Tag: Texas Aggies Baseball

Texas A&M baseball transfer Wyatt Henseler is excited for the Michael Earley era

Penn transfer Wyatt Henseler emphasized Texas A&M’s culture as one of the primary reasons for sticking to his commitment

Texas A&M baseball is under new management.

Following Jim Schlossnagle’s sudden departure to lead the Texas Longhorns, the Aggies’ athletic director, Trev Alberts, wasted no time in hiring former hitting coach Michael Earley as the program’s 21st head coach just five days later, showcasing the team’s agility in adapting to change.

With the hire, half of the 14 players who entered the transfer portal have withdrawn their names, including star hitters Jace LaViolette, Gavin Grahovac, and Caden Sorrell, while Penn transfer Wyatt Henseler, who was heavily recruited by Texas and LSU after Schlossnagle’s move, reaffirmed his commitment to the Aggies late last week.

Joining former Texas Tech first baseman Gavin Kash, Texas A&M’s battling lineup is as powerful as it gets heading into the 2025 season, making Earley’s first-year transition more manageable.

In a recent interview with The Eagle’s Travis Brown, Henseler, who has a chance to cement himself as a future MLB Draft first-round selection, will end his collegiate career with what should be one of the best teams in the country next season.

“I don’t think you could commit yourself to a better winning culture than Texas A&M right now.”

Emphasis on “right now,” the program couldn’t be in a better place; coming off their first trip to the College World Series Finals, the Aggies offer a development track that helped Braden Montgomery become a nationally known star, while Jace LaViolette is just seven home runs away from breaking A&M’s career home run record.

During his final seasons at Penn, Henesler led the team with 72 hits, 56 RBIs, and 22 home runs while finishing with a .360 average at the plate.

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Texas A&M junior outfielder has entered the transfer portal

Another Texas A&M outfielder has entered the transfer portal

It’s been a busy two weeks for Texas A&M’s baseball. Jim Schlossnagle’s departure to take over the Texas Longhorns just a day after the Aggies College World Series Finals led to Aggies athletic director Trev Alberts hiring former hitting coach Michael Earley as the program’s 21st-ranked head coach.

After 14 players entered the transfer portal, Earley’s hiring sparked a positive change. Seven Aggies, including star hitters Jace LaViolette and Gavin Grahovac, withdrew their names, leading to nearly every key contributor during A&M’s postseason run announcing their collective return.

However, the roster will continue to see movement throughout the summer. It has been confirmed that junior outfielder Tab Tracy has entered the portal after two seasons with the program after transferring from Houston ahead of the 2023 campaign.

Tracy did not see the field this past season but still possesses the skill set he showed in 20-plus plate appearances during the 2023 season, recording 14 hits and two stolen base hits with a .326 average.

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Texas A&M baseball is close to adding several pitchers from the transfer portal

According to Kendall Rogers, Texas A&M could be adding more pitchers to the 2025 bullpen

Texas A&M’s baseball program is under new management. Aggies athletic director Trev Alberts made his first critical move at the helm, hiring former hitting coach Michael Earley to replace Jim Schlossnagle, who left the program to head the Texas Longhorns.

While Schlossnagle’s departure led to 14 players entering the transfer portal, including Jace LaViolette and Gavin Grahovac, nearly every key contributor during the Aggies College World Series Finals run voiced their support for Earley through social media. After a strong interview coupled with his recruiting/development success within the program over the past three years, the choice was clear as day.

After Sunday’s announcement, seven of the 14 Aggies who entered the portal, including up-and-coming sophomore pitcher Kaiden Wilson, have withdrawn their names since Earley’s new job title became official.

On paper, the roster is all but set, sporting a ton of power at the plate with LaViolette and Grahovac returning to the lineup, paired with transfer Gavin Kash and Wyatt Henseler putting the lineup over the top.

Pitching-wise, sophomore lefty Justin Lamkin joined Shane Sdao and Josh Stewart to make new pitching coach Josh Kelly’s life easier, but added depth in the bullpen with elite closer Evan Aschenbeck’s Aggie future still in question is still a need. Well, more help could be on the way. On Friday, D1Baseball’s Kendall Rogers stated on X that more help is on the way:

“I’m expecting A&M to land 2-4 strong arms in the coming days. There’s also a position player in the mix there that I don’t think you can say no to.”

For context, Rogers tweeted this before Kaiden Wilson’s announcement, but a name to keep in mind is former Washington right-hander Grant Cunningham, who remains one of the best arms in the portal. Cunningham ended the 2023 season with a 3-4 record, striking out 56 with a 2.86 ERA.

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Two recent Washington transfers could be options for Texas A&M baseball

Texas A&M could be in the market for multiple Washington transfer after former Huskies head coach Jason Kelly joined Michael Earley’s staff

Texas A&M baseball’s 2025 roster is all but set after hiring new head coach Michael Earley. Nearly half of the 14 portal entries have returned to the team, after Jim Schlossnagle’s abrupt exit to take over the Texas Longhorns program produced a chaotic transition week.

Earley, who served as the program’s hitting coach for the last three seasons, was by far the most popular coach on staff. He recruited and developed star hitters Jace LaViolette, Gavin Grahovac and Caden Sorrell, while former Penn outfielder Wyatt Henseler reaffirmed his commitment to the program for next season.

Looking ahead at the 2025 depth chart, the inclusion of former Texas Tech first baseman Gavin Kash paired with Henseler has shaken things up, while postseason hero Kaeden Kent will likely take over as the starting second baseman.

From a depth perspective, the Aggies could be in the market for one or two more experienced players to put the roster over the top talent-wise. D1Baseball’s Kendall Rogers reported that Washington infielders Aiva Arquette and Cam Clayton, who both entered the transfer portal, could be in the mix for Texas A&M.

Why the interest? Former Washington head coach Jason Kelly has been hired as Texas A&M’s new pitching coach. That created the potential for several of his players to follow him to College Station, given the Aggies could end up being the preseason No. 1 team next year.

Here’s how both players performed during the 2024 season:

  • 2B/SS Aiva Arquette, 6 feet, 4 inches, 220 pounds: 68 hits, 12 home runs, .325 batting average
  • 2B/SS Cam Clayton, 6 feet, 205 pounds: 54 hits, seven home runs, .270 batting average

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Texas A&M baseball officially hired assistant coaches Jason Kelly and Caleb Longley

Michael Earley’s staff is coming together, as Jason Kelly and Caleb Longley are now officially on board for the 2025 season and beyond

Amid the chaos surrounding Jim Schlossnagle’s semi-disastrous exit to head the Texas Longhorns baseball program a day after Texas A&M’s College World Series Finals loss to Tennessee, Aggies athletic director Trev Alberts was determined to find his successor much sooner than later.

After nearly a dozen candidates interviewed over the course of five days, former hitting coach Michael Earley was named the 21st head coach in A&M program history following an impressive interview coupled with current players, prospects and fellow coaches vocal respect what he brings to the table.

Needing a reliable coaching staff to get him through the ups and downs of his inaugural campaign, two key assistants have been hired: new associate head coach/pitching coach Jason Kelly and new recruiting director/hitting coach Caleb Longley.

Longley has spent the majority of his coaching career at Texas in the same capacity as his new duties with Texas A&M. During the 2022 season, he helped the Longhorns hit a program record 128 home runs while helping sign the third-ranked recruiting class for 2024.

Kelly’s coaching career has been fast and furious, serving as a pitching coach since 2003. Like Longley, he was Arizona State’s pitching coach from 2020-2021 when both Earley and Longley were on the Sun Devils staff. During his six-year run as Washington’s pitching coach, Kelly was named D1Baseball.com’s Assistant Coach of the Year during the program’s only College World Series appearance.

Before becoming LSU head coach Jay Johnson’s first hire during his transition to LSU, Kelly’s brief stint as Washington’s head coach was an immediate success. He led the Huskies to an NCAA regional appearance during the 2023 season.

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Texas A&M catcher Max Kaufer has found his new home for the 2025 season

Texas A&M sophomore catcher Max Kaufer will stay in the SEC for the 2025 season

It has been a hectic week for Texas A&M’s baseball program. Former head coach Jim Schlossnagle’s memorably shocking exit to head the Texas Longhorns early last week resulted in 14 Aggies entering the transfer portal.

However, after Sunday’s hiring of former hitting coach Michael Earley as the program’s 21st head coach, nearly half of the players who entered the portal have withdrawn their names, including Jace LaViolette, Gavin Grahovac, Kaeden Kent and Caden Sorrell. In addition, Penn transfer Wyatt Henseler reaffirmed his commitment.

With Jackson Appel still mulling his MLB future, Earley added insurance to next year’s lineup, gaining a commitment from former USC catcher Jacob Galloway. This led to sophomore reserve catcher Max Kaufer, who also entered the transfer portal, announcing his commitment to SEC foe South Carolina.

A top 50 prospect out of the prestigious IMG Academy, Kaufer burst on the scene during his freshman season in 2023. He made 36 starts while appearing in 46 games, finishing with 19 hits and a .183 batting average at the plate. Due to Appel’s arrival, Kaufer’s playing time decreased, but that doesn’t take away from what Kaufer offers from a defensive standpoint.

With two more seasons of collegiate eligibility, Kaufer has a solid chance to compete for a starting spot behind the plate next season.

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Postseason star Kaeden Kent has made a decision regarding his Texas A&M future

Kaeden Kent will officially return for the 2025 season!

Texas A&M’s baseball program is in good hands under Michael Earley, who was officially hired as the program’s 21st head coach after the stunning departure of now-former head coach Jim Schlossnagle to head the Texas Longhorns.

After Schlossnagle’s exit, it was assumed that more than half of the 14 players on Texas A&M’s roster who entered the transfer would follow Schlossnagle to Austin (TX), but due to their close relationship with Michael Ealrely and his vision for the future of the program, the withdrawals began to flood in.

Starting with star hitters Jace LaViolette and Gavin Grahovac on Tuesday, six Aggies have withdrawn their names, including incoming sophomore outfielder Caden Sorrell, and earlier today, postseason star Kaeden Kent will also return for the 2025 season.

Kent, who is the son of future MLB Hall of Famer Jeff Kent, unexpectedly replaced injured star Braden Montgomery in the Aggies lineup in the super regional round vs. Oregon, as his Texas A&M legacy was quickly cemented.

Finishing the postseason with 14 hits and two home runs, Kent became the most reliable batter in the lineup, and with Montgomery likely headed to the MLB next season, he is slated to earn a starting spot in the lineup while riding momentum.

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Texas A&M OF Caden Sorrell has announced his Aggie playing future

Incoming Texas A&M sophomore Caden Sorrell is coming back for the 2025 season!

Texas A&M’s baseball program is in good hands under Michael Earley, who was officially hired as the program’s 21st head coach after the stunning departure of now-former head coach Jim Schlossnagle to head the Texas Longhorns.

While many in the media, especially in Austin, Texas, believed that Schlossnagle would take most of the roster with him, think again! After nearly a dozen Aggies entered the transfer portal early last week, more than half of said entrees have removed their names, including star hitters Jace LaViolette and Gavin Grahovac on Tuesday.

The Texas A&M baseball team’s commitment to the 2025 season is unwavering. Postseason hero Kaeden Kent and incoming sophomore outfielder Caden Sorrell have both announced their returns, demonstrating their confidence in the team’s future under the leadership of Michael Earley, the team’s former hitting coach.

A superstar in the making, Sorrell’s highlight catches were just a small part of his stellar play, finishing his freshman season with a .275 average with 50 hits and 11 home runs on the year.

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Texas A&M baseball lands a huge commitment from former Texas Tech star

Former Texas Tech star Gavin Kash is heading to College Station!

As someone who has been covering Texas A&M athletics for nearly three years, the last week has been, by far, the craziest in recent memory.

However, the negative tone surrounding Aggie baseball after head coach Jim Schlossnagle shockingly departed to take over the Texas Longhorns program one day after the Aggies’ CWS Championship Finals loss has flipped.

Sunday’s news that former hitting coach Michael Earley had been hired as the program’s 21st head coach led to a host of players on the roster removing their names from the transfer portal, including star hitters Jace LaViolette and Gavin Grahovac.

Although more positive announcements are slated to arrive this week, Earley received an early Christmas (that’s a joke, folks) present hours after his official introduction on Tuesday afternoon. Former Texas Tech star first baseman Gavin Kash will reportedly transfer to Texas A&M for the 2025 season.

As one of the top five players in the transfer portal, Kash is a power hitter with MLB potential. He seems like a nearly seamless replacement for outgoing Aggie first baseman Ted Burton.

In his last two seasons combined with the Red Raiders, Kash hit 41 home runs. He is coming off an impressive 2023 season in which he slashed .300/.365/.561 with 15 home runs and 51 RBIs.

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2025 4-star edge out of San Ramon Valley has committed to Texas A&M

Texas A&M has added its 18th commitment in the 2025 class!

Boom x2!

Texas A&M added its 18th commit in the 2025 recruiting class in the last hour. Four-star edge Marco Jones joins three-star defensive lineman Chace Sims in head coach Mike Elko’s elite defensive haul just a month before the 2024 season.

The recruiting momentum started on Sunday afternoon when four-star linebacker Noah Mikhail, a California native, chose the Aggies over Oregon and USC. He became the second LB commit in the cycle alongside four-star Kelvion Riggins.

After landing three of the top five California prospects in the 2025 class, Elko and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman focused on Jones, the 11th-ranked prospect in the state. He made his official visit to College Station on June 6.

Standing 6 feet, 5 inches and 230 pounds, Jones recorded 166 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, three forced fumbles and three interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns during his 2023 junior season at San Ramon Valley High School.

A versatile athlete, Jones could also pursue a professional baseball career if he so pleased. Texas A&M offers a baseball program that was one win away from its first college baseball championship. Something of note: Jones has already developed a close relationship with new Aggie baseball head coach Michael Earely.

According to 247Sports, Jones is the 122nd-ranked prospect in the cycle, the 14th-ranked edge and the 11th-ranked prospect in California.

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