Former Texas outfielder Max Belyeu became the first Longhorn to come off the board in the 2025 MLB Draft, going 74th overall to the Colorado Rockies. This is the second consecutive year the Rockies have selected a Texas outfielder, selecting Jared Thomas at 42nd in 2024.
With the selection, the Texas baseball program extends its draft streak, having a player selected in every MLB draft dating back to the first amateur draft in 1965.
Leading up to this year’s draft, MLB scouts praised Belyeu’s hitting prowess during his time in Austin.
“One of the best all-around offensive players in the college crop, Belyeu can hit for average and power while controlling the strike zone,” reads Belyeu’s MLB.com pre-draft
analysis
. “He has a quick left-handed swing geared for hard contact, showing the ability to pull pitches for home runs or backspin them out of the park to the opposite field.”
En route to his Big-12 Conference Player of the Year nod, Belyeu slashed an .329/.423/.667, racking up 69 hits, 53 RBI and 18 home runs in his prolific sophomore campaign.
Belyeu was on track to have his best statistical season in his junior season. With a high point, Belyeu batted an impressive .358 average before getting taken out of commission in the middle of the year, fracturing his thumb while making a diving catch on a routine out against the Missouri Tigers.
Initially ruled out for the remainder of the season, Belyeu battled back after getting thumb surgery and made his return to the Longhorns during their last regular season series against Red River rival Oklahoma.
In his first game back, Belyeu rocketed a three-run home run in the ninth inning to push the Longhorns over their rival for a 7-4 victory, clinching the Southeastern Conference regular season championship.
Despite his thumb injury, which may have scared off some teams from selecting him earlier, the Rockies have a steal of a player at this selection.
