Tanner Hornback plans to finish his college baseball career in his hometown.
The former St. Thomas More star committed to play his senior season at UL after a coaching change at the University of Texas at Tyler.
"I loved that place and everything about it," he said of UT-Tyler. "The coaches were awesome. It was a hard decision, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity at UL."
UT-Tyler, which went 50-14 in 2026, reached the NCAA Division II World Series each of the past two years, with Hornback playing an instrumental role. The infielder batted .356 last season with 10 doubles and two home runs.
"I'm going to UL and work hard, give it my best effort and see what happens," said Hornback, who is playing with the Acadiana Cane Cutters for the second summer in three years.
Hornback, who ranks among the Texas Collegiate League leaders with a .396 batting average, has hit four doubles and a triple for the Cane Cutters (11-8).
"It's not too big of a difference," he said of the wooden bat summer league. "You just have to play baseball."
UL assistant coach Seth Thibodeaux has known Hornback, a second baseman, for years.
"He knew I had a good career at UT-Tyler and reached out," said Hornback, who led UT-Tyler with a .410 batting average as a sophomore.
That year, the Patriots went 49-13, with Hornback hitting 18 doubles, four triples and four home runs while stealing 16 bases and recording a .520 on-base percentage.
"I'm just having fun with the game," said Hornback, who will now have two years of eligibility left after this week's new age-based system passed. "I felt like UL would be a good opportunity to test myself."
A baseball district MVP at STM, Hornback was a receiver on the state championship football team as well.
He made All-Region as a freshman at Baton Rouge Community College, batting .393 with 66 hits and 30 RBIs.
Hornback, who is playing the first half of the season for the Cane Cutters, will spend the rest of the summer working out and preparing to join the Ragin' Cajuns.
"I'll be working on getting stronger and better," he said. "I'm ready to get after it."
Hornback is the Cajun' ninth transfer portal addition. He is the fourth position player, joining Texas State first baseman Manny Salas, Kansas State infielder Micah Kendrick and Loyola-Marymount catcher Jose Carmona.
The five pitchers added include the Marshall trio of Charlie Krebs, Blaine Albright and Griffin Miller, UTSA right-hander Kendall Dove and Jacksonville State's Jackson Evers.