Texas A&M star freshman OF announces his return for the 2026 baseball season
Texas A&M star freshman OF announces his return for the 2026 baseball season
'I'm not going anywhere. I'm coming back. I want to be at Texas A&M and play for Coach Earley.'
— Terrence Kiel II pic.twitter.com/2ZssOvvwio — Ryan Brauninger (@R_Brauninger) May 30, 2025
With the news that Texas A&M Athletic Director Trev Alberts will retain head baseball coach Michael Earley heading into the 2026 season, two players have announced their return, starting with sophomore third baseman Gavin Grahovac, who missed all but six games last season due to his season-ending injury.
Just minutes after Grahovac told TexAgs analyst Ryan Brauninger that he will return next season in full health, ready to re-establish himself as one of the faces of the program, standout freshman outfielder Terrence Kiel Jr., son of the late Texas A&M star safety Terrence Kiel, also spoke to Brauninger, and was excited to announce that he will also return next season.
'I'm not going anywhere. I'm coming back. I want to be at Texas A&M and play for Coach Earley.'
Both these returns are unsurprising given the roster's dedication to Michael Earley, which was vocalized by junior outfielder Jace LaViolette, who, after the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals loss to LSU, stated "I'd die for him and it's not only me" about Earley's uncertain future with the program just once week ago.
While LaViolette, who played against the Tigers with a broken hand, will likely declare for the 2025 MLB Draft, there is still a possibility that he could return for a final season in College Station, but that dream is improbable. For Kiel, his 2025 freshman season was one to remember and is likely just the start of a memorable Aggie career after hitting .294 with 59 hits, 26 RBI, two home runs, and 12 steals on the year.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
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