Pragmatic Ryan Prager details his decision to stay in Maroon & White

Texas A&M left-handed pitcher Ryan Prager announced on Wednesday afternoon that he's staying in Aggieland despite being a third-round selection in the 2024 MLB Draft. On Thursday morning, Prager joined TexAgs Radio to discuss that decision and more.

Key notes from Ryan Prager interview

• First off, I'm just very fortunate to be in that position and very thankful to the Los Angeles Angels for believing in me and taking me in the third round of the MLB Draft. They handled the whole situation with the utmost class.
   
• I had a lot of talks with my family, coach Michael Earley, coach Jason Kelly and my advisors. Ultimately, I was put in a position where I felt really comfortable enough to bet on myself. The development that we have here is elite, and also, we were so close to winning a national championship.
   
• You feel like you have some unfinished business there. We’re not guaranteed to do it, but I want to work towards it with this group of guys. The last part is I was so close to finishing my degree, so I want to do that and put that behind me.
   
• Kelly was huge. Not that we really know each other that well right now, but you can just feel it with certain people. When you're around a staff you trust, that really helps. The right people are being put around you, and I’ve never felt more confident making a decision.
   
• It gets really fun, and you get too ahead of yourself when you start talking to all of your teammates. I’ve been texting with Gavin Grahovac, Caden Sorrell, Jace LaViolette and got to meet Gavin Kash. This group of guys is elite, both baseball-wise and in the locker room.
   
• What Micheal Earley was laying out for me was what was going to be in place at Texas A&M to help me get better. That’s Kelly and all of these things that will help me make that next jump. The goal is still to be a Major League Baseball player, and the plans he put in place showed me that taking this chance will help me get there.
   
• In a time of thinking and stressing with my family, Earley let us be. He also checked in on us every now and then just to see how things were going and to see how my family was. That’s the kind of person he is. He just wanted what was best for me. That’s who he is and who his family is.
   
• At one point, my family was very on the side of professional baseball, and I was, too, because it seemed like it was reality. It’s been a dream, but the more we’ve gone into it, I think the more excited my dad is to get back with Brad Rudis’ and Justin Lamkin’s dad again.
   
• The first thing is talking with the guys on our staff. Yes, we had a really good year, but where can we get better? What’s the next step? I think that it’s going to come a lot from the weight room, but there’s stuff that we have already talked about. There is a great plan in place. It’s very small things that are very achievable.
   
• There's definitely a new expectation. There's a pressure there, so it’s exciting. We now have a handful of guys on our team who have been there, done it and seen it. Somebody will wear the No. 12 next season, but we are going to have a bunch of guys that are No. 12 and lead in that role without wearing the number.
   
• I think we have a good group of guys that can handle that, and guys that are not afraid to step up. We’ve seen that with Hayden Schott being able to lead but also being loose and having fun. That’s ultimately how we had the type of year we had last year. We had a really good group of guys and a lot of good baseball players, but we had a lot of fun.
   
• It has been a long month and a half. It has been a rollercoaster. You win Game 1 in the finals, and you feel like you’re at the top of the top. Then you lose the next two, and you think you’re at the bottom of the bottom. Then the news broke, and a bunch of guys were in the portal. It was like, “Oh my gosh, this can’t get any worse.”
   
• To have all of that stuff behind us, I think we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and everybody’s texting each other already. We’re just ready to be with each other and practice and play. I’ve never really noticed that, but that’s what's going to be special. Everyone is texting to get together and do something already.
   
• On the hitting side, I would say I’m most excited to see Sorrell’s development. We’ve gotten super close through this whole thing. He was actually one of the first guys who texted me when I got drafted and then the first guy to text me yesterday when I posted about my return. I’m super excited to see him after what he did last year from the start of the season to basically solidifying himself as one of the best in the league. I’m just super excited to see what he does this year.
   
• On the pitching side, I would I’m excited to see Stewart. We got to play against Stewie my freshman year when he was at Texas. Last year, he took such a big step forward and did what we all knew he could do. He’s an Aggie at heart, and he’s only getting better. He’s shaping into that role that Evan Aschenbeck had, like, “Alright, this thing’s over.”
   
• When Stewart goes into the game, it’s very business-like. “I'm going to have fun, but it’s business. I’m going to mow you down.” Off the field, he’s very loose and relaxed, and he’s gotten to where he is going to go to the park every day and just have fun.
   
• Jeremy McMillan has been here since our first two years. When I went down with my injury, I was with him a lot, and we got to connect on a deeper level. He’s the best. It’s the perfect balance of instilling a culture, pushing you and then also joking around with you and being there. I think he’s the best in the business, and I’m excited to get to work with him.
   
• To be honest, the talent on this team is stupid. I didn’t think a college baseball team could be this talented. It was huge for the guys who have been here to buy back in and then add those guys like Earley and Kelly. Yes, A&M wants the best players, but it needs the right players.
   
• Coming here three years ago, Texas A&M was never a thought growing up. My family didn’t have any connections to A&M. When this place came calling, it was impossible to turn away. This university has been the best thing for me and my family. How they welcome you with open arms and how they treat you... I mean, just what it means outside of College Station is super important. Texas A&M will be with you wherever you are, and I think our guys recognize that and understand that. You want to cherish it, and that was a big reason to come back to Aggieland.
   
• This offseason will be a lot more weight room, less baseball and less throwing. Let’s get stronger and clean up some mobility. It’s going to be a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff to get my body right by fall ball and then to be at my peak in the spring.