Casey Borba dropping Chick-fil-A and baseball from his summer plans pays off for Texas

"So many players today don't spend time on their body," Schlossnagle said. "We felt like last summer ... (he needed to) spend a summer on his body, try to move a little better, be a little lighter. He did that out in California, and did a great job. You see that in how he plays both first and third base."

Borba played with the San Luis Obispo Blues in the California Collegiate League following his freshman year, but he didn't join a summer-league team last summer. Instead, he returned home to California and worked out six days a week while focusing on strength training, speed drills and core workouts. He also traded those late-night trips to Chick-fil-A for a more nutritious diet that centered around meat, rice and vegetables.

Like last season, Borba is still listed at 210 pounds on the UT roster. He said he has more muscle on his 6-foot-1 frame, though.

"I definitely feel different," Borba said. "I feel like I'm moving better and I'm definitely more flexible too. That's a big thing."

Texas Longhorns infielder Casey Borba (31) grabs a ground ball during the game against Ole Miss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, March 13, 2026 in Austin. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)

Will Texas have more players opt for workouts over summer baseball?

Borba's homer off Missouri reliever Dane Bjorn was his 16th of the season. He has now gone deep four times over his last three games, and his 32 career homers are tied for eighth in the Texas record books.

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Since things have worked out for Borba, will Texas start to ask more of its players to focus on the weight room instead of summer ball? Schlossnagle said Thursday that summer plans haven't yet been finalized for UT's returning position players — none of Texas' pitchers will play this summer — but those Longhorns will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Some players need to play.

Borba had started 46 times during a 2025 season that featured 162 at-bats, so more baseball wasn't a priority for him last summer.

"I thought it was good (to not play last summer)," Borba said. "Body takes a toll after the season, so just being able to really focus on that and getting recovered and working on my body and being able to get stronger and faster, I feel like that was key and feel like it's helped me a ton."