The Texas Tech baseball team added an experienced Southeastern Conference player out of the NCAA transfer portal over the weekend.
Ashton Larson, who played two years at LSU and one year at Texas, made a social-media announcement on Sunday, July 20, that he’s committed to the Red Raiders.
Larson, a 6-foot-1, 210-pound left-handed hitter, played in 56 games this season for Texas, starting 46. He batted .258 with a home run and 16 runs batted in. He also drew 35 walks. His .433 on-base percentage was third highest among the Longhorns’ regular starters.
Larson had a game-winning single in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift Texas to a 4-3 victory over Oklahoma on March 27, the middle game of a three-game series sweep by the Longhorns.
The Minnesota Twins made Larson a 20th-round choice out of high school in the 2023 Major League draft, but he didn’t sign and spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons at LSU. As a freshman, he played in 53 games, starting 40, and batted .298 with 3 homers and 16 RBIs. As a sophomore, he played in 34 games, starting five, and batted .256 with 2 homers and 12 RBIs.
Over the course of his career, Larson’s been a corner outfielder, first baseman and designated hitter. Playing on Texas’ 46-15 College World Series team this season, he made 16 starts in left field and 15 apiece at first base and designated hitter. He typically batted in the bottom third of the order, most often in the 7 hole.
Perfect Game ranked him as the No. 1 prospect in Kansas coming out of high school at Overland Park St. Thomas Aquinas.
The transfer portal was open from June 1-30 for undergraduates to enter their names. Larson is the ninth player to commit to Texas Tech out of the portal, and the Red Raiders have had 13 players off their 2026 roster enter the portal.
Tech finished 27-28 this season, missing the NCAA tournament for the third year in a row.
Two of Tech’s high-school signees have signed professionally after the recent MLB draft: El Paso Americas infielder Drew Gonzalez, who was a sixth-round pick by the New York Yankees, and Queen Creek (Ariz.) Casteel infielder Ryne Barker, who was an 11th-round selection by the Atlanta Braves.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech baseball adds SEC player out of transfer portal
Reporting by Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal | USA TODAY Network
