Texas A&M Freshman Pitcher Brett Antolick Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Another freshman entered the NCAA transfer portal from the Texas A&M Aggies, but amid the mass exit from the players, there may be a new coach on the way soon.

Jun 24, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas A&M Aggies right fielder Jace Laviolette (17) walks off as catcher Jackson Appel (20) walks up to bat during the sixth inning against the Tennessee Volunteers at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

First it was Gavin Grahovac, and now it's Brett Antolick.

The freshman pitcher who appeared just four times last season is the latest player from last season's Texas A&M Aggies roster to enter the NCAA transfer portal amid the uncertainly that's hung in the air since Texas Longhorns coach Jim Schlossnagle accepted the position earlier in the week.

Grahovac, Jace LaViolette, Hayden Schott, Kaeden Kent, Max Kaufer, James Bell III and Jake Hembree are among others who have entered the portal, but Antolick — despite not playing much during the season — represents a different demographic.

It made sense why the older, more experienced players were leaving. With only a year or two left in their collegiate careers, they'd want to be on a contender to try and win a title before they move on to whatever comes after that, and with a head coaching change, that'd be difficult.

But the freshman? They were recruited to Texas A&M to help round out a powerhouse roster. They were the players likely to step into larger roles as they got older. Players like Grahovac and Antolick. Now, they're looking to leave, too, and further dismantling what the Aggies had hoped to build.

It might not stay that way, however. The Aggies are reportedly moving quickly toward finding Schlossnagle's replacement for next season.

“Based on what I’m hearing, I think I’d be really surprised if they don’t have a new head coach by Saturday,” D1 Baseball's Kendall Rogers told TexAgs. “It’s moving very fast. My educated guess would be today is a very busy day on the coaching search front. 

"By Saturday or Sunday morning, I think they have a new baseball coach.”

Top candidates for the Aggies' vacancy include East Carolina's Cliff Godwin, Alabama's Rob Vaughn, Dan Heefner of Dallas Baptist, and Kentucky's Nick Mingione, among others. Bringing in any one of those coaches would be the first step for the Aggies toward finding a new direction.

It might not stop LaViolette from leaving, nor Antilock or Grahovac. But at least the Aggies would have an idea of where their program was heading. At least they'd have "their guy."

Perhaps that's enough solace.