BREAKING: Former Ole Miss Pitcher Grayson Saunier Commits to the University of Texas
OXFORD, Miss. — When former Ole Miss pitcher Grayson Saunier announced his entry into the transfer portal last month, there was no doubt the talented right-hander would land someplace big. It’s hard to get bigger than the Lone Star State, and that’s exactly where Saunier is headed — to the University of Texas.
Back to my roots 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/JKKzQ2LUwf
— Grayson Saunier (@GraysonSaunier) July 17, 2024
That doesn’t mean Saunier won’t miss Ole Miss.
“Leaving Ole Miss is something I never would have thought about when I first got there. I have nothing but love for Oxford and the people there. It’ll always be a second home for me. This has been a very difficult decision, for sure. I’ll miss my teammates, some I am great friends with, and the relationships I built with the coaches. I have a lot of respect for Coach B, Laff, Clem, and Cleary.“
Grayson Saunier on leaving Ole Miss
Grayson Saunier is transferring to Texas. (Photo courtesy the Saunier family.)
Saunier will now play for and learn under the tutelage of arguably the best pitching coach in the country in Max Weiner, the former pitching coach at A&M and former pitching coordinator for the Seattle Mariners. Weiner took the Aggies’ pitching staff and molded it into a unit that reached the College World Series Championship game this season.
Weiner’s pitchers collectively finished the season with a 3.86 ERA, the best in the Southeastern Conference and No. 4, overall, in the country.
“The primary reason I’m going to Texas is to grow and develop on the mound. Max Weiner is tremendous at what he does and I’m excited to work with him.“
Grayson Saunier on going to Texas
Saunier will also now play for head coach Jim Schlossnagle, who left A&M after the CWS to coach at the University of Texas. Simply put, Schloss has also achieved everywhere he’s been: UNLV, TCU, and Texas A&M. He was named National Coach of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in 2010 and by Baseball America in 2016, and has won eight conference Coach of the Year awards in his 16-year head coaching career.
Oh, and he also took A&M all the way to the CWS finals where the Aggies lost in three games to eventual champion Tennessee.
“Getting to play for the Longhorns is a huge honor, and I am excited to get to work with them. I grew up in Texas and most of my extended family are Longhorn fans so that adds some extra meaning to playing for them.”
Grayson Saunier on playing for Texas
Saunier’s time in Oxford
A starter as a true freshman for the Rebels in 2023, Saunier’s experience will no doubt be missed in Oxford next season.
In his first season as a Rebel, the four-year letterwinner from Collierville High School started 12 games for head coach Mike Bianco, making the second-most starts of any pitcher on the team that season. The Texas native earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors for his outings against Mississippi State and Georgia.
During his sophomore season, Saunier made the third-most starts on the team, (10) behind Riley Maddox (14) and Liam Doyle (11), and he pitched the third-most innings on the team (44.2), behind Maddox (69) and Doyle (55.0). Saunier finished 2024 with a winning record (4-3) in, notching 44.2 IP with a 5.64 ERA.
Of the Ole Miss pitchers on the team with 30 or more innings pitched this season, only two held a better ERA than Saunier: juniors Riley Maddox (5.48 ERA in 69 IP) and Mason Nichols (4.15 ERA in 39 innings pitched).
With his repertoire of four pitches, Saunier will undoubtedly be an ace on the Longhorns’ staff.
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.
