Texas A&M (51-13) is just one win away from the College World Series title game after a series of impressive victories, including a 5-1 win over Kentucky (46-15) on Wednesday night. Like most of the Aggies’ wins this postseason, it was the performance on the mound that has kept the team undefeated this week for the first time in program history, a testament to the strategic guidance of the coaching staff.
The Aggies’ offensive firepower took a hit with star outfielder Braden Montgomery’s season-ending ankle injury. The blow was further compounded by the upper-body injury suffered by sophomore pitcher Shane Sdao in A&M’s super regional win over Oregon, which has kept him out for the rest of the postseason.
With the team facing more challenges due to the injuries, the pressure on Jim Schlossnagle to deliver increased. However, the third-year head coach has relied on the expertise of first-year pitching coach Max Weiner, who has proven to be a game-changer and the best hire the program has made during Schlossnagle’s tenure.
With Sdao’s absence, the team needed to rely on fewer arms. The combination of Ryan Prager, Chris Cortez, and senior reliever Evan Aschenbeck has been nothing short of elite.
Each player has vastly improved from last season, with Weiner’s coaching leading to notable adjustments in control, hitting the strike zone, and, most importantly, confidence after every in-game mound visit has eased the mind of every Aggie pitcher to finish out each inning.
On Monday, Prager pitched one of his best career performances, recording 20 outs and four strikeouts while allowing just two hits and one walk on 95 pitches, outright earning the Aggie’s 5-1 victory. While the redshirt sophomore’s improvement has taken center stage after missing last season with an injury, junior Chris Cortez’s ascendance as a top MLB prospect has continued to turn heads.
Entering the season with an elite arm but a blatant lack of control and a tendency for wild pitches, Cortez is now 10-3 on the year. He isn’t lacking any confidence as the Aggies’ go-to relief option, bringing a, yes, nasty quality to his sliders and fastballs that regularly top out at 100 MPH.
For star closer Evan Aschenbeck, the senior was named “Stopper of the Year” with ten saves and a 6-1 record on the season so far, coupled with 76 strikeouts and just ten walks issued, taking full advantage of Weiner’s analytic knowledge during his time with the Seattle Mariners.
Even after a shaky start to the regular season, lefty Justin Lamkin bounced back in a big way during Saturday’s 2-1 win over Florida. The sophomore struck out six batters while allowing just one hit on the night, a testament to Weiner’s late-season adjustments.
Still under 30, Weiner’s “control the zone” mantra has continued to yield results, as Texas A&M baseball’s first national title in program history while building toward his eventual head coaching career. Last but not least, Texas A&M’s team ERA has gone from 5.67 to 3.86 in just one season under Max Weiner.
.@AggieBaseball assistant coach Max Weiner explains his giggling mound visit with Ryan Prager after he gave up his first hits in the seventh.#MCWS pic.twitter.com/orpVZQYCUp
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 18, 2024
Texas A&M will play the winner of Florida vs. Kentucky on Wednesday, June 19, at 6:00 p.m. CT.
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