The Longhorns add a big-time left-hander to the pitching staff.
Max Weiner certainly has a type.
With Thursday’s commitment of Wake Forest Demon Deacons transfer left-hander Haiden Leffew to the Texas Longhorns, all three of the commitments to the second-year Longhorns pitching coach from the NCAA transfer portal this offseason have been lefties with power fastballs.
The 6’1, 225-pounder has two seasons of eligibility remaining and fits the mold because his fastball reached 97 miles per hour as a sophomore in Winston-Salem, though it more typically sat around 93 to 94 miles per hour.
Ranked as the No. 14 player in the portal by 64 Analytics, Leffew is the most high-profile addition to Weiner’s pitching staff and could compete for a spot in the starting rotation next season.
Leffew was ranked just outside the top-150 prospects nationally by Perfect Game when he signed with Wake Forest out of Kannapolis, N.C. as a member of the 2023 recruiting class.
As a freshman, Leffew was difficult to hit, striking out 38 batters over 35.1 innings and limiting opponents to a .221 batting average, but he also had some command issues, ultimately posting a 6.11 ERA because he walked 27 batters, hit six batters, and threw eight wild pitches. Of the 20 appearances by Leffew in 2024, he started five games.
Working exclusively out of the bullpen in 2025, Leffew cut his hit by pitches and wild pitches in half, so although the batting average against him increased to .263, he was able to go 4-1 with a 4.46 ERA while increasing his strikeout rate with improved command, striking out 59 batters in 34.1 innings over 27 appearances, which led the team. Leffew also recorded four of the team’s 13 saves.
Regarded as a plus-plus pitch, the changeup thrown by Leffew works in the high 70s to the low 80s with major break and glove-side run.
Texas lands a big arm from the portal in LHP Haiden Leffew from Wake Forest. He struck out 59 over 34.1 innings and posted a 4.46 ERA this past season@64Analytics pic.twitter.com/2NJ7FYny27
— Stephen Schoch (@bigdonkey47) June 27, 2025
Leffew’s 72.1 percent whiff rate on the changeup was in the 100th-percentile nationally in 2025.
Haiden Leffew (lhp, @WakeBaseball). K’d the side in a scoreless 9th. Here’s 3 straight changeups to end the frame. Been lights out in the 2nd half of ’25. He’s getting a 72.1% whiff rate (100th percentile) on that pitch & his FB has been up to 97 (93.6 avg). pic.twitter.com/TvoykstD9F
— Burke Granger (@burkegranger) June 2, 2025
Wake Forest lefty Haiden Leffew has entered the transfer portal with a do-not-contact tag after pitching to a 4.46 ERA and striking out 59 over 34.1 innings (all in relief) in 2025. Fastball sat 94 and up to 97 at peak. Has a devastating changeup. pic.twitter.com/IJCpC1CXHB
— Jacob Rudner (@JacobRudner) June 25, 2025
Because Leffew’s changeup breaks in so far on the hands of right-handed batters and his fastball can challenge hitters, there’s upside as a starter with Jared Spencer serving as an interesting comparison — the Indiana State transfer came to Texas without much starting experience, but because his fastball and his slider were so elite, he didn’t really need a third pitch as a starter.