Mississippi State transfer LHP Luke Dotson commits to Texas

For the first time during the 2025 offseason, the Horns landed a pitcher out of the portal.

The 2026 Texas Longhorns pitching staff received a boost on Monday with the commitment of former Mississippi State Bulldogs left-hander Luke Dotson.

The 6’4, 210-pounder has two seasons of eligibility remaining, entering the NCAA transfer portal after Bulldogs head coach Chris Lemonis was fired.

A member of the 2023 recruiting class out of Marietta (Ga.) Mt. Paran Christian, Dotson was ranked as the No. 157 player and the No. 23 left-handed pitcher, according to Perfect Game.

Dotson struggled as a freshman, posting an 8.25 ERA in 12 innings over 11 appearances out of the bullpen, hitting two batters and walking five while allowing 15 hits and a .294 opposing batting average, although he did also strike out 19 batters.

As a sophomore, Dotson became a reliable presence in the Mississippi State bullpen, recording two saves and winning a game while lowering his ERA to 3.09 by holding opponents to a .214 batting average and striking out 34 in 23.1 innings over 18 appearances.

Dotson had some difficulty with his control at times, throwing five wild pitches and walking 12, but his fastball was up to 96 miles per hour and is complemented by a cutter with a little bit less velocity.

A changeup thrown by Dotson reliably produced swings and misses in 2025 with a curveball as his secondary breaking ball.

Dotson is ranked as the No. 51 player in the portal by 64 Analytics. The Longhorns have now landed four transfers out of the portal, but the former Bulldog is the first pitcher.