Texas Tech Baseball
The Texas Tech baseball team is part of the Big 12 Conference. They compete in the NCAA Division I college baseball level. The team plays its home games on Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. The Red Raiders are led by head coach Tim Tadlock, who is in his ninth season with the team.
Josh Jung could be called up to the Texas Rangers
Josh Jung has been a top prospect in the Texas Rangers organization since his rookie season in 2019. While he hasn’t had the best luck staying healthy, Jung has shown that he’s ready to make his MLB debut. Jung has been tearing up Triple-A pitching during rehab. If he can keep this up, he could spend the rest of the 2022 season at the minor league level.
Jung’s injury took a toll on his body, requiring him to miss nearly 16 weeks of baseball. His shoulder required four months of intense physical therapy. Rangers minor-league physical therapist Kai Okitsu supervised Jung’s rehabilitation. Jung did strength training exercises and baseball-adjacent exercises. As a result, his shoulder was able to recover faster than expected.
Brandon Birdsell earned first team all-league honors
Brandon Birdsell earned first team all-league recognition for Texas Tech baseball this year, which was a great accomplishment considering his injury in April. Birdsell was able to avoid surgery and finish the season with a 9.6 ERA and a 94.8 mph fastball. He also has a slider that sits from 85-88 mph and is able to miss more bats than his fastball.
Birdsell is currently among the top 100 prospects in the MLB draft. He led a Texas Tech staff that finished fourth in opponents’ batting average and third in wins. Its pitching staff was also second in total strikeouts looking. Regardless of his draft status, Birdsell’s accomplishments show that he is one of the best pitchers in the country.
Texas Tech’s pitching staff played out of their minds
It’s safe to say that Texas Tech’s pitching staff was out of their mind in Statesboro. But the offensive players weren’t as impressive. Despite their strong pitching, Texas Tech’s offense was not quite good enough to win a regional on the road. Jace Jung had a stellar three-year career in Lubbock, but he didn’t make the trip to Omaha.
Texas Tech’s pitching staff dominated in conference play, sweeping Oklahoma State and Kansas State. However, they blew sweep opportunities against Baylor, West Virginia and Kansas. In the NCAA tournament, they had a 3.73 ERA. They also recorded 559 strikeouts and 22 saves.
Jace Jung is back to full health after a major injury
After suffering a major injury at Texas Tech baseball, Jace Jung has a chance to play this season for the Texas Rangers. The Rangers picked Josh Jung eighth overall in the 2019 MLB draft and are projected to pick Jace Jung in the first half of the 2022 draft. Josh Jung’s injury is not as serious as it seems. While he will be out for a month or so, Jung is expected to be back in action this season.
The latest news about Jung comes from a source close to the team. The sophomore left fielder is expected to be ready for Opening Day in Austin, Texas. The shins are the first thing to be worked out for Jung. He is also expected to make his Major League Baseball debut on May 17. After more than two weeks in Triple-A, he is ready to take the next step in his career.
Texas Tech has been in the NCAA tournament seven times in the last nine years
After being swept by Merrimack in a series early in the season, Texas Tech rolled through the rest of the season, claiming victories over Stephen F. Austin (11-1) and Baylor (11-1). They also defeated Kansas State (14-0), West Virginia (12-2) and New Mexico (28-2). Kevin McCullar led the way with 10.0 points per game and five rebounds per game. He also contributed six assists.
Texas Tech has won the Big 12 conference during each of the last three seasons, and the Red Raiders have gone to the NCAA tournament seven times in the last nine seasons. Texas Tech is also preparing for its fifth College World Series appearance under head coach Justin Tadlock. This past season, the Red Raiders hosted five regionals and reached the CWS for the first time. The Red Raiders were selected for the 2022 NCAA tournament for the 16th time in program history.
