When the Texas Longhorns take the field Thursday evening to open their three-game series against Missouri, one thing is certain: they'll have a second baseman in the lineup. Who that will be, however, remains a mystery—even to head coach Jim Schlossnagle.

Speaking with reporters Wednesday, Schlossnagle was non-committal about the position, though he did confirm that regular starter Ethan Mendoza is unlikely to play in the field this weekend after injuring his shoulder during last week's series at Tennessee.

Mendoza suffered the injury while diving for a ground ball in Friday's 5-1 loss to the Volunteers. He exited after the first inning and remained on the bench Saturday before serving as the designated hitter in Sunday's finale. Schlossnagle noted that Mendoza will again be available for offense-only duties against Missouri.

"I don't have enough information yet to say if he'll throw anytime soon," Schlossnagle said. "Certainly I don't think (he'll play the field) this weekend."

Mendoza had started every game at second base this season, making his sudden absence a scrambling point for the Longhorns. In Friday's game, Texas immediately turned to sophomore Callum Early, a Liberty transfer who had appeared in just five games. But when Mendoza's spot in the batting order came up, the Longhorns had to reshuffle: Josh Livingston pinch-hit for Early and moved to first base, shifting starter Casey Borba to third and starter Temo Becerra over to second.

On Saturday and Sunday, Texas went with a different approach, starting and sticking with a more settled defensive alignment. Now, with a crucial SEC series on deck against Missouri, the question remains: Who will step up and claim the job?