Texas A&M's Ace Ryan Prager Named Perfect Game National Pitcher Of The Week
Ryan Prager looks to be the ace of the Texas A&M Aggies' pitching staff in 2024.
He might be the top arm in all of college baseball after a dominant start to the 2023 season.
After delivering his fourth scoreless start of the season Friday night, the Aggies southpaw was named the National Pitcher of the Week by Perfect Game, the publication announced earlier this week.
The honor marks the first of the redshirt sophomore’s career. Prager missed the 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery prefromed prior to the start of the regular season.
Prager tossed seven scoreless innings of one-hit baseball to go along with 13 strikeouts in the Aggies' 11-0 shutout against Rhode Island. The seven innings and baker's dozen punchouts were career-highs for the Dallas native, who has not allowed a run through 23.2 innings this season. The scoreless streak marks the longest by a Texas A&M pitcher since at least 2000.
"We had a great plan going into the game, and it's just awesome for me to play with these guys," Prager said postgame. "Overall, it was just an awesome night, and I look forward to keeping it going."
Entering the week, Prager leads the nation in ERA (0.00) and ranks second in WHIP (0.51). He's third in victories (4), fifth in strikeouts, eighth in hits allowed per nine (3.42), 13th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (13.33), and 17th in strikeouts per nine (15.2).
Among the SEC, the lefty ranks first in strikeout-to-walk ratio, shutouts, strikeouts, and victories.
"He has pitched well against everybody," A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle said of Prager. "He has faced some teams that are down the line a little bit, and he pitched well against what I think is a good offensive team in Arizona State.
"The real challenge is facing really high-end SEC hitters. I'm sure he's up for the task. Strikes play anywhere. He might get hit a little bit, but strikes play."
Prager and the Aggies head east to open SEC play Friday night in Gainesville against No. 8 Florida for a three-game series. The left-hander will get the call to begin the series which could set the tone for conference play.
First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT