Less than 24 hours after going unselected in the 2026 MLB Draft, former Texas pitcher quickly found an opportunity to begin his professional career. The Nebraska native signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, giving him a chance to prove himself at the next level.
Although he experienced an inconsistent stint with the Longhorns, he impressed the Phillies enough to earn a contract as an undrafted free agent. During the 2026 season, the right-hander recorded a 5.56 ERA across 11.1 innings. He struck out 16 batters and picked up one victory, though he struggled at times to keep hitters from making solid contact.
While his statistics at Texas were modest, Higgins entered the program with a strong résumé, and his previous body of work appears to have played a role in convincing Philadelphia to take a chance on his potential.
The newest member of the Phillies organization began his college career at Western Kentucky. Higgins posted a 3.18 ERA during his sophomore season before taking his game to another level. As a junior, he recorded a 1.87 ERA in 22 games while striking out 52 batters. The talented lefty also pitched in some high-leverage situations, adding six saves to his resume.
As Higgins begins the next chapter of his baseball career, he will be around a familiar face. The Phillies used the 100th overall pick on former Longhorns ace Ruger Riojas. Having a former teammate also making the transition to the next level should make life easier for Higgins as he continues to improve his game.
Over the last few days, Longhorns baseball has had plenty to celebrate. Higgins joined Carson Tinney, Aiden Robbins, Thomas Burns, Luke Harrison, and Cody Howard as alumni who were either drafted or signed by an MLB team this year. That is not bad company to be in.
Now, for Higgins, the focus will be to show that he can be a piece of the Phillies’ future as he moves closer to the majors.
