Texas A&M's biggest needs from the transfer portal ahead of the 2026 season

USA Today

3 days ago

Texas A&M's biggest needs from the transfer portal ahead of the 2026 season
With the news that Texas A&M will retain head baseball coach Michael Earely, Athletic Director Trev Alberts is taking a risk, but feels that the young skipper is the right choice for the future, knowing that at 37 years of age, Earley has alot to prove, starting with utilizing the transfer portal, which officially opens on Monday.
Texas A&M's talented 2025 roster never lived up to expectations this season, starting with star outfielder Jace LaViolette, who failed to find consistency at the plate despite breaking the program's home run record. However, LaViolette, like 12 other players, still have eligibility remaining heading into the 2026 season, providing Earley a cushion while looking for more depth and starting talent in the portal.
Here are the 2025 roster members who are eligible to return in 2026:
Pitchers:
Ryan Prager
Justin Lamkin
Myles Patton
Weston Moss
Shane Sdao
Kaiden Wilson
Luke Jackson
Josh Stewart
Infield/Oufield:
SS Kaeden Kent
1B Blake Binderup
OF Jace LaViolette
2B Ben Royo
Utility Jamal George
2025 MLB Draft potential:
Jace LaViolette, Ryan Prager, Justin Lamkin, and Shane Sdao are considered MLB prospects ahead of this summer's draft. According to MLB.com, but right now LaViolette (15th), Lamkin (110th), and Sdao (113th) are the only Aggies to make the rankings, as Prager, who was selected 81st overall by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2024 MLB Draft, did not make the cut.
Texas A&M's most significant needs in the transfer portal:
On paper, the news that relievers Clayton Freshcorn and Caden McCoy is great news for a bullpen that began to look the part late in the season, and combined with the starters, especially Justin Lamkin's solid end to the season, Texas A&M finished 22nd in ERA (4.30) third in strikeout-run ratio (3.31) and 12th in WHIP (1.27), all impressive given the early struggles.
However, suppose Prager, Lamkin, and possibly Shane Sdao declare for the MLB Draft. In that case, the Aggies will be in trouble if Earley doesn't immediately fill the pitching void, which would force Weston Moss and several young arms into the starting lineup.
Offensively, losing first baseman Gavin Kash isn't detrimental, given Blake Binderup's likely return. Additionally, Kaeden Kent and Ben Royo are also slated to return, although they have not yet announced their final decisions. If both players do leave, freshman Sawyer Farr, who struggled during the season, will likely make his way into the infield after hitting .176 with four RBI and 37 strikeouts as a part-time outfielder during the latter half of the year.
Defensively, the Aggies finished 73rd nationally in infield defense, which included 49 errors, leading to multiple losses in conference play. This issue must be addressed through coaching and portal additions.
Lastly, as GigEm247's Carter Karels noted in his recent piece, Texas A&M's offense was largely ineffective for most of the year, aside from its explosive efforts in series wins against Tennessee, Arkansas, and South Carolina. Ending the year ranked 259th in batting average (.260), which was also dead last in the SEC at 16th.
With Wyatt Henseler gone and Jace LaVolette likely leaving for the draft, this puts the pressure on incoming junior outfielder Caden Sorrell, who, despite missing the first half of the 2025 season, finished hitting .337 with 32 hits and 12 home runs on the year. Paired with impressive freshman Terrence Kiel II and returning sophomore third baseman Gavin Grahovac, the Aggies are in decent shape, but if contending for an NCAA Tournament bid is the goal, more power at the plate is needed from the portal.
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