Michael Earley and the Texas A&M baseball program have hit the portal again to fill another need, this time poaching pitcher Carson Bailey from the Baylor Bears. The Aggies and Baylor are better known for their rivalry on the football field or basketball court than they are for the baseball diamond, but this is still a significant move for the Aggies.
It's not only an eyebrow-raising move for them insofar as they snagged a player from a rival, but also because they were able to fend off some top programs in order to do so. The Aggies navigated this recruitment over and against the likes of LSU, who just won the national championship.
BREAKING: Baylor LHP pitcher Carson Bailey has committed to Michael Earley and the Texas A&M staff.
— Jaxson Callaway (AT) (@AggiesToday) June 22, 2025
In his freshman season at Baylor, Bailey had a 4.89 ERA. He also totaled 56 strikeouts and 21 walks over 53.1 innings.
Went to J.J. Pearce HS (Richardson, TX) pic.twitter.com/BeC9wgSVfp
This is the kind of starter that the Aggies desperately need to replace some of the pitching prowess that's headed out the door. For a team that ended the year on such a morose note, they've picked up a couple of high-level prospects so far in the portal.
Texas A&M outlasts LSU for Baylor transfer LHP Carson Bailey
The Aggies will lose a couple of their best arms that have been stalwarts in weekend series over the past few years, as Ryan Prager and Justin Lamkin are headed out the door. Replacing them was one of their top needs via the portal this cycle, and Bailey is a great start towards that goal.
You can't excel in the SEC without some quality arms to help along the way, and Aggie fans everywhere are hopeful that Bailey can do just that. He's not yet a household name by any stretch, but he can become one with a big year in the Maroon and White.