Texas A&M’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since the magical 2024 season CWS run game to an abrupt end after falling to USC 7-1 on Monday night, failing to win the College Station Regional and make it back to the Super Regional Round. Making his first start on the mound, junior closer Clayton Freshcorn was impressive, but was left in too long, and allowed a three-run home run that ultimately ended the game.
Coach Michael Earley, despite nearly being fired last offseason after Texas A&M missed the postseason, will retain his position, but has made his first staff change, which was heavily predicted just weeks before the Aggies were selected as the 12-seed. On Tuesday, it was officially announced that Earley will move on from second-year pitching coach and associate head coach Jason Kelly.
Just hours before this news was revealed, I myself stated in an article that moving on from Kelly was the best option if the Aggies had any shot at improving on the mound, especially from the standpoint of developing elite recruiting talent during their first two seasons.
It’s pretty clear through the numbers that Kelly had lost a step, as junior LHP Shane Sdao, who, after returning from injury, finished the year with a 6.85 ERA, while Weston Moss, despite his career performance on Saturday, ended with a 5.46 ERA and allowed a combined 33 home runs.
As a team, Texas A&M’s team ERA increased from 4.30 to 5.24 this season, allowing a staggering 90 home runs and producing 497 strikeouts. This was the right move and opens the door for Michael Earely to search for an up-and-comer or established pitching coach over the next few weeks.
In two seasons under Jason Kelly, here are the staff numbers for Texas A&M:
2025: 4.30 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, .248 BAA, 61 HR, 500 K, 151 BB in 56 games
2026: 5.24 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, .273 BAA, 90 HR, 497 K, 155 BB in 57 games https://t.co/oHmlrBEzvF
— Richard Zane (@RichardZane32) June 2, 2026
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M has reportedly fired pitching coach Jason Kelly
