Report: Key Texas A&M baseball player attempting return to Aggieland for final season
Report: Evan Aschenbeck attempting to return to Texas A&M baseball for 2025 season
One of the most important players on last year's Texas A&M baseball team was closer Evan Aschenbeck. When he took the mound last year, it more often than not spelled doom for opponents. He was the nation's leader in ERA and won the National College Baseball Writers of America Stopper of the Year award for his efforts. He was also named as a First Team All-American by D1Baseball.
Last year, though, appeared to be his final year of eligibility. He certainly made the most of things and was rewarded accordingly, but it seemed to be one last ride for the Aggie closer.
However, we may have gotten too far ahead of ourselves with that evaluation. Apparently, Aschenbeck is attempting to return to Aggieland for one final season next year. This is according to Texas A&M baseball insider Ryan Brauninger, and confirmed by D1Baseball's Kendall Rogers.
This likely has to do with Aschenbeck's time in junior college and the COVID restrictions/extra year that was granted to players during that time. It does not appear as though he has yet taken advantage of that extra time.
This has the potential to be a huge eventuality for Texas A&M baseball. Aschenbeck's value to last year's team cannot be overstated. He was a premier weapon on a team full of them.
Aschenbeck's MLB draft value could impact things, but I think it would behoove him to stay if possible. He doesn't have elite speed on his fastball, which could sour some teams on his long-term potential, even though his placement and movement are top-of-the-line. If there's a team that picks him high enough, though, this could all be moot.
Let's not ignore that other note from Kendall Rogers, either—there's increasing buzz about the Aggies' ability to return all their key players from the portal who have entered. If they are able to do so, this Aggie baseball program may not even skip a beat.