Projected Pitching Rotation for Texas A&M Baseball in NCAA Tournament

On Friday, Texas A&M will begin its postseason run, with hopes of reaching the Men’s College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

In the College Station Regional, head coach Michael Earley’s squad will host a competitive tournament, welcoming Lamar, Texas State and USC to Blue Bell Park. The Aggies have familiarized themselves with the Cardinals and Bobcats, having faced both Lamar and Texas State earlier this year. But according to Earley, A&M will approach its weekend slate with an open mind.

“We’re taking it as a new team,” Earley said after the NCAA D1 Baseball Championship Selection Show on May 25. “All those teams are different. We’re a different team than we were then, and so are they.”

With recent discussion surrounding the availability of the Aggies' bullpen, how exactly will A&M arrange its pitching rotation ahead of its most important weekend yet?

High Ceilings, Low Floors

Texas A&M pitcher Weston Moss (21) throws a pitch during the Lone Star Showdown against Texas at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. — Texas A&M pitcher Weston Moss (21) throws a pitch during the Lone Star Showdown against Texas at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, April 25, 2025. | Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Three months into the regular season, Earley rearranged the Aggies’ rotation, starting left-handed pitcher Ethan Darden in place of fellow southpaw Shane Sdao.

Sdao served as A&M’s Game 1 starter in eight of the Aggies’ ten Southeastern Conference series, securing a 3-5 record over the course of the eight-game stretch, surrendering 35 earned runs and claiming 42 strikeouts for a 5.24 ERA.

In need of a series-opening spark, the Maroon and White turned to Darden in Game 1 against Ole Miss on May 8, taking pressure off of Sdao in what initially seemed like a successful move.

Darden opened on the mound, allowing only a pair of earned runs through the game's first two frames, setting the stage for Sdao to come in as relief. Sdao threw for 4.1 innings, allowing two hits and securing five strikeouts against a dangerous Rebel offense. But as time went on, the new rotation quickly developed problems of its own.

In the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals against Auburn on May 22, Darden survived only a single inning, giving up five hits and four earned runs, forcing A&M to go to the bullpen earlier than it had originally expected.

While questions continue to surround the Aggies’ Game 1 starter, all A&M needs to do is get past Lamar. If the Maroon and White survive the regional opener, Earley’s staff can preserve its most reliable arms for the weekend's higher-stakes matchups. But with the postseason now underway, the availability of the Aggies’ go-to pitcher remains uncertain.

Aiden Sims Remains Questionable

Texas A&M pitcher Aiden Sims on the mound. | Texas A&M Athletics

Going into A&M’s final regular-season series, Earley announced that right-handed pitcher Aiden Sims would not pitch against then-No.13 Mississippi State due to undisclosed discomfort.

With his last appearance being in Game 2 against Ole Miss on May 9, Sims continues to prepare his body for the Aggies’ upcoming postseason campaign.

“He’s been throwing every day,” Earley said. “His role is to be determined on the weekend, because every day is a process … he’s been throwing and getting up on the mound … he’s looking good right now.”

While it's unclear if Sims will return to full capacity by the end of the weekend, A&M will rely on Darden, Sdao, Moss and Lyons to carry the defense through the majority of the College Station Regional. And with a closer like right-handed pitcher Clayton Freshcorn, the sky is the limit for Earley’s battered and bruised bullpen.

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