Willis Product Birdsell Returning For Senior Season At Texas Tech

LUBBOCK, TX — Pitcher Brandon Birdsell is opting to return for his junior season at Texas Tech and will not sign with the Minnesota Twins.

The graduate of Willis High School announced his decision on Twitter over the weekend.

"I would like to express my gratitude towards the Twins Organization for their consideration in this years draft, but I will be staying at Texas Tech for one more year. Wreck Em!" Birdsell said in the tweet.

Birdsell was drafted in the 11th round with the 339th overall pick by the Twins on July 13, the final day of the MLB Draft. The right-handed pitcher was previously drafted in the 39th round by the Houston Astros in 2018 after his senior season at Willis. He also was the 96th-ranked prospect though was not selected in the 2020 draft, which was shortened to five rounds.

Birdsell had his 2021 season cut short by a rotator cuff injury in April, but he went 4-1, posting a 3.06 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings in his first season with the Red Raiders. He pitched seven innings during his freshman season at Texas A&M in 2019 and transferred to San Jacinto Junior College, where he 2.48 ERA in a coronavirus-shortened 2020 season.

As a senior at Willis, he was named to the third team on the 2018 Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 5A All-State Baseball Team. He went 5-2 with 90 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched, also earning honorable mention on the Texas Sports Writers Association All-State Team.

Birdsell pitched for Conroe as a sophomore in 2016, going 5-2 with a 2.89 ERA and 61 strikeouts.