By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay
The Texas A&M Aggies open a baseball season with national title hopes tonight, playing at home against Elon College of North Carolina.
The top-ranked Aggies will enter the new year led by a first-year coach, Michael Earley, who was promoted from his assistant’s post to take over for Jim Schlossnagle.
Schlossnagle sparked outrage in Aggieland last summer as he left College Station to take the head coaching job in Austin. He made the move within days after leading A&M to the finals of the Men’s College World Series.
Initially, Earley was expected to join his former boss on the UT staff, but A&M coaxed him to come back to College Station as the Aggies head coach.
Now he leads a team headlined by outfielder Jace LaViolette, infielder Gavin Grahovac, Penn transfer and infielder Wyatt Henseler and pitcher Ryan Prager, who is expected to start on the mound for the Aggies tonight.
Four teams from the state are ranked in the Top 25 of the D1 Baseball poll, including A&M at No. 1, Texas (19th), Dallas Baptist (20th) and TCU (23rd).
Tonight, the Longhorns open under Schlossnagle in Arlington, at Globe Life Field, against the Louisville Cardinals. The Patriots host North Dakota State and the Horned Frogs start on the road against the University of San Diego.
Locally, the UTSA Roadrunners open today in Arlington against the UT Arlington Mavericks. Also, the Incarnate Word Cardinals play host to Saint Peter’s (N.J.), and the San Marcos-based Texas State Bobcats host Binghamton (N.Y.)
Editor’s note: Please see The JB Replay’s list of athletes from San Antonio-area high schools on NCAA Division I baseball rosters. The list, an annual research project of this news outlet, is likely not inclusive of all San Antonio area players. It will be updated when new information comes to light.
UTSA
Jordan Ballin, freshman infielder from Boerne Champion High School
Josh Vaughn, junior infielder from Clark High School
Whitt Joyce, sophomore catcher from Lytle, Medina Valley High School
Ryan Jester, redshirt freshman pitcher from Bracken Christian
Texas State
Cole Tabor, junior infielder from Reagan, transfer from Temple JC
Ryne Farber, sophomore infielder from Johnson High School
Matthew Tippie, senior pitcher from Wimberley, Angelina College
Rocco Garza-Gongora, junior outfielder-infielder from Laredo Alexander, Oklahoma
Jackson Teer, redshirt senior pitcher from Johnson
Carson Laws, junior pitcher from Clark High School, Midland College
Rashawn Galloway, junior catcher from Boerne High School
Zachary Gingrich, freshman outfielder from Smithson Valley High School
Tyler Walton, freshman pitcher from San Antonio Johnson High School
Kutter Webb, freshman infielder from San Marcos High School
Virginia
Will Broderick, freshman catcher/outfielder from Alamo Heights
Vanderbilt
Tristan Bristow, freshman pitcher from Harlan High School
Texas
Jalin Flores, junior infielder from Brandeis High School
Ruger Riojas, junior pitcher from Wimberley High School and UTSA
Baylor
Andrew Petrowski, redshirt senior from Clark High School and San Jacinto College
Brytton Clements, freshman infielder from Laredo Alexander
TCU
Anthony Silva, junior infielder from Clark High School
Cohen Feser, redshirt junior pitcher from Reagan High School
Mason Bixby, sophomore pitcher from Johnson High School
Jacob Silva, freshman catcher from Clark High School
Incarnate Word
Isaiah Zavala, grad student pitcher from Southwest High School
EJ Garcia, sophomore pitcher from New Braunfels Canyon
AJ Herrera, freshman catcher from Central Catholic
Rey Mendoza, grad student outfielder from Eagle Pass
Julio Riggs, grad student infielder from Boerne High School
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Chad Pantuso, freshman utility player from Johnson High School
Chance Reisdorph, senior catcher from New Braunfels Canyon High School
Zach Garcia, senior pitcher from New Braunfels High School
Alberto Santos IV, freshman pitcher from San Marcos High School
UT Rio Grande Valley
Austin Stracener, redshirt junior infielder from New Braunfels Canyon; Texas A&M, Baylor and Texas State
Evan Janner, sophomore outfielder from New Braunfels Canyon
Francisco Hernandez, redshirt senior pitcher from Laredo Alexander
Arturo Garcia, freshman pitcher from Laredo United South High School
Emir Encalada, junior pitcher from Laredo Alexander High School
Wichita State
Camden Johnson, sophomore infielder from Boerne High School
Tarleton State
Jack Burcham, senior pitcher from Reagan High School
Ryan Beaird, senior pitcher from Reagan High School, UTSA
Duke
Edward Hart, junior pitcher from Alamo Heights High School
Lamar
Coleson Abel, junior pitcher from Kerrville Tivy, Lubbock Christian
Aiden Baumann, junior outfielder from New Braunfels High School, UTSA
Houston
David Stich, redshirt junior pitcher from Boerne, San Antonio Cornerston Christian
Sam Houston State
Connor Zaruba, sophomore pitcher from Yoakum High School; McLennan College
Stephen F. Austin
Dylan Hummel, junior infielder from Madison High School and Coastal Bend Community College