Braves' pitcher A.J. Minter reminisces on 'awesome time' at Texas A&M

After playing college baseball at Texas A&M, A.J. Minter went on to win a World Series with the Atlanta Braves. On Wednesday's edition of TexAgs Radio, the pitcher offered his thoughts on Jim Schlossnagle's Aggies this season and his road to the big leagues. 

Key notes from A.J. Minter interview

• Spring was good. I usually come into spring getting the arm back, but this was the first spring that I came in feeling healthy and strong. Ready to get the season going tomorrow. 
   
• If you ask anyone in the Braves locker room, we have had a sour taste in our mouth the past two seasons in the divisional rounds. We have a team to make it the whole way. There is a lot of excitement coming into this year. We have a really strong team. You could argue it's better than last year. There are a lot of exciting things to look forward to, and if everyone is healthy, we'll be in another good position. 
   
• Starting at A&M in my freshman and sophomore years, I was a reliever. I couldn't explain to the trainers what I was feeling. I was deadarmed. I got super heavy and figured quickly. I got diagnosed with thoracic allet syndrome. I had the surgery the summer after my freshman year.
   
• Going into my sophomore year, I felt like a new pitcher. I saw velocity increase. I was more durable. That was a turning point for me. I ended up making Team USA with coach Rob Childress. I got to play with a lot of established big leaguers today. Junior year, Childress approached me about being a starting pitcher. Of course, I was all in. I got the Friday night job. It was my fourth start that I blew out my UCL. I got Tommy John's surgery. It was devasting. 
   
• Luckily, the Atlanta Braves took a chance on me. It was a blessing in disguise, and I got to win a World Series with the Braves. I did have success in the minors pretty quickly as a reliever. I debuted in Majors in the 2017 season. I had success early. Going into 2018, I kinda took over that closing job and had 15 saves. Going into 2019, it was brutal for me. I got in a car accident. I was sent down to Triple-A, and that was the first time I dealt with failure. I didn't know how to handle it. 
   
• I have had my fair share of adversity throughout my career. I got sent down again in 2021. I made a turning point that I was done walking guys. I am going to throw the ball over the plate and see if they can hit it. I have had a lot of success with that mindset and approach. 
   
• I would not trade my time at A&M for the world. My freshman year was my first year in the SEC. It was the time to be an Aggie. I had an awesome time at A&M. My junior year, we were No. 1 in the country for quite a few weeks. Never made it to the College World Series, but I would not trade it for the world. 
   
• J.B. Moss has been killing it. He is a die-hard on A&M sports. He breathes and lives Texas A&M Athletics. We went to the same high school. J.B. was the super stud. All the scouts were on J.B. He was recruited by A&M pretty early. I was under the radar.
   
• J.B. told a coach at A&M at the time, "You need to check out my buddy." I wouldn't have been at A&M if it wasn't for J.B. We went on our official visit to together the last time A&M played Texas. Me and J.B. go all the way back. We both got drafted by the Braves. We are still best buds. 
   
• It's bittersweet with Jim Schlossnagle because he was always knocking us out at A&M. I got recruited by TCU and went on a visit and met Schlossnagle. I narrowed it down to TCU and A&M. He has been killing it. The record shows for it. Whatever he is doing, its working. I have been keeping up with them this year.