Ethan Mendoza’s Offseason Transformation Pays Off in Texas Sweep of UC Davis

Entering the season, much of the talk surrounding Texas’ second baseman Ethan Mendoza was about his offseason transformation.

And not necessarily his play on the field.

At the first media availability before the season, Mendoza shared that he gained 15–20 pounds in the offseason in an effort to get faster and stronger. Judging by his performance in the Longhorns’ 3-0 sweep of UC Davis this past weekend, you could say it worked.

Mendoza Shines in Longhorn’s Sweep of UC Davis

Texas infielder Ethan Mendoza makes the turn for a double play after forcing out Tennessee first baseman Andrew Fischer. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Over the offseason, Mendoza worked with athletic performance coach Matt Couch, spent extra time in the weight room, and honed his diet meticulously. The 5-foot-10 infielder now sits at 200 pounds, up from 183 last season.

The Arizona State transfer was immensley impressive for the Longhorns last season, even after a shoulder injury that kept him out of several games and confined him to designated hitter duties at times. In 2025, Mendoza led Texas with a .333 batting average, four triples and 15 stolen bases, while scoring 53 runs and driving in 35.

Despite being one of Texas’ most consistent hitters, Mendoza wanted to add more power and improve his exit velocity.

He got exactly that.

In the season opener, Mendoza delivered a game-ending two-run homer in the seventh inning. After fouling off the first pitch, he sent a breaking ball over the left-field wall to put the Longhorns ahead for good.

In the second game, Mendoza hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning to erase a 2-0 deficit and spark the comeback, then added an RBI single in the sixth to extend the lead. He finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, accounting for half of Texas’ runs and hitting his second homer in as many games.

Mendoza continued his strong play in the series finale, recording his second straight multi-hit game in a 9-1 victory. He finished the three-game series 6-for-12 with two home runs, seven RBIs and a 1.563 OPS.

somebody’s been lifting 💪#HookEm | @_EthanMendoza pic.twitter.com/BChiJQ3Qhj
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) February 15, 2026

“He’s an all-SEC caliber player,” said Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle after the series. “He’s exactly what we had hoped he would become as he got bigger and stronger.”

While it’s only one series in, Mendoza’s immediate impact signals much-needed hope for Texas’ lineup as the offense looks to match the tempo of a strong pitching staff this season.

For now, Texas fans can only hope for more series like this one for the rising junior.

We’ll get to see more of Mendoza when Texas hosts the Lamar Cardinals for its first midweek game of the season on Tuesday at 5 p.m. CT at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas.