Adrian Rodriguez Boldly Compares Texas Baseball to Storied MLB Team

When it comes to expectations, certain programs are bound to have higher ones than others on a yearly basis. That's just how it goes when you have a track record for being one of the nation's premier teams.

There is no doubt that the Texas Longhorns have adopted this mindset as they prepare to start the 2026 season on Friday against the UC Davis Aggies. How confident are they, though? Well, star sophomore Adrian Rodriguez can answer that for you.

"Texas is like the New York Yankees of college baseball," he said during media availability on Wednesday afternoon. A bold claim, yes, but not one that is completely ludicrous when one stops to think about it.

Texas Longhorns' infielder Adrian Rodrigue — Texas infielder Adrian Rodriguez (24) slides safely in with a double against Tennessee in the SEC Baseball Tournament. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Longhorns head into the 2026 campaign with lofty expectations in mind

Now, to address the elephant in the room -- no, the Longhorns do not currently own the claim to the most national championships in college baseball. In fact, they're not even in second either. They currently boast an impressive six titles, trailing the LSU Tigers with eight and USC Trojans with 12.

Meanwhile, the Yankees themselves far and away have the most World Series titles at 27. However, the added context to Rodriguez's quote solidifies his point. He referenced the fact that the Longhorns hold themselves to a higher standard within the locker room which helped new players buy in immediately.

That, folks, is exactly the mindset you want a team to have. Some would argue it's bold or maybe even a bit arrogant to compare yourself to the game's greatest team historically. Really, though, it just shows that no one within the locker room is happy with how the 2025 season ended and are ready to bounce back in a big way this campaign.

Of course, doing that will undoubtedly be much easier with the aforementioned new additions that Rodriguez spoke about. Chief among them will be the transfer tandem of Aiden Robbins and Carson Tinney, both of which have received multiple preseason All-American honors.

And beyond the success on the field, the amount of animosity that the Longhorns receive is an apt comparison when it comes to a team that can match what the Yankees receive. Even schools that Texas wouldn't consider a rival will have fun with the infamous Horns down gesture.

Ultimately, Rodriguez and the rest of his teammates have instilled a high level of confidence within themselves and in the locker room. For now, there's no telling whether that belief will translate to sustained success on the diamond. What can be said, however, is there no reason to doubt this talented group of players.