re: 2023-24 Aggie Baseball Offseason

LaViolette, Montgomery headline potent offensive lineup
The Aggies have a lot of promise from an offensive standpoint as the 2024 campaign nears.

Starting at first base, the Aggies have at least three intriguing options. Redshirt freshman Blake Binderup is a talented two-way player who didn’t have a defined role last season. However, Binderup, a 6-foot-6, 230-pounder, showed easy power in a scrimmage against Houston earlier this fall. He likely will begin the season in a designated hitter role instead of at first, but he’s in the mix. The most likely candidates are Michigan transfer Ted Burton and returning slugger Ryan Targac. Targac was a standout hitter for the Aggies two seasons ago before scuffling a bit last season. A&M is eager to see him return to his old form. As for Burton, he’s a fifth-year senior who has a solid track record. He hit 10 homers for the Wolverines two seasons ago before batting .301 with 13 homers and 45 RBIs last season.

Interestingly, whomever doesn’t win the first base job likely shifts over to second base to join competition with Swiss Army knife infielder Kaeden Kent. Kent is a hard-nosed, 6-foot-2, 200-pounder, who has shown a sweet swing from the left side at times. He’s in the mix at second, shortstop and third base. In essence, the Aggies would love to find a prominent role for him in the spring.

Kent is joined in competition at shortstop with Cal State Northridge transfer Ali Camarillo. Camarillo is a 6-foot-1, 180-pounder, who is coming off a season in which he hit .371 with seven homers and 44 RBIs. Schlossnagle said hitting coach Michael Earley has continued to improve Camarillo’s offensive approach, while in my scrimmage look, I was impressed with his smooth actions and relatively strong arm at the shortstop position.

Another infielder to watch is freshman Jack Bell. Bell is a 6-foot, 180-pounder, who had a turned ankle the night I saw the Aggies against Houston. However, Bell was a hard-nosed player this fall who showed a mature offensive approach.

The third base position is headlined by freshman Gavin Grahovac. Grahovac, a 6-foot-2, 220-pounder, looked the part throughout fall workouts. He can play third, the outfield and Schlossnagle pointed out that he also spent time with USA Baseball behind the plate and excelled at the position. He will stick to third for the Aggies, though. Grahovac has a sweet, but impactful, righthanded swing, and physically, reminds me of former Texas Tech standout and current Rangers slugger Josh Jung at the same age. Grahovac, as with LaViolette last season, looks like a slam dunk instant impact bat.

“Gavin is one of those ultra-talented kids who is going to have his warts at times as a freshman in the SEC — let’s not forget that LaViolette was hitting around .200 at one point last season, then turned it on. But with that, Gavin is a very good hitter with big-time power at the plate. He stays on the baseball and he’s the type of hitter who will take a single to right field if you’re willing to give it to him. He’s a big and strong hitter.

“As for the Jung comparisons, I think Josh was probably a bit more ahead of Gavin as a defender at the same age, but they’re really similar as hitters,” he added. “The biggest thing for Gavin is continuing to get him reps at third base. I think it’ll be a great spot for him.”

Behind the plate, the Aggies welcome back sophomore Max Kaufer. Kaufer should’ve been in high school last season but graduated a year early than expected. Given the age gap, he struggled offensively for much of last season before showing a much more mature offensive approach as the season progressed. He’s expected to take a sizable step forward. Meanwhile, Penn transfer Jackson Appel is another guy to watch. The graduate student has a ton of experience and is coming off a solid season for the Quakers, where he hit .295 with 13 doubles, five triples, four homers and 40 RBIs. Also keep an eye on Hank Bard. Bard likely will not be an everyday catcher but has certainly earned more playing time after leading the team in hitting during the fall with a .450 batting average.

“Appel is not as physical as everyone else at the catcher position, but he’s super experienced and can hit for power from both sides of the plate,” Schlossnagle said. “He can really throw, he’s super intelligent and he has good feel for the game. Kaufer just continues to improve, and there’s some real competition at the catcher position right now.”

In the outfield, the center field position needs zero introduction with Jace LaViolette back for another season. LaViolette was an All-American type of hitter by the end of last season and is expected to take another step forward. Meanwhile, Stanford transfer two-way standout Braden Montgomery will occupy right field. Montgomery showed huge power, as expected, during fall workouts, and the Aggies made a point during the fall to emphasis an ability to hit with equal power and production from both sides of the plate. Schlossnagle said the Aggies would like to see Montgomery control the zone a bit more in 2024.

The only position battle in the outfield is out in left, where Travis Chestnut, Hayden Schott, Jett Johnston and Caden Sorrell are in the mix. Chestnut is a good athlete who had a terrific fall but is still working an uphill climb, while Sorrell is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound freshman who also impressed the coaching staff this fall. Then, there’s the likely leader in Columbia graduate student transfer Schott. Schott is a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder, who had two strong seasons for the Lions — he hit .320 with 12 homers and 55 RBIs two seasons ago before hitting .333 with 16 doubles, 11 homers and 31 RBIs last season. As for Johnston, he’s a 6-foot-1, 210-pounder, who crushed the ball at times during fall workouts.