Texas A&M’s 2026 baseball batting lineup will look different compared to the 2025 campaign, and outside of losing star junior outfielder Jace LaViolette to the MLB Draft, who new star hitters have joined the program this summer via the transfer portal, as former FAU outfielder Jake Duer and former Maryland shortstop Chris Hacopian are headed to College Station.
Head coach Michael Earley, who was given a second chance last month to continue his duties after the Aggies missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 19 seasons, has taken a strategic route this offseason regarding additions from the transfer portal, including pitchers Ethan Darden (Clemson), Preston Prince (Rutgers) and Michael Bollinger (FAU) to provide depth in the bullpen, and potentially another starter.
However, it was the Aggie offense that failed to produce consistently last season. While the loss to LaViolette’s power will be missed, Chris Hacopian is already an established hitter, finishing his Maryland career with a career slash line of .347/.465/.614 with 29 home runs, 103 RBIs, and a 1.080 OPS. Striking out just 19 times last season, both he and Duer, combined with the returns of Terrence Kiel Jr. and Caden Sorrell, should significantly improve A&M’s offense in 2026.
While shortstop Kaeden Kent and second baseman Ben Royo have yet to announce their returns officially, here’s what Texas A&M’s batting lineup could look like next season:
This is simply a guess based on the current roster construction, as more players are expected to be added. However, if this were the opening day lineup, the Aggies could do much worse and will likely improve in several areas.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Predicting Texas A&M’s 2026 batting lineup after landing SS Chris Hacopian
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
