Baseball Staff Introductory Press Conference
Watch the Aggie baseball coaching staff address the media for the first time from Blue Bell Park.
Quotes from coach Jim Schlossnagle:
Yeah, it’s just super exciting. And I think the most important part of a program is the players, but certainly when you take a job, the most important thing is to get your coaching staff in, get them settled. And we’re excited about this group. Certainly it took a while because anytime you’re trying to hire coaches, not just out of established winning programs, but certainly some that are still playing, number one, and then you also have families to deal with. And all of these guys have young children. So some happened a little quicker than others, but I’m super excited about the combination. I’m super excited about the synergy of what they bring to the table. The youth. You know, guys like Michael Earley, who’s 34 years old, I believe no one is about the same age as well. And Nate, who’s been around a while like myself. So, just really excited. And I think that’s going to show up on the field and in effect to making good choices and having good, good daily routines that help you become the best player, you can become, become the best person you can become. And then as the head coach, it’s my job to hold everybody accountable to that. And that’s what I’ve told the players, the ones I’ve gotten a chance to meet.
Two SEC teams playing for the CWS title in a really good series. Is that just one more example of what you all signed up for, you and your new coaches as well?
Yeah, that’s exactly what we signed up for. I left a super comfortable situation and there were definitely things left to do at TCU and I’m sure they’ll do a great job of working towards those goals. But for me it was about, let’s see what we can do in the SEC West. I’m not naive enough to think that it’s going to happen overnight, surely hope it does. But I think first laying the groundwork of a great staff, which is going to help attract good players and develop good players. And then it just puts us in the conversation. I mean, all of those teams are still going to be doing the same thing. It’s not like we’re leapfrogging anybody, we’re just getting ourselves in the conversation so that we can be competitive and give ourselves a chance to win and then just see how the ball bounces.
These guys you are bringing in, did you consider any other guys or were these guys the guys you were targeting right away?
Some of them were guys I was targeting right away. Others were guys that I had to learn about during the process. They were certainly all on the list because they’re the best of the best at what they do. It was just a matter of trying to make things happen. We talked to some people where the situation wasn’t going to work out to come here, but it’s amazing how especially my personality is, I think about these things 24/7. So I’m fretting over this, so I’m fretting over that, and at the end of the day, it fell right in order, kind of the way that you would want it. So I’m super excited.
I know you’ve just been around here a short time, but what have you seen as kind of your biggest challenges early and making this transition, taking over Texas A&M?
Yeah, the biggest challenge. So right now it’s really the same challenge for every coach across the country. This is the first year the Major League Draft is after the July 1st scholarship renewal deadline. So we have to make decisions leading up to today on ‘what is this roster going to look like?’ And you really don’t know for sure because the draft isn’t for another 2 1/2 weeks. It could totally change in either direction. So just getting prepared for that. Talking to guys on the team, finding out if this is the best situation at A&M for them. And then also, once we start announcing coaches, and the momentum at Texas A&M, there’s a lot of players out there that want to be a part of this. So we’re trying to pick the right ones and that takes some time and paperwork and getting through the transfer portal and transcripts and visits and all kinds of things. So I think we’ve already had some guys that have made the decision to come here that people have heard about and we’re excited about them, but there’s going to be more. We’re also excited about some guys on the team that are coming back and will eventually after the draft. Once it all shakes out, it’s still gonna be crazy. The month of July is going to be insane because between the portal and the draft being so late, frankly, it put us in a really tough position, baseball as a whole. We’ve asked to push the July 1st date back to August 1. We asked for a waiver for that this year, but they denied it. So maybe that’s something we can get in the future, but it’s just a crazy time right now. Things are changing by the minute.
Can you describe how the portal works?
There’s no process by which you have to get permission or any of that kind of stuff. All it is is it’s a waiver wire. It’s up, all of a sudden Billy Smith just went in the portal, get his number, go on social media, whatever. Or he calls you. And so I have two people on staff that literally are monitoring that every 30 minutes. Just because these things happen quick, and sometimes, the decisions, it’s already set up for him to go somewhere else. And other times, he’s going to take a look at some things. So we have some guys coming on visits in the next couple weeks that we hope that we can make Aggies. But yeah, the portal has certainly made things interesting. You have to assign people on staff kind of like in the big leagues to check that waiver wire to see who has become available.
With the NIL stuff starting up tomorrow, how has that at all changed the way that you look at player relations, player personnel? And how does that change your job at all?
Frankly, I haven’t put a whole lot of thought into it because I don’t know how that’s going to affect college baseball too much. I mean, certainly coming to Texas A&M and being the sec west going to provide a player a lot of exposure. But that’s not a thought process for me, at least right now. I don’t know enough about it to say, I don’t think anybody knows enough about it to say. I’m supportive of it because I think in a sport that is the most under-scholarshipped sport in all the NCAA, if a guy can earn 200 bucks by going and signing autographs at a birthday party, then I think he should be able to do that. But for me, right now, our focus has just been on get some players in here and and helping helping those guys develop. And, and I want to make sure the guys that are returning feel really excited about the direction of the program. This isn’t about just new players. This is about returning players getting back here, like Logan Britt and Taylor Smith and Kalae Harrison and and Nathan Dettmer. And way more guys than that, that I’ve been able to either watch on video or even go out and see. So we’re excited about what those players can do to get us back where we need to be.
Quotes from coach Nate Yeskie:
Jim’s had a vision for many years with the programs that he’s been a part of. His energy and that vision I think are things that not only suit a lot of programs well but this one in particular. And with the staff that we put together, the ability to coach with those guys, coaching in this conference and having the support that we do from the Aggie fans I think is huge.
What was kind of your philosophy as a coach and what you bring to your position group?
Develop players and develop men. I think that both of those things can go hand in hand. When you handle your business off the field it makes the things that you do on the field really I think develop a lot faster, and so we’re going to address all those areas and we want this to be a positive experience for all those kids.
What have you heard about the atmosphere that you’re now coaching in, what can be a wild Olsen Field?
I think that’s something that all kids want to play in and be a part of, and I think that the excitement for kids that put on the Aggie uniform, it’s certainly going to be something special. I’ve seen it on television, I’ve talked to coaches that have played here, and I’m looking forward to being a part of it.
When you were coming out of high school what was it about this place that said this is somewhere I’d like to play?
Really to me it was the people. My high school coach knew Coach Johnson at the time, and it was just something that really kind of spoke to me on a lot of different levels. I appreciate the college town atmosphere and the people. I think anywhere that you go you win with people, and it was just something that here 30 some years later is now presenting itself, so I’m pretty excited about that.
With your time at Oregon State you get KJ Harrison. You’ve got Kalae here. What’s that connection like with the with the Harrison family? Is it exciting to be able to coach that next generation too?
Yeah, very fortunate. It’s a wonderful family and they’re not only great players but they’re great people. I got a few text messages from KJ, and his dad and his family was pretty excited. I had contacted him and said well all right now, it’s official, so I could hear the family in the background. And I’m certainly looking forward to developing those younger boys as well.
The huge jump in Arizona in in pitching numbers from the year before you got there to then, what do you attribute that to? What was the mantra or what was the change that you saw that helped change those numbers so drastically?
Discipline and accountability. Trying to to get guys in the right position, to just stick to their routines, understand where they need to grow and where they need to develop. And a lot of times you come in your first year and you have to do some things that are really kind of out of sorts maybe with what your beliefs are because you’re playing the hand that you’re dealt. You’ve got guys that are in there, and they certainly had some kids with some ability, and they had some guys that needed some time to develop. So it was nice to get them through the paces the first year even though it was a shortened season, and then really kind of get into the fold of things the next year.
I know there’s roster issues with signings and then the MLB Draft, but from what you know about some of the arms returning what can you see and what’s your take on on the staff that you have so far?
Well there’s a good mix of guys. I mean really when you look at the draft that’s always going to kind of monkey around a little bit with what your roster could potentially look like, but I’m excited about the guys that are here. I’m looking forward to getting to know them more and getting a chance to work with them, because I do see some pieces in there that are very good. I feel like there’s some areas where we can help advance their game and it’ll be up to us together as a group to put those things into play.
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Quotes from coach Michael Earley:
What attracted you to this job, Coach Schlossnagle’s staff, and what have you felt about this staff so far as you all have meshed together and started to work?
Everything. I mean Texas A&M speaks for itself. When you talk about just tradition and resources, campus, everything. And then coach obviously, his reputation and all the other coaches’ reputations, you know. You want to be around who you perceive are the best, so I’m going to learn a lot from these guys i’m really excited.
How well did you know these names, these other guys that you’re working with now, and maybe and could you put in perspective how much of a powerful staff this is that Coach Schlossnagle put together?
I knew their names very well, obviously. Nolan at LSU has done a great job recruiting. I played against Nate. It’s going to be cool not to play against him. He was at Oregon State and those teams were pretty good, and really good at U of A. And then I actually played against TCU in 2017, my first year coaching college baseball against Coach Schlossnagle. So yeah, I mean those guys names speak for themselves, and I just want to hold up my end.
What’s it about Nate’s staffs that really stick out and what are kind of hallmarks of the guys that he puts together?
A lot of strikes. He obviously had his guys that were, like, the dudes that are supposed to be good. But you saw him develop guys throughout the year, over the years too, and those guys ended up doing a really good job. So when you went against Coach Yeskie you know you had to have your stuff together, because he’s always prepared. It’s always good to compete against him but I’m really glad to not have to.
What do you know about the environment that Olsen Field is like when it gets going? What have you heard about?
Well I heard about the bubbles yesterday, so I’m excited about that. I watched a lot of games on ESPN Plus when I could, and I’m still learning. But I’m really excited to be in this environment. I like the Pac-12, it was cool, but the environments weren’t the SEC. And the SEC was such a huge draw for anyone, and especially me, just to play in. These crowds and atmospheres and everything, all the things that go into it, are really exciting.
When you talk about the staff, and you have Yeskie in the Pacific Northwest for a long time and you in that Pac-12 area and then Coach Cain over here, you’ll have a pretty large footprint of recruiting ties and pipelines, is that correct?
Yeah I think we can cover a lot of the national scene, but obviously I think on the recruiting front you want to try to win the state of Texas and then go grab guys from here and there. So yeah we’ve got a good footprint around, but obviously with Coach’s ties here in Texas and us coming here, we’re trying to obviously win this state and then grab people from all over the country. Because we want to get the best players no matter where they’re at.
Have you given yourself an opportunity to kind of think about two teams that you could face next year playing in the College World Series championship series right now? And what’s that going to be like? You talked about being excited to be in the SEC…
Right...I mean there it is. There’s your answer right there. SEC, two teams. I think they’ve won what eight out of the last 13. I feel like I heard on tv something like that. That’s the standard here. And you know every day I think Coach said in his first interview, there’s not going to be a second he’s not trying to make this program better, and the goal is a national championship. So that’s I guess the telescope goal, and then we’ve got to do everything day-to-day right to get to that. So it’s very exciting.Have you had a chance to visit with current players and do you look at tape from last season?It’s kind of one of those deals that even watching baseball you’re always looking at someone’s swing. Right now I’m trying to develop the relationship with the guys. I’ve called every player that’s coming on the phone and just had quick talks with them, kind of just getting them excited, and they’re getting me excited. So I’ve looked at some of the swings but right now it’s kind of, I just got here yesterday. I’ve seen a lot of the guys. Like I’ve been talking to Logan Britt a lot, and a few of the other guys, and just starting that relationship and starting dialogue. And then when they get here really, really dive into it and get into the baseball stuff.
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Quotes from coach Nolan Cain:
What about A&M, this job, Coach Schlossnagle, attracted you to this position and the program as well?
Well, being in this league for a long time, I’ve been here a lot. A rowdy environment. People take it serious. They love it. They want to see it get into the College World Series and win national championships, and that’s why we all came here. I was fortunate at LSU to be around Skip Bertman. I never played for him, but he was always around the program. I got to be around Paul Mainieri obviously, a Hall of Fame coach. Skip was a Hall of Fame coach. And I think Jim Schlossnagle is going to be a Hall of Fame coach. When he called me it was just something that I couldn’t turn down. And then obviously staying in the SEC, being in the SEC West, the passion that everybody has in this league is just something that’s tough once you’ve played in it, once you’ve coached in it, it’s tough to get away from. So it’s a great opportunity and I’m so excited. My family’s excited to be here as well.
What is your philosophy on on recruiting? What is the kind of players generally that you want to look for to come here and your philosophy on that whole aspect of the job?
Obviously when you get the best players in Texas it’s great. It’s probably the best state in the country for baseball. I’ve been out on the road a couple of times already and seeing some young kids that can really throw the baseball and some really talented position players as well. So I think we want to get the best players in Texas but I think the most fun thing about this job so far is that we’re all alpha dog recruiters. We have a group text, it’s just constantly rolling in with players from the transfer portal all the way down to young players, 2024's and stuff. So we want to get tough, hard-nosed players. From being at LSU and recruiting some players from Texas, the thing that always stood out to me is a lot of these kids play high school football and at Friday night lights right here in Texas. I think that prepares kids to play in the SEC in front of 10, 12,000 people. Whether you’re on the road or at home, the high expectations, the pressure, they’ve kind of already dealt with that. So again, want to get those tough hard-nosed football players, two-sport guys, but also get the most talented players in the country as well.
Is building a roster in year one a challenge or is that kind of fun because you get to make the biggest impact?
I think for us it’s everybody’s first time kind of going through this transfer portal thing, right? So you’re figuring out grad transfers, freshmen, sophomores, they’ve got to meet the 20/40/60 rule with NCAA regulations and what not. So it’s a puzzle piece that we’re all figuring out together. We’re constantly checking the transfer portal, looking at our current roster, seeing what we can improve upon, and it’s been awesome so far. We’ve got a few more pieces that we need to plug together but it’s coming together really nicely.
Do you have a favorite memory or a stark memory of an LSU game here at Blue Bell Park?
Something that stands out in your mind when you think about it?I think the biggest memory I had was actually was just Asa Lacy running out there for nine innings against us and his 117th bullet was 97 miles per hour. It was just the arms and the competition. I wouldn’t say I have one memory that really stood out, it was just coming to this ballpark you had to prepare your team mentally to come in here and know what they were getting into. It wasn’t just like playing another team in this league. They take it serious, the ball five, the ball eight, the train coming by, the bubbles...you had to mentally prepare these guys for what they were walking into.
Have you thought about what it’ll be like to be in the third base dugout and actually have all of that going for you instead of being on the other side of it?
Yeah, Hutch actually the ops guy ran me out there the other day and walked through the tunnel, came to the dugout and I think not having to make that long run around the home plate, and there’s some guy back there that would just roast me every time. I ran back there so hopefully he’ll be on my side now. And then there’s guys behind the third base dugout that were like, ‘don’t send him, don’t get him thrown out at home,’ and just roasting me. So I was like maybe this guy would be pulling on my side now. So yeah it’s going to be interesting being on that side, but I’m excited for it and I know that our whole entire staff is as well.