One of the reasons that Michael Earley commanded so much excitement in Aggieland when his hiring was announced was his connection with the stellar Texas A&M roster. He was clearly the favorite among the players, both outgoing and returning, and he promised to be able to retain the talent that got the Ags to the CWS finals in the first place.
On that promise, Earley did more than deliver. He not only brought back every single player who entered the portal for the Aggies last year, he brought in several heavy hitters from the portal in his own right. Myles Patton, Bear Harrison, and Ben Royo have all been huge for the Aggies at different points this year.
However, what was a trump card for the Aggie coach last summer now looks like it may be a losing play at this point. Even with all of the talent that Earley brought back, the Aggies are more than likely going to miss a regional— an unthinkable proposition in the preseason— and next year, those players are headed out the door.
Michael Earley's best argument is headed out the door for Texas A&M baseball
The heroics that Jace LaViolette showed last night against LSU will not soon be forgotten by Texas A&M fans. Accounting for the majority of A&M's scoring while batting with a broken finger is valiant, and LaViolette made it known after the game just why he was so motivated.
Even with their SEC run over, @AggieBaseball star Jace LaViolette issued unwavering support for Michael Earley. https://t.co/VWMvGNShyU
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) May 24, 2025
His love for Earley, as well as that of the entire dugout for their head man, is evident. But with LaViolette headed to the draft, as well as players like Ryan Prager, that argument may not be enough to keep Earley around.
While dismissing the head coach could lead to guys like Gavin Grahovac heading elsewhere, the year was just about bad enough to warrant that kind of action. There were some highlights, no doubt, but the weekend against Missouri is nigh unforgivable with what was at stake.
If Aggie fans have learned one thing from Jimbo Fisher, having talent on campus isn't enough in and of itself. You have to be able to coach and inspire the talent. In baseball, that looks like consistency— and that's one thing the Aggies were sorely lacking this year.
The decision is in other hands, but I personally am anticipating a change. That's a shame, for sure, if it indeed comes to pass— Earley seems like the kind of guy you'd want to have as your head coach. But it has become clearer and clearer this season that it just wasn't his time to make the jump. Better to recognize that now and move on, even if it comes at a cost.