Texas Baseball's Ruger Riojas Selected by Philadelphia Phillies in MLB Draft

One of the top arms for the Texas Longhorns, Ruger Riojas heard his name called in the third round of the MLB Draft on Saturday.

Texas Longhorns pitcher Ruger Riojas delivers a pitch against the Tennessee Volunteers. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Upon his arrival as the Texas Longhorns coach in 2024, Jim Schlossnagle wasted no time going into the portal to restock the roster. One of those additions came in the form of a gritty right-handed pitcher from UTSA, Ruger Riojas.

In his first season with the Longhorns, Riojas started in the bullpen before transitioning to a starting role down the stretch of the season. Following a disappointing end to the 2025 campaign, he announced his return for 2026.

This proved to be a wise decision, as he further cemented his place among the game's best. And then Saturday, he joined Carson Tinney and Aiden Robbins as the third Longhorn drafted after the Phillies selected him with the No. 100 overall pick in the MLB Draft.

What are the Phillies getting in Riojas?

Texas Longhorns pitcher Ruger Riojas delivers a pitch against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College World Series. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In 2025, the right-hander made 18 appearances for the Longhorns. Of those 18, 10 came as a starter after he moved into the rotation. He finished the season with a 9-3 record and 62 strikeouts, however he did struggle down the stretch and then opted to return in 2026.

During his final season as a Longhorn, all 17 of Riojas' appearances on the mound were as a starter. That role proved to be perfect once again, as he recorded a 6-2 record and piled up a whopping 120 strikeouts against just 20 walks while holding opponents to a .235 average.

As was the case in 2025, though, there was a rough stretch down the final part of the regular season. Despite that, he ended his career in burnt orange on a high note with six shutout innings of two-run baseball and seven strikeouts in Texas' rout of the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College World Series.

ring the bell 🔔#HookEm | @RugerRiojas_19 | @Phillies pic.twitter.com/TjYJ4gp8AK

— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) July 11, 2026

Much like the loss of Tinney and Robbins to the draft, having to replace the production that Riojas brought in the rotation will be a difficult task for Texas in 2027. Of course, they do have the arms capable of doing so.

First and foremost, leading the rotation will be Dylan Volantis in his junior season. Joining him will be Sam Cozart, fresh off an outstanding freshman campaign. For the final spot, look for Michael Winter to earn the third slot.

Riojas left it all on the mound each time he toed the rubber for Texas. Leaving Austin after two seasons, there is no doubt that he is a Longhorns legend and will go down as a fan favorite for years to come.

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