has shown excellent control, walking three batters and limiting hard contact. Every time he takes the mound, Cozart has put the Longhorns in a position to win.
As Cozart has been hard to barrel up, he has been a strikeout machine. In 13 innings, the Wesleyan Christian High star has recorded 18 punch-outs. He has had at least four in every start while only allowing eight base runners in that span.
While the Longhorns’ offense has made headlines this season, the pitching has been key to their undefeated start. That includes Cozart, who is thriving in his first taste of college baseball. With the regular season far from over, the Longhorns’ newest star will have plenty of time to build on his success. That is an encouraging sign for a team that also has star lefty Dylan Volantis pitching every Sunday.
With the Longhorns off to their best start in years, they are poised to make a run at a national title. Those odds have seen a spike with Cozart pitching like a seasoned veteran right out of the gate. If he can continue to be a strikeout machine, then Texas will be in good hands.
After falling short of a national title last year, the Longhorns are determined to end their title drought, and Cozart is showing he can play a key role.
