7 Days 'til Aggie Baseball: Projecting Texas A&M's depth chart
It’s that time of year! The Texas Aggie baseball team is set to open up the 2021 season one week from today against Xavier at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. Over the next week, be on the lookout for daily content from the TexAgs baseball coverage team. You can keep up with the full series here: 2021 Aggie Baseball Preview Series.
Despite losing the No. 4-overall pick of the 2020 Draft in Asa Lacy and a pair of second-rounders in Christian Roa and Zach DeLoach, the Aggies enter the 2021 campaign with a ton of depth and heavy competition at nearly every position.
Texas A&M received a roster surge from several key returnees due to the short five-round MLB Draft last summer as opposed to the traditional 40-round draft and a few critical transfers from the mid-major and JUCO ranks.
Add in several important young players who are expected to rise to the forefront this spring, and you have the makings of an intriguing in-house battle for at-bats and innings on the mound.
The roster size is larger in 2021 as opposed to pre-COVID-19 seasons when teams were limited to 35 members. A&M’s roster currently sits just under 40 names entering the season.
With such a large list of returnees and so many incoming players that figure to be key contributors in ’21, I thought we would start with a full list of who to expect to see on the field in competitions that will certainly carry well into the start of the season.
Brauny, Hop and I will dive deeper into these positional battles as our 2021 Preview Series continues in the coming days.
Sitting just one week out from the season opener, here is my best crack at the depth chart as of today. You will see quite a few guys listed under multiple spots, but I included any and all possibilities in the early going.
Left-Handed Pitchers
Chris Weber - Sophomore (3rd season) - 2020 Stats: 1-0, 2.35 ERA, 15.1 IP, 20 K, 7 BB
Jonathan Childress - Freshman (3rd) - 2020 Stats: 2-0, 1.84 ERA, 14.2 IP, 17 K, 4 BB
Dustin Saenz - Junior (4th) - 2020 Stats: 2-0, 3.12 ERA, 17.1 IP, 22 K, 7 BB
Joseph Menefee - Sophomore (3rd) - 2020 Stats: 0-0, 4.50 ERA, 4 IP, 5 K, 3 BB
Chandler Jozwiak - Junior (4th) - 2020 Stats: 2-0, 3.12 ERA, 17.1 IP, 14 K, 4 BB
Will Johnston - Freshman (2nd)
Thomas Vincent - Incoming freshman
Kobe Andrade - Incoming freshman
Right-Handed Pitchers
Bryce Miller - Junior (4th) - 2020 Stats: 1-2, 3.27 ERA, 11 IP, 14 K, 2 BB
Trevor Werner - Freshman (2nd) - 2020 Stats: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.2 IP, 3 K, 0 BB
Mason Ornelas - Freshman (2nd) - 2020 Stats: 1-0, 1.08 ERA, 8.1 IP, 13 K, 1 BB
Nathan Dettmer - Incoming freshman
Chris Farrell - Senior - Transfer from William & Mary - 2020 Stats: 2-0, 0.42 ERA, 21.1 IP, 19 K, 16 BB
Alex Magers - Freshman (2nd) - 2020 Stats: 0-0, 1.69 ERA, 5.1 IP, 7 K, 2 BB
Wyatt Tucker - Incoming freshman
Walker Zander - Freshman - Transfer from Weatherford College
Gabe Craig - Freshman - Transfer from Tyler Junior College
Logan Britt - Freshman (2nd)
Khristian Curtis - Incoming freshman
Zach Easterling - Incoming freshman
Catcher
Taylor Smith - Sophomore (3rd) - Transfer from Grayson College - 2020 Stats: .351/.554/.684, 4 2B, 5 HR, 28 RBI in 19 games
Mikey Hoehner - Senior (5th) - 2020 Stats: .244/.415/.268, 1 2B, 6 RBI in 41 AB
Hunter Coleman - Senior (5th) - 2020 Stats: .269/.406/.481, 2 2B, 3 HR, 12 RBI in 52 AB
Rody Barker - Junior (4th)
Kimble Schuessler - Incoming freshman
Robert Antonetti - Incoming freshmam
First Base
Will Frizzell - Junior (4th) - 2020 Stats: .274/.384/.484, 4 2B, 3 HR, 12 RBI in 62 AB
Hunter Coleman - Senior (5th)
Zane Schmidt - Sophomore (3rd) - 2020 Stats: .394/.459/.515, 2 2B, 1 3B, 12 RBI in 33 AB
Austin Bost - Sophomore (3rd) - 2020 Stats: .353/.476/.941, 1 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI in 17 AB
Brett Minnich - Sophomore (3rd) - Transfer from Blinn College - 2020 Stats: .229/.368/.371, 1 HR, 6 RBI in 70 AB
Thomas Vincent - Incoming freshman
Zach Easterling - Incoming freshman
Second Base
Bryce Blaum - Junior (4th) - 2020 Stats: .215/.391/.385, 8 2B, 1 HR, 17 RBI in 65 AB
Logan Sartori - Junior (4th) - 2020 Stats: .364/.446/.600, 7 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI in 55 AB
Ty Coleman - Sophomore (3rd)
Cade Merka - Incoming freshman
Ryan Targac - Incoming freshman
Third Base
Trevor Werner - Freshman (2nd) - 2020 Stats: .277/.364/.298, 1 2B, 10 RBI in 47 AB
Logan Sartori - Junior (4th)
Austin Bost - Sophomore (3rd)
Rody Barker - Junior (4th)
Ryan Targac - Incoming freshman
Khristian Curtis - Incoming freshman
Shortstop
Kalae Harrison - Incoming freshman
Cade Merka - Incoming freshman
Trevor Werner - Freshman (2nd)
Left Field
Jordan Thompson - Sophomore - Transfer from Grayson College - 2020 Stats: .435/.532/.839, 6 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 21 RBI in 61 AB
Bryan Sturges - Junior - Transfer from UTSA - 2020 Stats: .303/.390/.485, 6 2B, 2 HR, 15 RBI in 66 AB
Rody Barker - Junior (4th)
Zane Schmidt - Sophomore (3rd)
Center Field
Ray Alejo - Senior (6th) - 2020 Stats: .300/.444/.380, 2 2B, 1 3B, 9 RBI in 50 AB
Jordan Thompson - Sophmore - Transfer from Grayson College
Logan Britt - Freshman (2nd)
Right Field
Logan Britt - Freshman (2nd) - 2020 Stats: .250/.300/.375, 1 3B, 6 RBI in 16 AB
Brett Minnich - Sophomore - Transfer from Blinn College
Matthew Etzel - Incoming freshman
Kobe Andrade - Incoming freshman
Designated Hitter
Logan Sartori - Junior (4th)
Bryan Sturges - Junior - Transfer from UTSA
Taylor Smith - Sophomore - Transfer from Grayson College
Will Frizzell - Junior (4th)
Zane Schmidt - Sophomore (3rd)
Austin Bost - Sophomore (3rd)
Hunter Coleman - Senior (5th)
Starting Rotation
Friday - Bryce Miller
Saturday - Dustin Saenz
Sunday - Chris Weber
Tuesday - Jonathan Childress
Wednesday - Nathan Detttmer
Bullpen
Closer - Trevor Werner
Setup - Joseph Menefee / Mason Ornelas
Middle-Relief Left-Handers - Chandler Jozwiak / Will Johnston
Middle-Relief Right-Handers - Nathan Dettmer / Chris Farrell / Alex Magers / Wyatt Tucker
Lineup Options
1. Bryce Blaum (R) / Logan Sartori (R) - 2B
2. Logan Britt (R) / Ryan Targac (S) / Brett Minnich (L) - RF
3. Logan Sartori (R) / Bryan Sturges (R) / Austin Bost (R) - DH
4. Will Frizzell (L) / Hunter Coleman (R) - 1B
5. Taylor Smith (R) / Mikey Hoehner (R) - C
6. Trevor Werner (R) / Logan Sartori (R) / Zane Schmidt (L) - 3B
7. Jordan Thompson (R) / Rody Barker (R) / Bryan Sturges (R) - LF
8. Ray Alejo (R) / Logan Britt (R) - CF
9. Kalae Harrison (L) / Cade Merka (R) - SS