Michael Earley intent on playing aggressive, clean ball this weekend

No. 14 A&M went 1-1 through its only double-midweek slate of the 2025 season, and now the Maroon & White must prepare for a three-game series vs. New Mexico State. On Thursday, head coach Michael Earley joined TexAgs Live to discuss what he saw from his club this week.

Key notes from Michael Earley interview

• It was nice to see us play baseball for nine innings and make the plays you need to make to not get behind the 8-ball. I was pleased that it was relatively clean. I think we've shown that any team can beat us when we don't play clean baseball.
   
• Texas Southern’s Elijah Rodriguez re-entered the game after getting hit in the head. That rule is the concussion protocol. If anyone leaves the game due to the concussion protocol, they are allowed to re-enter the game if they don’t have a concussion. It's for the safety of the kids. You shouldn't have to come out of the game if you don't have a concussion. It's a good rule, for sure.
   
• There are some rules that I read and don’t quite understand. There are rules that are up to the umpires, and it puts them in a bad spot. Tuesday, I was told that a pop-up slide was unintentional, and I told him that I've never seen anybody accidentally pop up on a slide. It's just little things. Learn the double base, but it's nothing I feel like I didn’t know. I just have to be sharp on a few things. I have a lot of good help in the dugout as well.
   
• Gavin Lyons did a nice job. Unfortunately, he hit the first hitter, but he got right back in there. He's a guy we see having a big future here. I wish he had been in there sooner. I wish I could go back in time and give him that opportunity, but it was good to see him out there. He has a unique arm slot when he gets that slider going. It makes it difficult for a hitter. He was 88-89 with the fastball.
   
• I'm proud of our freshmen. They have to continue to get better, but I think they are going to make a big impact, not only this year but for years to come. Caden McCoy, what he did the other night was the only positive vs. UTSA. Clayton Freshcorn, this is all new to him. They've adjusted well and are getting comfortable. They just have to keep getting out there and doing it. Once the season starts, you're not freshmen anymore. They are in their second semester of college now.
   
• Tuesday was all hands on deck. We used anybody that could throw to win the game. On Wednesday, we needed Aiden Sims and Lyons to take out a big chunk of that game. We needed that out of both of them. We had perfect plans when that happened. It mapped out exactly how we wanted to, which is refreshing because it doesn't always work out that way.
   
• Gavin Kash looked good at first base. We had a pretty intense ground ball workout, and he did really well. I went out there and saw him doing it, and it was all I needed to see to put him back at first base. We have two really good athletes in the corner outfields. We’re trying to get a little more athletic, to shake things up and get things going.
   
• Kaeden Kent is capable of making all the plays a shortstop has to make. It's something we've seen him do in practice. He continues to develop his overall game and continues to get better. He is extremely competitive. That’s what I love about him.
   
• It’s the same thing with Wyatt Henseler. Sometimes, the want to compete hurts them. Kent is huge in that mindset. As a freshman, he was someone who didn't speak a lot. Now, he has blossomed into someone who is willing to say what he needs to say.
   
• Kent puts in continuous work. He has a chase to be perfect, which he'll never be. I don’t know how he has the energy to practice his hitting at that volume. He has a perfectionist mindset. It's hard to rationalize to him. You have to let him speak his mind. The chase is what makes him good. He has the chance to get on base. He has gotten bigger and stronger. He developed how you want to see a college baseball player develop.
   
• With how baseball is, you never know what players you are going to have year to year. Kent is an example of staying, and look how great he's doing.
   
• Henseler is a really good player. He is consistent and great to be around. You have to have guys like that in the middle of the order. Guys that bring toughness and a desire to win. He is always chasing something that I don't know if he can achieve. But that chase is what makes him a great player. He does a lot of great things. He made a great play at third on Wednesday. I know he had some mishaps at third, but I believe he can be a lockdown third baseman. I've seen it.
   
• I have to believe that if Jace LaViolette keeps hitting balls over 100 mph, he will find results. I have to be the rational voice. He's hitting the ball hard. I told him before Sunday — and he thinks he's doing terrible — but his on-base percentage is about .460. Before Tuesday, he was hitting .290 with an on-base near .500, and he was miserable. He's in a really good spot and doesn't have to change anything. He just has to keep hitting baseballs hard. I'm feeling great about where he's at.
   
• At our worst, we need to be how we were the last two days. We can’t give ourselves a chance to not win. I got a pretty good feel for the guys’ hitting mindset and confidence in the box. I feel really good about that.
   
• My belief is to always shoot high. When we have a group of guys that haven’t been quite as good as you thought, every day, I think they are going to click at the same time. That is my mindset. They can do some big things. Right now, I like where we are trending to.
   
• If you take a look at New Mexico State, we have shown that we are playing ourselves in a lot of these games. We need to play a complete game for nine innings and not put ourselves in a situation where we can lose the baseball game. We need to stay out of our way and play aggressive, clean, hard-nosed baseball.