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REPORT: Aggies Have 'Solid Shot' At Retaining Most Transfer Portal Players

As the Texas A&M Aggies continue their search for a head coach, the program was graced with some good news, as it remains a possibility for the team to retain all of its players who entered their names into the transfer portal.

Matt Guzman

Jun 22, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas A&M Aggies third baseman Gavin Grahovac (9) and right fielder Jace Laviolette (17) embrace after a home run by Grahovac against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
Jun 22, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas A&M Aggies third baseman Gavin Grahovac (9) and right fielder Jace Laviolette (17) embrace after a home run by Grahovac against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

As the search for their next baseball coach rages on, the Texas A&M Aggies are the subject of some good news regarding the state of their program.

Brett Antolick, Gavin Grahovac, Jace LaViolette, Hayden Schott, Kaeden Kent, Max Kaufer, James Bell III, and Jake Hembree were all players who entered their names in the NCAA transfer portal after the announcement came that Jim Schlossnagle was leaving College Station for Austin.

It made sense. Without the coach who was largely responsible for the Aggies' success over the three years he'd been there, it seemed that Texas A&M would be in disarray. Sure, they'd bring in a new guy, but there was simply no guarantee that the progress toward becoming a baseball powerhouse would even be remotely salvaged.

In the event that the Aggies did find a coach worth coming back for, those players could always come back, which is why them putting their names into the mass pool was viewed more as a way to protect themselves instead of a direct shot at the program.

And it turns out, that vision was right.

"It appears (that) First Team All-American reliever Evan Aschenbeck is trying to return to Aggie baseball for another season," D1 Baseball's Kendall Rogers said via X, formerly Twitter. "On another note, I've been told A&M has a very solid shot to keep almost every player in the portal. We shall see."

With Aschenbeck back, the Aggies would be in a much better position than they thought they might be next season. He's already proven his worth as a closer and a big-time talent, so another season would only further that development.

With Grahovac back, the Aggies would retain their lead-off hitter in just his second season, and after the freshman earned the SEC's top first-year distinction, that's a promising idea. Add on LaViolette, Schott and Kaeden Kent to that list? The Aggies retain most of their core.

At that point, how far they're able to go depends on how much they're willing to buy into the system of their new coach. The talent is there, so if the loyalty matches, Texas A&M might not be far from contention again next season.

That's all a big "if," however. Things could still turn South for the Aggies.

But the alternative prospect is certainly intriguing.

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Matt Guzman

MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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