Longhorns Lose Pitcher Sam Stafford For Season

Texas Longhorns senior pitcher Sam Stafford has suffered a shoulder injury and will miss the 2012 college baseball season, according to Alan Trubow of the Austin American Statesman.

This is a tough blow on multiple levels for Stafford and the Longhorns. For Stafford personally, the injury comes months after saying no to the Yankees and returning to school after they drafted him in the second round in last June’s draft. Depending on his recovery process, Stafford will likely have to accept a minimal pro signing bonus with the hope that his arm bounces back.

For the Longhorns, they lose one of their two top pitchers and one of the top five Big 12 prospects for the next draft, according to Baseball America. The injury means that Hoby Milner will be joined by Nathan Thornhill and John Curtiss as Augie Garrido’s likely set of weekend starters.

Just five days ago the Longhorns found out that they would be without outfielder Cohl Walla for the season after he tore his ACL in practice. Texas doesn’t have a ready replacement for Walla.