Texas A&M Baseball: Evaluating the Lineup Before the Start of SEC Play
![](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/9962310322ab23ca0fadc26cbf9bcb747763acf7b87021813278fc1aae02c28f.jpg)
Sophomore. Catcher. COLE BEDFORD. A.
Cole Bedford is the backup catcher. He also has a 5-for-5 day under his belt. This guy can hit and has a rifle arm. What he lacks in his ability to knock the ball down he makes up for in his ability to keep runners honest. He’s bumped his average up from .143 last year to .389 in 2017. The catching position will be in good hands this year.
Junior. Third Base. GEORGE JANCA. D-.
George Janca has struggled in 2017. He was benched after allowing what would become the game tying grounder to get past him in the 9th inning against TCU. His strikeout to walk ratio wasn’t great last year (22:7) and it’s fallen lower this season (12:3). With the number of hot bats that the Aggies have it’s looking liking he might be out of opportunities to be an every day player.
???. . Freshman. Shortstop. THE REST OF THE BENCH
Baine Schoenvogel, Tommy Gillman, Tim Lichty, Coll Stanley
These four freshman have seen a total of 18 at bats, so it’s hard to draw much from their early production. Shoenvogel was inserted at third base in the Shriners’ Classic following Janca’s error that led to the game tying run against TCU. He went 1-for-3.
Next: Breaking Down the SEC Teams in the NCAA Tournament
The other three have seen time as late inning replacements after the starters had earned a comfortable lead. Every weekend in the SEC is tough and the Aggies have a good starting nine, so don’t I don’t expect this group to get a ton of playing time this year. But folks were saying that about Austin Homan and Walker Pennington last year. Time will tell.
For now, it’s time to go beat the hell outta the SEC. Whoop!
***Stats from 12thman.com***