After tearing through Tennessee Tech with a combined score of 45-14 on Feb. 13-15, No. 24 Texas A&M baseball remains at home to face the Penn Quakers, an old friend of sorts, who produced former All-Ivy League catcher Jackson Appel — whose 26 multi-hit games were a critical cog in a Maroon and White machine that reached the 2024 national championship.
But amid a prospective rebound year for head coach Michael Earley, friendships will be few and far between as the Aggies search for a spot in the NCAA Tournament after falling far below expectations in 2025. Luckily for A&M and its fans alike, there’s hope for a bounce-back into the national spotlight.
This starts with junior center fielder Caden Sorrell, a young slugger who is quickly becoming the fear of pitching staffs everywhere. The Highland Village native dissected Tennessee Tech’s best, belting nine hits in 15 at-bats, including 10 RBIs and three home runs — two of which in the same game.
However, his production is not limited to just his bat, as his fielding percentage was unblemished in three games against the Golden Eagles, even when a diving effort was required to snag a fly ball that would have scored two runs in last Sunday’s contest.
No one can deny the five-tool skill of this top MLB prospect, but one slugger is batting with even more efficiency than Sorrell: Baylor transfer and senior designated hitter Wesley Jordan. Crossing over to the other side of the Brazos River has paid off early for Jordan, as his debut weekend with the Aggies ended with a team-best .778 batting average, putting the ball in play 7 out of his 9 times at bat.
Opening up its season on the road, Penn does not currently have a clear-cut difference maker, but that’s not for a lack of options; there are plenty of All-Ivy League selections to choose from. Senior utility player Jarrett Pokrovsky was a unanimous selection in 2025, leading the Quakers in doubles, hits, RBIs and an outstanding .927 OPS. Not only did he lead Penn in doubles, but he dominated the entire league, setting the record for both with 24.
It’s safe to say Sorrell and Jordan will have their hands full trying to stay on pace with Pokrovsky, especially if junior left-handed pitcher Marty Coyne is called to the mound. Another unanimous selection as the Ivy League’s top relief pitcher, Coyne made 16 appearances in 2025 and struck out 49 batters in 44 innings. His 3.89 ERA was the best on the Quakers’ staff and will be a necessary piece if his squad wants to pull off an upset.
It won’t be so simple for the Quakers, however, especially whenever sophomore right-handed pitcher Aiden Sims takes the mound on Sunday, Feb. 22. In his first weekend start against Tennessee Tech, Sims put together a career performance, striking out seven batters and allowing just a single earned run off one hit. He will need another stellar performance when he faces Pokrovsky and the Quakers, who also have junior left fielder Gavin Collins waiting to build off his 52-hit sophomore campaign.
Collins, Penn’s third all-conference choice, posted a .335 average, good for fifth-best in the Ivy League, while adding four home runs and 29 RBIs. The Aggies, too, have another junior bat itching to get back to its old glory: none other than junior first baseman Gavin Grahovac.
After posting a legendary 23-home run and 66-RBI rookie campaign, Grahovac’s sophomore season was lost to injury just six games in after belting another pair of home runs. Now in 2026, the Orange, California native is back on the diamond, batting .417 with two doubles and a homer off the Olsen Field scoreboard.
In its first weekend of action, A&M had 22 RBIs off freshmen and transfer bats, a testament to the early synergy Earley has put together in his second year at the helm of the Aggies’ program. Additionally, the Maroon and White had just two errors through their first three games, a significant improvement from the five in last season’s opening weekend.
Newcomers such as junior second baseman Chris Hacopian and freshman shortstop Boston Kellner have put their names at the forefront of A&M fans’ radar, accounting for eight RBIs and nine hits. The latter, despite his young age, has played like a veteran in his short time as an Aggie, knocking down four doubles and RBIs.
As for Hacopian, the former All-Big Ten slugger came out of his Terrapin shell to display a maroon-and-white offensive explosion, slashing a .444 average and four RBIs in two games before an illness kept him in the dugout for Sunday’s contest.
The matchup between the Aggies and Quakers will be the second series at Blue Bell Park in four years, and A&M will be hungry for revenge, as will assistant coach and former 12th Man Troy Claunch. Nicknamed “Clutch Claunch” for his efforts in the Aggies’ 2022 season — during which they reached the College World Series — Claunch’s squad lost its three-game home series to Penn.
Ironically enough, this was also the last time A&M lost a nonconference series at home, making victory ever more critical to avoid any deja vu striking at Olsen Field. So grab the oats and the bubble soap for a balanced meal of strikes, home runs and storied baseball.
