2024 College Top 25 Preview: No. 11 Texas A&M

Image credit: Braden Montgomery (Photo By Ethan Mito/Texas A&M Athletics)

Last season: 38-27 (14-16), lost in Stanford Regional
Final ranking: NR
Coach (record at school): Jim Schlossnagle (82-47, two seasons)

The good news: The Aggies hit the transfer portal and recruiting trail hard after last season and have a big, exciting group of newcomers. Outfielder/righthander Braden Montgomery transferred to A&M after two years at Stanford. He’s among the most exciting players in the sport and is projected to be drafted in the first half of the first round. Shortstop Ali Camarillo (Cal State Northridge) also brings considerable impact and prospect status, while filling a crucial hole in the lineup. Veterans Jackson Appel (Penn) and Hayden Schott (Columbia) cannot be overlooked, and the Aggie also have exciting freshmen like Gavin Grahovac, Isaac Morton and Caden Sorrell, who look ready to step into important roles.

The bad news: A&M last season ranked ninth in the SEC in team ERA (5.66) and now it must replace stalwarts Nathan Dettmer and Will Johnston, as well as pitching coach Nate Yeskie, who was hired away by LSU. The Aggies tabbed Max Weiner as their new pitching coach, and he comes to College Station with strong credentials from his time as pitching coordinator for the Mariners. A&M has depth and talent on the mound, now it will be about finding the right combination. Relief ace Evan Aschenbeck returns, and freshmen like Morton and Kaiden Wilson add power arms to the bullpen. Lefthanders Justin Lamkin and Troy Wansing got experience in the rotation last season, and righthander Tanner Jones, a transfer from Jacksonville State, could step right into the rotation. The X-factor of the staff is righthander Chris Cortez, who has perhaps the best stuff on staff but hasn’t yet harnessed it in college. A&M has premium talent to work with, but few of its pitchers have a lot of experience in big roles in the SEC.

Player to know: Jace LaViolette, OF. LaViolette earned Freshman All-American honors in 2023 after hitting .287/.414/.632 with 21 home runs and 18 stolen bases. That performance announced him as one of the top prospects in the 2025 draft class. For now, however, he is one of the few returning players in the A&M lineup and will be in the thick of everything the Aggies do offensively.

Path to Omaha: A&M will go as far as its newcomers take it. The Aggies need their transfers to hit the ground running and their freshmen to prove to be up to the challenge of the SEC. On paper, this is a talented team—LaViolette and Montgomery are dynamic players, Camarillo and Appel are good defenders and the pitching staff is loaded with upside. But many of those things could have been said about the Aggies a year ago and they didn’t click until May. If the Aggies want to play at home in the postseason, they’ll need to come together quicker this spring and find the glue guys they can rely on in big moments. The Aggies’ upside is sky high if they’re able to put all the pieces together.

Pos.	Name	Year	AVG	OBP	SLG	AB	HR	RBI
C	Jackson Appel	R-Sr.	Transfer—Penn
1B	Ted Burton	R-Sr.	Transfer—Michigan
2B	Ryan Targac	Sr.	.224	.370	.429	219	10	43
3B	Gavin Grahovac	Fr.	HS—Villa Park, Calif.
SS	Ali Camarillo	Jr.	Transfer—Cal State Northridge
OF	Hayden Schott	R-Sr.	Transfer—Columbia
OF	Jace LaViolette	So.	.287	.414	.632	223	21	63
OF	Braden Montgomery	Jr.	Transfer—Stanford
DH	Caden Sorrell	Fr.	HS—Flower Mound, Texas
Pos.	Name	Class	W	L	ERA	IP	SO	SV
SP	Justin Lamkin	So.	3	3	5.92	59	74	1
SP	Tanner Jones	Jr.	Transfer—Jacksonville State
SP	Chris Cortez	Jr.	3	1	7.34	42	39	1
RP	Isaac Morton	Fr.	HS—Spring Lake Park, Minn.
RP	Evan Aschenbeck	Sr.	8	1	3.46	65	75	3
RP	Kaiden Wilson	Fr.	HS—Raymore, Mo.