On Wednesday, June 9, Texas A&M’s new head baseball coach was announced. The man who landed the job is former Texas Christian University baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle, who has had five trips to the College World Series. Following the announcement, on June 10, he was formally introduced to the public in the Hall of Champions in Kyle Field. A press conference immediately followed.
Here’s what we learned:
Leaving TCU behind
To say Schlossnagle had an impressive track record prior to coming to A&M would be a massive understatement. With 734 wins with the Horned Frogs, the Maryland native is exiting Fort Worth as TCU’s all-time winningest coach. Also at TCU, he recorded four consecutive trips to Omaha from 2014 to 2017. During his final season with the Horned Frogs, Schlossnagle led TCU to a 41-19 overall record.
However, Schlossnagle said being a Horned Frog was great, but is now in the past.
“I knew if I was to ever leave TCU, it had to fit a perfect criteria and it had to happen at a perfect time, professionally and personally,” Schlossnagle said. “And all of those things lined up. It was just a matter of getting rid of the emotions of leaving a program that I had been living and breathing for 18 years.”
A player’s program
On the 2021 roster, senior infielder Will Frizzel left his mark. The Rockwall native was named to the All-American Second team. 12 players on the most recent roster were seniors or graduating students. The 2022 roster will be posted when available.
Schlossnagle said that while he hasn’t looked at the current roster heavily in depth, he wants his program to be defined by his players.
“The program belongs to the players. This is not my baseball program. It’s my job to oversee the program,” Schlossnagle said.
Core values
In his introductory speech, Schlossnagle defined his own three core values to be excellence, selflessness and energy. A&M also has five well-known values of their own, which all Aggies, athletes, students, faculty and former students alike hold to the highest of standards.
Schlossnagle said he wants his baseball program to continue this commitment.
“We hope to add to [the tradition and culture] by putting a great product on the field and giving everybody something even more to cheer about,” Schlossnagle said. “I was handed a three-ring binder when I landed yesterday, and the first page was all of the traditions. So I’m learning.”
Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park
The home of Texas A&M baseball is in Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. Section 203, the “ball four” chant and bubbles have woven their way into the culture of baseball fans in College Station.
Schlossnagle said he hopes to make Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park the destination for Texas baseball.
“One of the things that attracted me to the position is not just where the baseball program is, it’s more so about what it can be,” Schlossnagle said. “Part of that is expanding the facility, making it the place to be.”
Winning mentality
The Aggies concluded the 2021 season with a 29-27 overall record. Twenty one of those losses were handed to A&M by SEC opponents and of the 56 games played, 13 were lost in Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. The last time A&M made a trip to Omaha for the College World Series was in 2017.
Schlossnagle said he will be striving for more than just a winning mentality.
“The goal is a national title,” Schlossnagle said. “That’s it. There won’t ever be a day when the goal is less than that.”