Register commits to Houston baseball after reopening recruitment

It didn't take long for former Greenwood baseball standout Graeson Register to find a new collegiate home after reopening his recruitment.

Register announced Saturday on social media platform X that "due to moves made that I cannot control, my recruitment is now open." Register, who spent his senior year with baseball academy The Bennett School in Houston, had signed with the Texas A&M baseball program last fall and had pledged to the Aggies before his junior year at Greenwood.

Register announced on Tuesday that he was committing to Big 12 program Houston just days after reentering the recruitment process.

The right-handed pitcher said he received heavy interest after reopening his recruitment, which included inquiries from USC, Nebraska, Virginia Tech, Arkansas, LSU, Tennessee and national champion Oklahoma.

Register said Oklahoma wanted him to throw in front of them, but he chose the Cougars because he felt he had a good chance to see the field as a freshman.

"I just think I would be better off at Houston because I would get a lot of innings as a freshman, so I could develop a lot easier because developing is not about throwing a bullpen," Register said of his decision. "It's about getting in the game as a freshman, doing what you can as to develop because you need to see those kinds of hitters."

Register joins a Houston program that just hired Will Davis as head coach after he helmed the Lamar baseball program from 2017-26.

"Will Davis is an awesome guy, he's a great guy," Register said. "Whenever you look at a college, you want to go play for a great guy. Will Davis is a great guy, a great personality, he knows baseball."

Register said Cougars pitching coach Jace Hutchins originally recruited him to College Station before he left for an opportunity in the Chicago Cubs organization.

"Me and him have always been super tight," Register said. "He was fortunate enough to come to Houston and he was the first person that called me, so I knew I wanted to end up there with Jace. He's a pitching guru. I know I will develop with him for sure."

Register said he was conducting a local baseball camp with Nikko Velarde last week and was set to move in at College Station this past Sunday. He said received a phone call from Texas A&M head coach Michael Earley two days before his move-in date.

Register didn't elaborate on what happened, but said things went downhill on the phone call, which caused him to reopen his recruitment.

"Because I've been seeing a lot of people like A&M fans saying they don't understand why I am going to UH, I just want them to know that it wasn't my choice, that I always wanted to be an Aggie, still want to be an Aggie," Register said. "It's just not going to work that way. It was not my choice at all. I would do whatever I could to be at A&M, but it just didn't work out."

Register, who was ranked as the 52nd overall high school prospect in the state of Texas by Baseball America, is hoping to get a chance to pitch against the Aggies as a freshman at Houston.

The Cougars face Texas A&M in a tournament game on March 7, 2027, at Daikin Park in Houston.

"I told Jace, 'I want the rock for that game,'" Register said. "'Let me pitch.'"

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