Houston Baseball Adds to 2027 Recruiting Class with Outfield Commit

Coach Todd Whitting made a splash in the 2027 recruiting class by landing one of the top outfielders in Texas.

Feb 19, 2006; Tempe, AZ, USA; Houston Cougars infielder (8) Dustin Kingsbury celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the 3rd inning at Packard Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Copyright Rick Scuteri | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Earlier this week, head coach Todd Whitting and the Houston Cougars locked in a commitment from Brandon Brannon, an outfielder from Mount Pleasant High School.

The commitment from the 2027 graduate marks the second for Coach Whitting and the Cougars in the recruiting class, along with catcher Taye Thierman.

#Committed #AGTG @Performance_X2 @matt_reida @k_cheesebrough @toddwhitting @MP_Tigers_BB @NicoMoran pic.twitter.com/TMFt02RoW4

— Brandon “Bj ” Brannon (@bjbrannon27) November 10, 2025

Based on Perfect Game event results, Brannon has the chance to be a sparkplug for the Cougars in the future. With a 60-yard dash clocking at 6.82 seconds, the outfielder will be a threat both on the basepaths and in the outfield when he arrives to Houston.

What Does Brannon Brings to the Table

Former Cougars outfielder Tre Jones slides back into first base on a pickoff attempt. | Brian McLean/On Assignment Photography

During the Summer in 2025, Brannon has quietly developed as a hitter who should be circled on every lineup card. While his Perfect Game profile says that the outfielder's exit velocity is 91 mph, Brannon has recently averaged one of the hardest exit velocities in Texas at 98.5 mph.

2027 Player Spotlight: OF Brandon “BJ” Brannon Mount Pleasant HS

Big time 2-sport athlete full of quick twitch; fast hands w/ sneaky juice off the bat. Can race around paths & go get it defensively. Tons of traits here.@bjbrannon27 @FiveStarPB pic.twitter.com/f314RPKUlM

— Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) January 22, 2024

Brannon has seen his stock rise recently due to his elite bat speed. While many athletes at his size lean towards being a contact hitter, the 2027 outfielder produces stunning power at 5-foot-8, 170 pounds.

The future Cougar is also ranked inside the top 150 for the 2027 recruiting class and considered one of the top 50 outfielders as well. It's safe to say that the Cougars' future on the diamond looks bright.

Houston's Recent Recruiting Philosophy

In short, Brannon aligns with the Cougars' recent recruiting philosophy. Coach Whitting has clearly emphasized the importance of having an outfield that can track down fly balls. Recently, the head coach has prioritized the pitching side of things, but having an outfield that excels defensively is never a bad thing.

Coog Nation could start to see more commits in the future from the 2027 class. With Houston now in its third season in the Big 12, expectations have risen for the baseball program's recruitment. Next season, the Cougars will have 11 incoming freshmen, highlighted by names like Jaylen Walker, Carson Ray, and John Robbins III.

Brannon's commitment also shows that Coach Whitting doesn't plan on parting ways with the program after this upcoming season. While the Houston baseball program has been slowly trending in the right direction, last year's squad still fell short of an appearance in the NCAA Tournament due to a rough stretch at the end of the regular season.

With one of the top outfielders in Texas' 2027 class, Houston's future on the diamond looks promising to say the least.