Texas Longhorns pitcher Brett Crossland, aka DJ Tterb, curates playlists for his bullpen teammates to enhance their game experience. The bullpen's unique approach combines music with performance, aiming to lead the league in fun while getting outs.
Key points
Brett Crossland is a freshman pitcher for Texas Longhorns.
Crossland's DJ handle is DJ Tterb, derived from his name.
He curates playlists for his bullpen teammates.
Different players have different music preferences.
The bullpen focuses on fun while aiming to get outs.
Texas Longhorns freshman pitcher Brett Crossland believes that he becomes a different person whenever he picks up a baseball.
"I'm a sweetheart off the mound," Crossland insisted last month. "But on the mound, I'm a killer."
In other words, Crossland has an alter ego. Well, he actually has two. There is another personality that often emerges in the UT bullpen, and the Longhorns have come to know that version of Crossland — DJ Tterb.
Even though Crossland is just a 19-year-old with 20 collegiate appearances to his credit, DJ Tterb has been given control of the aux this season. Crossland's DJ handle is just his first name spelled backwards, but the time saved on coming up with a more-creative musical moniker has been reallocated into curating specialized playlists for his teammates. If Dylan Volantis is warming up for a start, expect for Crossland to play something calm and smooth. Ruger Riojas, however, likes heavy metal to be played. If Haiden Leffew is about to get the call from the bullpen, Crossland will be spinning some country music.
"As a DJ, (Brett is a) 10 out of 10," said freshman right-hander Brody Walls, who is treated to remixes or . "He's awesome. He knows how to get us right."
Q&A
Who is DJ Tterb and what is his role in the Texas Longhorns bullpen?
DJ Tterb is the DJ handle of Texas Longhorns freshman pitcher Brett Crossland, who curates playlists for his bullpen teammates to create a fun atmosphere.
What types of music does Brett Crossland play for his teammates?
Crossland plays a variety of music, including calm tunes for pitcher Dylan Volantis and heavy metal for Ruger Riojas, along with country music for Haiden Leffew.
How does the Texas Longhorns bullpen aim to enhance their performance?
The bullpen aims to enhance their performance by combining music with their game strategy, creating a fun and relaxed environment that helps them focus.
What is the significance of music in the Texas Longhorns baseball team's culture?
Music plays a significant role in the Texas Longhorns baseball team's culture by fostering camaraderie and a positive atmosphere, which they believe contributes to their success on the field.
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Pitchers in the Texas bullpen dance around during the fifth inning as the Texas Longhorns play the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the first of a three game series, May 1, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
Pitchers in the Texas bullpen dance around during the fifth inning as the Texas Longhorns play the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the first of a three game series, May 1, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
How do the pitchers describe the vibes in the Texas bullpen?
DJ Tterb isn't the only personality in the Texas bullpen. With apologies to the diehard fans once led by the late Scott Wilson, the Texas bullpen may be the new "Wild Bunch" at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
While the bullpen had a business-like approach in years past, staff veteran Luke Harrison said that Texas assistant coach Max Weiner often preaches that the Longhorns should be "leading the league in fun." So that's why it isn't a surprise to see Texas relievers dancing around in the bullpen during games, hyping a teammate during warm-ups or creating a spirit tunnel for pitchers to run through as they enter the game.
"It's super chill, relaxed-up vibes," said junior Thomas Burns. "Everyone's supporting everyone, no matter who goes in the game. It's a different vibe for whoever goes in the game. We just keep it loose and have fun."
"The environment's unlike any other bullpen in college baseball," Crossland countered. "The vibes are up. We're having fun."
"It's honestly a blast," Leffew assessed. "It's been a lot of fun this year. It's not serious until it is serious, and I think that's what makes it so enjoyable and so much fun."
"The vibe is electric," Walls offered. "Everyone is hype. Everyone's in the moment, cheering each other on. Whoever's out there, when they're dealing, we're extremely hype, we're playing the songs they love. We've got their back, and it's a brotherhood."
A longtime coach who surpassed 1,000 career wins earlier this season, Jim Schlossnagle recently sighed when asked about the shenanigans out in the Texas bullpen. Schlossnagle admitted that "I'm constantly having to tell them to turn the music off in the bullpen during the game," but he is generally supportive of the personality that his pitchers have collectively adopted.
"They have their own unique culture within our culture," Schlossnagle said. "I would say it's fun-loving for sure, but serious when you need it. I would say it's very supportive. They're loyal to each other, even though they all want to pitch. They're super supportive of each other, and Max has done a great job of creating that."
The Texas bull pen watch the second inning as the Texas Longhorns take on the UTSA Roadrunners at Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
The Texas bull pen watch the second inning as the Texas Longhorns take on the UTSA Roadrunners at Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
Texas relievers aren't just contributing to the vibes as postseason nears
So the vibes in the Texas bullpen are immaculate, and that's all well and good. But vibes aren't what matter the most in May and June. Vibes aren't why the Texas baseball program retired Huston Street's No. 25 jersey in 2020, and vibes aren't why Corey Knebel, J. Brent Cox and Chance Ruffin were brought back to UFCU Disch-Falk Field over the past two seasons to participate in the Longhorns' "traDISCHions" series.
With Texas chasing its first national championship in 21 years, the bullpen will be judged on how it pitches in the postseason. Ranked No. 6 in the D1Baseball poll, Texas (37-12, 16-10) is tied for second place in the SEC standings.
In SEC play this season, 11 Texas relievers have combined to go 6-4 with a 4.16 ERA. The Texas bullpen imploded in losses to Ole Miss, Auburn and Mississippi State, but Sam Cozart has developed into a reliable arm and Cozart, Leffew, Crossland, Burns and Ethan Walker all contributed to the school-record number of strikeouts that Texas recorded in a series last month against Alabama.
"(We've) actually had some real good surprises," Schlossnagle said. "I think Cody Howard has been an awesome addition. Brody Walls has gotten some great experience. Burns has been great. ... Cozart, obviously great. Crossland, good. They're not going to be perfect, but Leffew (has been) outstanding."
With the Longhorns still fighting for their seeding in the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament, Schlossnagle promised Wednesday that "we're going to pitch to win" in a Missouri series that begins Thursday to close out the regular season. That means Texas will stick with its season-long rotation of Volantis, Riojas and Harrison. The bullpen, though, will likely get some work in this weekend.
While hitting .262 as a team and averaging 6.3 runs per game, Missouri (23-27, 6-21) boasts one of the worst offenses in the SEC. The Tigers are coming off their second SEC series win of the season, which was last week's 2-1 takedown of Vanderbilt.
