RIO GRANDE VALLEY – Coming off a season in which the UTRGV baseball team achieved a program record RPI of 43 and narrowly missed the NCAA Regionals, the Vaqueros are putting their feet squarely on the gas.
Rather than easing into a new season, UTRGV opens with eight-straight games against Big 12 and SEC competition, hosting Kansas this weekend and Texas Tech on Tuesday before visiting Houston for three and No. 3 Texas for a midweek ahead of the Southland Conference opener.
"We're getting ready for a big start against great power teams that are outstanding and that's what we like," UTRGV head coach Derek Matlock said. "These good teams are going to expose any weakness we have and then we'll go back to practice to try to fix it. This gives us an opportunity to get better. Their pitchers are going to be throwing in the high 90s. How fun is it to take on a big challenge? That's what we're excited for."
The Vaqueros return 10 position players, eight of whom spent at least some time as starters, for a team that ranked in the top 20 in the nation in fielding percentage (.979), double plays (47), and double plays per game (0.87). Two returners were on the Southland All-Defensive Team in second baseman Thomas Williams and third baseman Easton Moomau.
The Vaqueros add to that defense New Orleans transfer and Valley-native Diego Villescas at shortstop, an All-Southland second teamer in 2024 who posted a .969 fielding percentage. Also new to the defense is center fielder Rocco Garza Gongora, a transfer from Texas State (2025) and Oklahoma (2023-24) who is a dynamic defender with blazing speed.
"We're not very far removed from being one of the best teams in the nation on defense because most of last year's team is back," Matlock said. "The new guys have shown themselves to be really good defenders and maybe better hitters. So the offensive and defensive piece look really good."
Villescas was a .306 hitter with seven home runs, nine doubles, two triples, 29 RBI, 50 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases in 2024 before missing time last season. He joins a dynamic offensive infield with Williams, an All-Southland second teamer, who hit .275 with nine home runs, 14 doubles, 55 RBI and 43 runs scored last season, Moomau, an All-Southland first teamer, who hit .332 with three home runs, 11 doubles, 49 RBI and 52 runs scored, and returning All-American and reigning Southland Conference Player of the Year Armani Raygoza, who slides from DH to first base after hitting .384 with 17 home runs, 17 doubles, 60 RBI, and 47 runs scored.
Taking over at DH is Julius Ramirez, who returns to UTRGV after a season at New Mexico Junior College during which he hit .405 with 26 home runs, 20 doubles, 102 RBI, and 74 runs scored.
"Our order looks like it's going to be pretty fun to watch," Matlock said.
The Vaqueros are deep on the mound, returning five pitchers who made multiple starts last season, including Víctor Loa, ranked the 169th best starting pitcher in the country by D1Baseball and the 2025 Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year, Daren Barrera, who led UTRGV to a big victory over No. 20 Dallas Baptist, Wyatt Wiatrek, who went 6-0 with a 3.56 ERA, and Harrison Thayer, who won three games and saved four during a big rookie season.
Another returner, Robert Bonilla, who came on strong down the stretch after improving his control and becoming a strikeout machine, is expected to factor into the starting equation, while Calen Graham, who missed last season due to injury, has come on strong throughout the fall and spring.
The Vaqueros also added Sergio Lopez, both the ace and closer for McNeese last season who went 7-1 with three saves and a 2.89 ERA, and Calvin Junek, who was part of a Coastal Carolina team that reached the Men's College World Series Championship Series last year.
In addition to a deep starting rotation, the Vaqueros sport a deep bullpen, led by returning closer Steven Oliva, who is on the NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List. Other key bullpen arms returning include Kike Cienfuegos, Nick Nolan, and Caden Wanless, while Aaron Sanchez and Ruben Gonzalez are expected to return after missing last season due to injury. This is in addition to a host of newcomers who have been impressive in the leadup to the season.
"Glad to be back out on the mound and excited for this weekend," Loa said. "The resiliency and grittiness we carry as a staff leads us to go out and try to be better than we were yesterday. If we can do that as a unit, we're going to have a lot more victories and a longer season."
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