J.B. Moss believes A&M can 'no doubt' compete at MCWS amid injuries

A&M is one of eight college baseball teams left standing, but the Aggies took a couple of gut punches over the weekend in the form of injuries. On Tuesday morning, former outfielder J.B. Moss joined TexAgs Radio to explain why he's still confident about A&M's chances in Omaha.

Key notes from J.B. Moss interview

• I feel that Texas A&M can still win it all. I’m incredibly disappointed by the injuries to Braden Montgomery and Shane Sdao. Those are two complete gut punches, but this team is very deep. They’re deep on the mound and in the batting order, which we saw with Kaeden Kent on Sunday night. Everyone is playing with a lot of confidence. You’re one of eight teams left, and everybody has a shot.
   
• We’re talking about a team with 49 wins and 19 conference wins. All they’ve done this year is win. They took a blow with Montgomery and Sdao, but they still have a chance. If A&M plays its best baseball, I have no doubt that they can compete and win a national championship.
   
• Ryan Prager’s performance wasn’t ideal, that’s for sure. I hear Jim Schlossnagle say they call it a batting average for a reason. It’s an Earned Run Average for a reason. If you think Prager is going to walk through this level of competition without any hiccups, you’re fooling yourself. He was due for a not-so-great outing. When Montgomery was slumping, Schlossnagle would say that it gave him more confidence that he’s have a great day coming. The same can be said for Prager. He’s a competitive guy, and it gives me a lot of hope that we’ll see the best Prager in Omaha.
   
• First of all, credit to Sdao and his development with Max Weiner and the staff. I’ve liked him since his first outing at A&M because he’s so competitive. I think we should prepare ourselves to not see Sdao. Even if it’s not a torn UCL, the staff won’t risk any demise for Sdao. It’s the next-man-up mentality now. Some teams can adopt that mentality because they’re deep enough to do so. I think A&M is deep enough and talented enough. I’m excited to see who that guy is.
   
• That moment for Kent was special. I had some special moments in my career at A&M, especially against Florida in the SEC Championship Game, but those feelings probably don’t even compare to what Kent was able to experience. The incredible 12th Man atmosphere and sending his team to Omaha. He deserves it. He’s such a hard worker. I’m so happy for him.
   
• It’s hard not to have recency bias. Former players will be biased toward whatever era they played in, but this weekend was the No. 1 atmosphere I’ve seen at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. Schlossnagle has been very open to former players, and we’ve formed a friendship. We’ve exchanged some text messages, and he sees the potential for what A&M baseball can be. He wants to pack 12,000 Aggies into that stadium, and there’s no reason we can’t. He’s results-driven, and they went 37-3 at home. It is incredible what we’ve seen at home this year.
   
• In my junior and senior years, we took a lot of pride in the non-conference. I think we lost two non-conference games in two years. To go through it undefeated is very hard to do, and it takes a lot of mental fortitude and maturity. This roster is littered with experience. Second, point to the environment. Look at the crowds they got on Tuesday nights. The environment and the maturity of the team are why they’ve been so successful at home.
   
• You’re judged by how far you finish in your season. There have been great teams that didn’t go as far as that 2022 team, which went further than any has ever gone. The 2022 team lacked one of the big three in team batting average, team ERA and team fielding percentage. The 2024 club has all three. A team that wins it all can win in different facets, and A&M has shown that it can do so throughout the year, even with the injuries.
   
• Florida is a tough matchup. They give me shades of that Ole Miss team that won the national title in 2022. That Ole Miss team was preseason No. 1 but was the last team in to the last team standing. Florida has a supremely talented roster and a coaching staff that knows how to get them to Omaha. They’re going to have a chance. I like that they’ve played before, and I like that A&M lost to them actually because they’ll have a sour taste in their mouths. It should be fun.
   
• Jac Caglianone is an incredible player with incredible talent. What doesn’t get talked about enough is his size and talent. He can throw 100 mph and hit a ball 450 feet. He’s the Shohei Ohtani of college baseball. He’s a special talent, and I hope A&M can keep him under wraps on Saturday night.
   
• The SEC and ACC have set themselves apart when it comes to college baseball. The Pac-12 has taken a step back, and the Big Ten is so focused on football and basketball. These are the two premier conferences in our sport. For the ACC fans who have a problem with playing second fiddle to the SEC, here’s your opportunity. I’m looking forward to the SEC-ACC matchup, but I have to put my money on the SEC.
   
• This time of year, you're playing a team that’s good, hot or both. To be in the final eight, you’re usually both. It’s rarely the best team that wins the national title. It’s the team that plays the best during the tournament. I’m proud that A&M has made it this far, and hopefully, they’ll be the hottest team that’s pressing all the right buttons for the next two weeks.