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Once again on Friday night, a question about occupying left field had to be asked at a Texas baseball game.
No, not what is OccupyLF. As usual, the popular tailgate beyond the left field fence at UFCU Disch-Falk Field was going strong on Friday.
No, who is occupying left field.
During a weekend-starting 8-3 win over Auburn, the answer was Jonah Williams. A two-sport athlete who was one of the Texas football team's top signees during the 2025 recruiting cycle, Williams was making his first career start on Friday night.
MORE: Quintrevion Wisner wants to be Texas' workhorse running back | Golden
With three RBIs, Williams led the SEC-leading Longhorns to a series-clinching victory over the Tigers. Dating back to last season, Texas (32-5, 15-2) has won 14 straight series.
"I was just blessed to get the opportunity," Williams said.
In the 13 games since Max Beyleu was sidelined by a thumb injury and Tommy Farmer IV replaced the All-American in right field, Texas has started four different players in left. Only once — Jayden Duplantier against Missouri, Texas State and Georgia — has someone started in left field for three straight games during that span.
Offensively, the results in left field have been mixed:
After seeing limited playing time over the first two months of the season as he worked his way back from a collarbone injury and adjusted to college baseball, Williams inserted himself into the left field conversation in front of Friday's announced crowd of 7,290. Williams picked up his first career hit in the fourth inning and singled again in the sixth session. Those two hits drove in three runs.
"He's always been the guy to cheer on his teammates and stuff, and you see him work hard in practice. It's cool to see him get it done in a game," Farmer said.
Williams isn't at Texas to just play baseball. The Galveston product enrolled early after signing with Texas football as a five-star safety. He's not practicing with the football team this spring as Steve Sarkisian has allowed him to focus on just baseball.
Williams said he has watched a few football practices, attended some meetings and has met new safeties coach Duane Akina. But he made it clear that his focus right now is on baseball.
"(My plan is) stick firm with baseball in the spring and in the fall, it's football time," Williams said. "Having that split time is just what I came here to do."
Outside of Ike Irish, who homered twice, the Auburn offense didn't have much success on Friday against a Texas pitching staff that threw Luke Harrison, Ethan Walker, Thomas Burns and Dylan Volantis. One of Auburn's 27 outs was caught by Williams, who backed up on a sixth-inning fly ball but charged in for the catch.
Schlossnagle noted that "most really good high school outfielders play center field and center field's the easiest outfield to play. It's the most ground to cover, but it's the easiest outfield to play." Williams said he knew he probably wouldn't force Will Gasparino out of center once he got to Texas, so he's getting used to the different angles in left field.
"Just got to adjust," he said.
The one error in left field over the past 13 games was committed by Winfield, who opened the season as the starter in left field after a transfer from Louisiana-Monroe. Winfield misplayed a fly ball against UTRGV on Tuesday. He has committed two errors.
Neither Duplantier nor Rodriguez have invoked the names of Drew Stubbs or Dylan Campbell in the outfield, but they've each made a few plays when asked. Unlike Winfield and Williams, Duplantier and Rodriguez are not natural outfielders. Rodriguez has started 13 times at third base this season and last week's start at Kentucky marked his first appearance in the outfield since his junior year of high school. Duplantier started at second base on Friday.
"They're working really hard, and they're doing the best they can," Gasparino said. "It's uncomfortable. It's like if I had to play shortstop. It's definitely new to them, and I think they're working every day to get better."
To open last weekend's series at Kentucky, Winfield started in left field. Rodriguez started out in left the following day before Duplantier closed out the series there. Over UT's three games so far this week, Winfield, Rodriguez and Williams have started in left field.
That merry-go-round in left will stop on Saturday. For the series finale, Williams has already been named the starter. In fact, Schlossnagle said after Friday's win that Williams will be out in left field "for the foreseeable future."
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas baseball beats Auburn in freshman Jonah Williams' first start
Continue reading...
No, not what is OccupyLF. As usual, the popular tailgate beyond the left field fence at UFCU Disch-Falk Field was going strong on Friday.
No, who is occupying left field.
During a weekend-starting 8-3 win over Auburn, the answer was Jonah Williams. A two-sport athlete who was one of the Texas football team's top signees during the 2025 recruiting cycle, Williams was making his first career start on Friday night.
MORE: Quintrevion Wisner wants to be Texas' workhorse running back | Golden
With three RBIs, Williams led the SEC-leading Longhorns to a series-clinching victory over the Tigers. Dating back to last season, Texas (32-5, 15-2) has won 14 straight series.
"I was just blessed to get the opportunity," Williams said.
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Is Jonah Williams the answer in left field for Texas?
In the 13 games since Max Beyleu was sidelined by a thumb injury and Tommy Farmer IV replaced the All-American in right field, Texas has started four different players in left. Only once — Jayden Duplantier against Missouri, Texas State and Georgia — has someone started in left field for three straight games during that span.
Offensively, the results in left field have been mixed:
- Easton Winfield (five starts): 2-for-10, four walks, two RBIs, five runs
- Jayden Duplantier (five starts): 2-for-16, two walks, one RBI
- Adrian Rodriguez (two starts): 1-for-7, one run
- Jonah Williams (one start): 2-for-4, three RBIs
After seeing limited playing time over the first two months of the season as he worked his way back from a collarbone injury and adjusted to college baseball, Williams inserted himself into the left field conversation in front of Friday's announced crowd of 7,290. Williams picked up his first career hit in the fourth inning and singled again in the sixth session. Those two hits drove in three runs.
"He's always been the guy to cheer on his teammates and stuff, and you see him work hard in practice. It's cool to see him get it done in a game," Farmer said.
Williams isn't at Texas to just play baseball. The Galveston product enrolled early after signing with Texas football as a five-star safety. He's not practicing with the football team this spring as Steve Sarkisian has allowed him to focus on just baseball.
Williams said he has watched a few football practices, attended some meetings and has met new safeties coach Duane Akina. But he made it clear that his focus right now is on baseball.
"(My plan is) stick firm with baseball in the spring and in the fall, it's football time," Williams said. "Having that split time is just what I came here to do."
You must be registered for see images attach
But how is Jonah Williams defensively?
Outside of Ike Irish, who homered twice, the Auburn offense didn't have much success on Friday against a Texas pitching staff that threw Luke Harrison, Ethan Walker, Thomas Burns and Dylan Volantis. One of Auburn's 27 outs was caught by Williams, who backed up on a sixth-inning fly ball but charged in for the catch.
Schlossnagle noted that "most really good high school outfielders play center field and center field's the easiest outfield to play. It's the most ground to cover, but it's the easiest outfield to play." Williams said he knew he probably wouldn't force Will Gasparino out of center once he got to Texas, so he's getting used to the different angles in left field.
"Just got to adjust," he said.
The one error in left field over the past 13 games was committed by Winfield, who opened the season as the starter in left field after a transfer from Louisiana-Monroe. Winfield misplayed a fly ball against UTRGV on Tuesday. He has committed two errors.
You must be registered for see images attach
Neither Duplantier nor Rodriguez have invoked the names of Drew Stubbs or Dylan Campbell in the outfield, but they've each made a few plays when asked. Unlike Winfield and Williams, Duplantier and Rodriguez are not natural outfielders. Rodriguez has started 13 times at third base this season and last week's start at Kentucky marked his first appearance in the outfield since his junior year of high school. Duplantier started at second base on Friday.
"They're working really hard, and they're doing the best they can," Gasparino said. "It's uncomfortable. It's like if I had to play shortstop. It's definitely new to them, and I think they're working every day to get better."
Will Texas continue to rotate players in and out of left field?
To open last weekend's series at Kentucky, Winfield started in left field. Rodriguez started out in left the following day before Duplantier closed out the series there. Over UT's three games so far this week, Winfield, Rodriguez and Williams have started in left field.
That merry-go-round in left will stop on Saturday. For the series finale, Williams has already been named the starter. In fact, Schlossnagle said after Friday's win that Williams will be out in left field "for the foreseeable future."
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas baseball beats Auburn in freshman Jonah Williams' first start
Continue reading...
