Texas Transfer Luke Storm Retires From Baseball
With just three weeks remaining until the season opener, Texas baseball faces a setback as Luke Storm, a potential starter, is no longer with the team.
The Duke transfer was expected to make an impact for the Texas Longhorns this season with his .275 batting average in 202 and .258 batting average in 2023 with the Blue Devils.
Storm took to Twitter on Wednesday, January 31, to announce his decision to end his baseball career for "personal reasons."
"My journey playing baseball has come to an end due to personal reasons," Storm tweeted. "It wasn't the path I envisioned, yet I'm profoundly thankful for the individuals it brought into my life. Immense gratitude to the coaches who trusted and believed in me, offering opportunities to live out my dream. Above all, heartfelt thanks to my parents, whose countless sacrifices paved the way for the person I've become today. God has a plan, and I’m going to put all my faith into trusting him."
Storm, a redshirt junior and one of the notable additions to the Longhorns' roster during the offseason, was anticipated to make an immediate impact as a corner infielder for Texas in 2024.
Previously, Storm spent two seasons at Duke, where he held starting roles at first base in 2022 and third base in 2023. His impressive performance included ranking in the top three for runs batted in and home runs, while also leading the team in OPS during the 2022 season.
Storm played a crucial role in Duke's success, contributing to the team winning over 35 games for the first time since the 2018 season. Additionally, he played a part in Duke's journey to the Super Regionals in the 2023 campaign.
Even in the absence of Storm, Texas possesses a pool of potential candidates for the first base position. Although Jared Thomas, who started at first base last year, has transitioned to the outfield, there are still several viable options.
Coach David Pierce mentioned during the fall that Powell, second baseman Jack O'Dowd, and catcher Kimble Schuessler could fill in at first base, though such a move would create a gap in another position. Other alternatives include redshirt junior Cam Constantine and freshman Casey Borba.
Texas, which ranked No. 16 in the D1Baseball preseason poll, will open its season at home against San Diego on Feb. 16.