Former Kearney pitcher Cal Higgins has committed to Texas baseball following three seasons at Western Kentucky University.
Higgins, who was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association’s All-Midwest Region Second Team earlier this month, committed to the Longhorns over LSU, according to multiple sources.
This past season, Higgins struck out 52 batters in 43.1 innings, while picking up 6 saves for the Hilltoppers, who went 46-14 and won the Conference USA Tournament this past fall. Higgins was part of Western Kentucky’s baseball team for three seasons, following head coach Scott Rardin when he was hired from Iowa Western Community College.
One of the higher-touted transfer portal pitchers, Higgins was able to hold his own when pitching against SEC opponents this season. In Western Kentucky’s 5-4 loss to Vanderbilt on April 1, Higgins struck out three Commodores and didn’t allow a hit in 2.2 innings on the hill, and in the Hilltopper’s season ending 8-6 loss to Ole Miss on May 31, Higgins struck out 5 Rebels in 2.2 innings.
Higgins was also named to the 2025 NBCWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List and NCBWA Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List this year. Higgins was one of nine players to be listed on both watch lists, and he was one of two pitchers named to the midseason award list for all of Conference USA (joined by fellow WKU teammate Lucas Hartman)
During his three seasons at Bowling Green, he averaged a 3.95 ERA over 62 starts. Higgins struck out 103 while walking 38 batters through 98 complete innings.
Texas, completeing their first season under Jim Schlossnagle, went 44-14 and won the SEC regular season championship in their first season in the conference. They lost to Tennessee in the opening round of the SEC Tournament, and went 2-2 in their regional, falling to in-state rival UTSA in the regional championship.
So far in the transfer portal, Texas has lost five pitchers through the transfer portal, while adding Higgins and Mississippi State LHP Luke Dotson.
Higgins was part of the first two Kearney High Baseball teams. He was a member of the first JV team in the 2018-19 season, and was one of the lead pitchers in the 2020-21 season, where he had a 0.99 ERA in 11 starts.
Cal is the son of Tim and Sue Higgins of Kearney
