The remarkable journey of Texas Longhorns left-hander Luke Harrison will continue in professional baseball after he was selected in the eigth round of the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday by the St. Louis Cardinals with the No. 234 pick overall.
The slot value for the 234th pick is $241,000.
The 6’2, 220-pounder signed with former head coach David Pierce out of Friendswood in the 2021 class
as a modestly-ranked recruit — Harrison was the No. 14 left-handed pitcher in the state and the No. 175 overall prospect, according to Perfect Game.
Despite a fastball that sat in the 80s, Harrison’s competitive demeanor on the mound made him a key reliever for Texas as a freshman in 2022 as he led the team with 32 appearances, posting a 3.06 ERA and two saves, including a four-out save against LSU and a two-inning appearance against Texas A&M in the College World Series. In his first eight outings for the Horns, Harrison didn’t give up a run, finishing the season with 32 strikeouts in 35.1 innings.
Then adversity struck — Harrison underwent Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm and missed the 2023 season. When he returned the following year, he struggled with 9.28 ERA over 10.2 innings in 13 appearances, putting his career at a crossroads as Jim Schlossnagle and his staff arrived in Austin to take over the program.
Under pitching coach Max Weiner, Harrison became a breakout star for the Longhorns in 2025, unexpectedly pushing his way into the rotation thanks to a fastball with improved velocity and several new pitches developed by Weiner, including a cutter and a curveball. In a team-high 15 starts, Harrison posted a 5-1 mark with 3.06 ERA with 72 strikeouts over a team-high 70.2 innings. Against Georgia, Harrison set his season high with nine strikeouts.
As a redshirt senior, Harrison continued to pitch effectively for the Horns in 19 appearances, including 16 starts, notching a 6-4 record with a 4.10 ERA and one save as his strikeout record ticked up again with 100 in 83.1 innings while holding opponents to a .225 average. Returning to the College World Series, Harrison gave Texas a chance in an elimination game against Georgia by striking out a career-high 11 batters while allowing one run in 5.1 innings.
Now over 23 years old, Harrison’s age works against him as a prospect, but his track record in the SEC and his deep arsenal of pitches earned a selection in the top half of the draft and will give him a chance to be successful in professional baseball.
It’s not just a feel-good story — it’s also one that demonstrates Weiner’s superlative ability to develop pitchers.
