As the dust settles from the undrafted free agent signing time period in Major League Baseball, the landscape of talent in college baseball is becoming more clear. While success in the MLB Draft and in free agents signings obviously reflects well on a program, it becomes essential for these teams to quickly bring in talent to replace the players moving on to professional baseball. Michigan saw seven players leave for the professional ranks between their four draft picks and three undrafted free agent signings. Vanderbilt was just behind the Wolverines with six picks. Michigan and Vanderbilt met in the 2019 College World Series Championship Series where all of this talent was on display. In terms of talent coming into their programs, Vanderbilt and Michigan find themselves in very different positions. Vanderbilt is bringing in the top-ranked recruiting class (according to Perfect Game), while Michigan's recruiting class is ranked 37th. This marks the fourth straight year that Vanderbilt's class ranks number one. Several teams lost five players to professional baseball, including Arizona State. All five of Arizona State's players were drafted in the shortened MLB Draft, earning Arizona State the title of "most successful college team" in the draft. They will look to replace their lost talent with the 22nd-rated recruiting class in the country. TCU, Stanford, and Virginia all left the MLB Draft and signing period entirely unscathed; each of these teams is also brining in a top 25 recruiting class next year. See below for how all of the Top 50 classes in Perfect Game's recruiting rankings fared in the MLB Draft and signing period: Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

Editor's note: College Baseball Nation is joined by guest writer, Riley Zayas, for coverage of the Texas Collegiate League. Riley Zayas is a high school freshman and freelance journalist from Round Rock, Texas. He began his journalism career as a Sports Illustrated Kid reporter and has since become a regular contributor to Horns Illustrated, covering Texas Longhorn sports. His work also includes Fellowship of Christian Athletes publications, his personal blog 360 Sports, and Sports Spectrum, a national christian sports magazine and website. He is passionate about all things sports and can be followed on Twitter at @ZayasRiley. “In a wild and unpredictable year, one constant has remained-the Bombers are champions!” Will Scott’s call on the TCL-TV broadcast Saturday night said it all. Even in a season with more competition and a sense of uncertainty surrounding Covid-19, nothing stood in the way of the Brazos Valley Bombers capturing the franchise’s seventh Texas Collegiate League Title with a stunning 13-2 victory over the Tulsa Drillers Saturday evening in Bryan, Texas. From the beginning, the Bombers dominated the game, despite the fact that the team managed just two hits over the first three innings. 10 runs of domination to be exact. Nicknamed “Olsen North” for its close proximity to the home of Texas A&M Baseball, Travis Field drew a large number of home fans for this final contest of the season. Donning maroon, a large group of fans from the famous “Section 203” at Olsen Field, a group of rowdy Aggie fans who provide much of the home field advantage for Texas A&M, showed up and showed out. The second inning appeared to be an easy three up, three down frame, with Tulsa’s starter Matt Merrill earning two quick outs. That was, until the University of Science and Arts Oklahoma righty then walked four straight and hit a batter, before he was sent to the dugout. By that point, the game had already begun to unravel for the Drillers, trailing 2-0. One of those walks was to Texas A&M shortstop Logan Sartori, a speedy base stealer who flashed his baserunning ability early on in the second. In the same at-bat, he stole second, then third. With runners on the corners, Sartori raced home on a wild pitch, scoring Brazos Valley’s first run of the game. Reliever Riley Boyd didn’t fare much better, pitching to three batters, walking two. Facing Tatrow,his first batter of the game, Boyd fired a pitch into the dirt. Tulsa catcher Max Hewitt lost the ball, which careened high before falling behind him, allowing not one but two runs to score. As Austin Bost raced across the plate from third, Lamar’s Kelby Weyler, with heads-up running, sprinted from second, diving across the plate for the run. That rough performance was followed by Garrett Crowley allowing four more runs, finally getting out of a six-run second. By then the damage was done, with Brazos Valley well on its way to another championship victory. Travis Sundgren, from Texas State, was the Bombers’ starter, experiencing little trouble with the normally strong Drillers offense. Through four frames, he gave up just a single run, fanning six batters. “In a wild and unpredictable year, one constant has remained-the Bombers are champions!” -Will Scott Similar to the style of play in the south division championship, Brazos Valley used a keen eye at the plate, and never took the foot off the pedal. Over the course of the contest, the Bombers drew a total of 12 walks, using that as the primary offensive weapon, considering the squad mustered just six hits. “A wise word from coach Childress, we’re going to lead the league in hit by pitches next year,” Texas A&M’s Bruce Blaum told TexasAgs.com. “Just find a way to get on base to give the next man up an opportunity to bring you home.” Sartori was responsible for the Bombers’ first run of the day, and came up big once again with the squad’s final runs of the game, knocking a huge two-run homer over the left field wall to extend the lead to 13-2. Pitching was also key to the success, as it has been throughout the season. Credit has to be given to all five Bombers’ pitchers on the night, as they combined for 10 strikeouts, and allowed just two Tulsa runs.Marshall’s John Cheatwood, the go-to closer, entered the game in the ninth, and struck out Tulsa’s Jaden Brown and Humberto Torres back-to-back, finishing off the game with the same competitive edge that the Bombers began it with. We did it,” said pitching coach Dan Drullinger. “So proud of these guys and thankful for the opportunity to be a part of it.” While some may look to attribute this huge victory to one or two specific players, there is not one that stands apart from the rest. Brazos Valley is not that kind of squad. Instead, it received contributions from every single player in the lineup, both in the field or on the mound, that allowed this seventh championship to be captured. The resilience of this squad goes a long way, and this summer is sure to be one to remember for each member of this Bombers squad. For each player in the TCL, really. It has been a summer to remember here in the southwest. “So thankful to have been able to coach a great set of young men,” said head coach James Dilliard. “Each guy brought something unique & special to the team. Very blessed to have been able to watch them grow as players & young men over the last month and a half. This team will always be a special group.” Road to the Championship Game Brazos Valley overpowers San Antonio for South Division Title In nearly every facet of the series, Brazos Valley found a way to slightly overpower San Antonio, earning two quick victories to punch their ticket to the TCL Championship game. Offensively is where the Bombers flexed their muscles the most, outscoring the Flying Chanclas 13-6. However, the real key to Brazos Valley’s high run totals was simply getting runners on base, more often by walks than hits. In game one, San Antonio, hosting the game at Wolff Stadium, had a rough go of it on the mound. Starter Austin Krob out of TCU, held firm, but allowed two earned runs over the first six innings. Johnny Panatex, who ended up with the loss, allowed two more runs, over just one inning of work. At the end of the day, San Antonio’s pitchers allowed six runs, and walked eight. The 6-3 final, was the first example of how offense can be generated by simply getting on base. It helped that the Bombers managed to swipe three bases as well. Game two followed a much similar path, with the main difference being that the Bombers had their home crowd behind them. The pitching staff was dominant, giving up just four hits, and five walks, while striking out 13. While San Antonio pushed three across the plate, the Bombers offense never took the foot off the pedal, putting together two-run innings in both the first and third inning. Demonstrating his excellent eye at the plate, future Abilene Christian Wildcat Grayson Tatrow, drew three walks, scoring two runs while going 1-for-2 at the plate. Tulsa rises from an early defeat to claim North Division Title Up north, it was a completely different story. The Tulsa Drillers, having gotten into the series because Frisco had been deemed ineligible, made the most of the unique opportunity, despite entering the best-of-three series as underdogs. The Amarillo Sod Squad were very much the favorite, posting the best record in the league, 21-9, and winning the north division regular season title handily. But as they say, that’s why the games are played on the field, and not on paper. After the Sod Squad grinded out a 4-3 victory in the first showdown at Tulsa, the series moved 365 miles south to Amarillo. All season, Amarillo had attracted the largest crowds in the TCL, so it was expected that the home field advantage could propel the Sod Squad to a game two, series-clinching victory. However, Tulsa pulled a rabbit out of a hat, finding a way to come up victorious by a score of 14-2. The Drillers were relentless at the plate, putting together four multi-run innings, including a six-run seventh in which Tulsa batted around. FIU center fielder Alec Sanchez had one of his best performances of the season, going 3-for-5 at the plate. With the nature of the first two games being the difference of night and day, it should have been expected that a decisive game three would be in the cards. Amarillo struck first, putting up one in the bottom of the first as Tommy Williams scored from third. While Tulsa put up five in the first four innings, the turning point was something that happened out of the control of either squad. This time, it was mother nature delivering a strike, as a storm rolled through the Texas panhandle. With over an hour of rain delay, the Sod Squad had time to draft up a game plan, down two, with four innings to go. Tulsa only added to the lead, though, stunning the Amarillo faithful, as the Drillers’ Jamail O’ Guinn crossed the plate in the sixth on a double by his USC teammate Clay Owens. The game was blown wide open in the seventh, with Tulsa taking a 9-4 lead, on a three run homer by Sanchez. It proved to be the nail in the coffin for Amarillo. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

Editor's note: College Baseball Nation is joined by guest writer, Riley Zayas, for coverage of the Texas Collegiate League. Riley Zayas is a high school freshman and freelance journalist from Round Rock, Texas. He began his journalism career as a Sports Illustrated Kid reporter and has since become a regular contributor to Horns Illustrated, covering Texas Longhorn sports. His work also includes Fellowship of Christian Athletes publications, his personal blog 360 Sports, and Sports Spectrum, a national christian sports magazine and website. He is passionate about all things sports and can be followed on Twitter at @ZayasRiley. Family is a key part of Kelby Weyler’s life. It was one of the main reasons why he ended up transferring to Lamar after one season at Rice. Over the course of the past two months, after 32 games, and contests in three states, Weyler has found a second family—his summer baseball league family, the Brazos Valley Bombers. The coaches, his teammates, the atmosphere at Travis Field, have all contributed to make this his “best summer yet.” “I’ve loved playing here,” said Weyler. “This is for sure the best summer ball experience of my life.” It’s not hard to understand why. Weyler has been the starting shortstop for the South Division champions, helping the Bombers to two straight victories over San Antonio earlier this week to clinch a spot in the Texas Collegiate League Championship game. On top of that team success, he has also etched his name into the record books, winning the league batting title with a regular season average of .367. “I’ve loved playing here. This is for sure the best summer ball experience of my life.” -Kelby Weyler Throughout the season, the battle for the top batting average was a battle back and forth between Weyler and Round Rock’s Ryan Hernandez. Heading into the final game of the season against Victoria Sunday night, he controlled his own destiny. Hernandez’s season was over; a result of the decision by Round Rock to cancel the remainder of its season. All Weyler needed was a 2-for-4 day at the plate, and he would jump from .362 to .367, besting Harnandez’s mark of .364. Prior to that night’s game, he described himself as anxious, just wanting to get out there and start the game, while also keeping in mind how crucial this final game was to the Bombers’ playoff goals. “It was a little bit of both,” said Weyler. “I wanted to win that game so we could clinch that spot but in the back of my mind, I knew I needed to have a good night, go 2-for-4, to win it, It was more an anxious feeling. I was ready to get locked in and go out there and play. I wasn’t pressing to get hits or anything, I just stayed with my same approach but I knew in the back of my mind [what I had to do]. After that first at bat, I knew ‘If I start the game with a hit, I’m definitely winning it’.” Not coincidentally, that night also marked a great moment in team history as well, as Brazos Valley clinched the regular season South Division title, punching their ticket into the TCL playoffs with an 11-1 victory. That high level of success, six TCL titles in the last seven seasons, has started with the coaching staff. Former head coach Brian Nelson, who served as league commissioner in 2020 and recently announced that he would join Oakland University as an assistant, was a key piece in that success. He was the team’s head coach for both the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Now in 2020, former assistant James Dillard has taken over. Weyler attributes a large amount of the team’s chemistry this season to the coaching staff and their player-first approach. “I’m really thankful for the opportunity my coaches have given me,” said Weyler. “They have been really good, they’ve treated us really well and done a great job of letting us work on what we need to work on each game. That’s really nice to see here in summer ball. If we need to work on something one day, they’re not drilling us about ‘You need to do this and that’, but rather just letting us know “You got it, keep working on what you need to work on’.” That attitude has allowed players like Weyler to have breakout seasons at the plate, and their consistent approach has led to a .267 team batting average. In fact, in the two-game playoff series against San Antonio, the Bombers totaled 13 hits, and 19 walks. On Wednesday night in Bryan, Texas, the Bombers won the South division title, in front of their home crowd. “It was awesome,” Weyler said of Wednesday’s win. “Whenever it is a playoff game, everybody just gives a little bit more. It was a great atmosphere both at San Antonio and at home, and we got after it early and were able to maintain those leads. It was a lot of fun and was a great atmosphere to be a part of.”’ For Weyler, this summer has been just the beginning of what looks to be a successful college career. He has not yet played a full season of college baseball, though he will be a senior this fall. He suffered a season-ending injury during his freshman year at Rice, sat out the next while transferring and saw Covid-19 sweep away what was shaping up to be a promising campaign in 2020. Despite all of this, Weyler sees the transition from Rice to Lamar as a major positive, not only because it brought him closer to family but also because it gave him a full year to improve his craft before officially suiting up for the Cardinals. “My main decision mostly was so that I could be closer to family,” Weyler told College Baseball Nation. “I’m a big family guy. I went in at Rice and played opening weekend actually. Then I got hurt and was out for the season. I was living in Houston, obviously during baseball season, you’re just staying there and I wasn’t real happy with not being able to see family and friends, and I wasn’t playing either. I was pretty histstant to transfer because I was going to have to sit out another year, after having sat out almost my whole freshman season when I got hurt. I was thinking, ‘Do I want to go through that again?’ Ultimately, transferring was the best decision for me. I got another year under my belt, get to train and focus and refine my whole game. Coming into this year, I realized having to sit out wasn’t that terrible because my hitting coach and I pretty much built my swing and got it to where it is now and I’ve been able to find success with it. {Transferring] was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.” That new swing has shown improvement in big ways, and will continue heading into the TCL Championship against Tulsa, scheduled for Saturday night in Bryan. Weyler will look to help his team finish this summer on a high note, hopefully earning the franchise’s seventh championship title. Currently, the Bombers are riding a five game win streak, playing competitive baseball, and feature a squad that wins games by committee, with everyone contributing. Regardless of win or lose, though, Weyler is simply appreciative of the opportunity he has been given this summer, especially when the majority of premier leagues across the country have cancelled their seasons. “It has been really cool that we’ve been able to play,” said Weyler. “For 9 of the 10 teams in the league to finish the season, that’s been pretty awesome. The level of play that we’ve been playing at has been so high. Typically everyone is spread out across the country but right now, since we’re one of the only leagues playing we have some premier arms, premier position players playing right here in our league. It’s been really cool to get that experience.” As he heads into next season representing Lamar, Kelby Weyler will use the momentum he has gained over this summer to help him claim a starting role with the Cardinals and hold his own in what he hopes to be his first full season at the college level. "I’m definitely going to go in with some confidence and momentum and feel really prepared going into my first full season next year.” -Kelby Weyler “I know [playing in the TCL] has given me a little more confidence going into it, knowing what I can do. I’m definitely going to go in with some confidence and momentum and feel really prepared going into my first full season next year.” Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

On Friday, the White Sox announced three roster moves, including the contract purchase of former Tennessee ace, Garrett Crochet, from their training facility. Crochet marks the first call-up from the 2020 MLB Draft class that featured several elite arms. Crochet was drafted eleventh in the first round of the shortened 2020 MLB Draft and is rated the #96 overall prospect in professional baseball by MLBPipeline.com. The 6' 6" hurler had 36 appearances in his time with Tennessee, including 132 IP with 149 K. Crochet's pitching arsenal features a lethal fastball/slider combination with a fastball touching 99 MPH. Crochet appeared in one game from Tennessee during the 2020 college baseball season. He threw 3.1 innings with six strikeouts and zero runs in a March 7th outing against Wright State. Crochet missed time early in the season due to shoulder soreness. When Crochet debuts, he will be just the 22nd player to skip the minor leagues and make his professional debut at the major league level since 1965. The minor league seasons were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Crochet joins the first-place Chicago White Sox, who have already clinched their first postseason appearance since 2008. White Sox GM Rick Hahn had high praises for Crochet, who will likely play a bullpen role in the 2020 season. “He’s done an excellent job in Schaumburg,” said Hahn. "We want to spend the last 10 days of the season seeing if he potentially could help us out of the pen here, not only for the next week and a half but possibly in the postseason." While the plan for the 2020 season is to pitch Crochet out of the bullpen, the long-term plan has Crochet as part of the rotation, according to Hahn. “We still view him long term as a starter. This is not his ultimate home in terms of the major-league pen, but we do think he has the potential to make us stronger over the next several weeks.” UPDATE: Crochet made his MLB debut Friday night. He threw one perfect inning with two strikeouts. Crochet threw six pitches over 100 MPH and touched 101.5 MPH. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

On Thursday, Ole Miss announced the suspension of baseball activities until October 8th due to an outbreak of COVID-19. The announcement comes six days after the start of fall practice and exactly one month into academic year at Ole Miss. Said Head Coach Mike Bianco, "Player safety is priority number one for our program, and we will take all of the necessary measures to return these players to full health." Ole Miss has not provided the exact number of positive tests but has planned a two-week hiatus to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and allow players to recover. "This two-week break will provide us an opportunity to evaluate our team protocols to ensure we are doing everything we can do to be safe while reinforcing with our players to be mindful of their personal activities both on and off campus," said Bianco. RELATED: NCAA Labels College Baseball "Medium Contact Risk Sport" So far, the university has reported a total of 706 cases, including 30 active cases among students. Ole Miss is ranked fourth in College Baseball Nation's way-too early top 25 and will look to compete at the top of the SEC in 2021. Ole Miss joins #1 Florida in pausing baseball activities. The Gators suspended baseball activities on September 15th after an uptick in cases on the campus and within the program. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

UPDATE: Kendall Rogers with DI Baseball is reporting that the Big Ten has cancelled all non-conference matchups for the 2021 season. With that update, Louisiana Tech loses their home opener versus Illinois. Louisiana Tech released its 2021 college baseball schedule on Thursday, providing the first look at the 2021 college baseball season as a whole. The Bulldogs will host Illinois, McNeese State, Army, Arkansas, and Ole Miss among others in non-conference play at their new stadium. Louisiana Tech's previous stadium was catastrophically damaged by an EF-3 tornado last year. Louisiana Tech will also visit Tulane for a weekend series and LSU for a midweek game. Louisiana Tech will begin their 24-game Conference USA slate on March 26 on the road at Southern Miss who they will also face at home three weeks later. The Bulldogs will play 15 games against teams either in College Baseball Nation's Way-Too-Early Top 25 or under consideration for the top 25. Interestingly, there are no clear signs of any deviations from a normal baseball schedule for the Bulldogs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their schedule maintains the typical 56 games and has no obvious adjustments to travel plans. Additionally, the Bulldogs' opening weekend is February 19-21, the earliest allowable weekend for the 2021 season. Multiple sources have told College Baseball Nation that some conferences may choose to limit non-conference games and supplement their schedules with additional conferences games. Arkansas' head coach, Dave Van Horn mentioned in a press conference that the SEC is considering four-game weekend series for conference play as a way to ensure a minimum number of games for SEC teams if other conferences or teams were to cancel their seasons. No conference has announced official changes to their 2021 conference schedules. Regardless, Louisiana Tech's schedule release suggests that the Bulldogs and Conference USA are moving full steam ahead for now for the 2021 college baseball season. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

The Ivy League announced on Thursday that the start of spring sport competition will be delayed until at least March 1. Citing concerns around the spread of COVID-19, the Ivy League Council of Presidents released a statement announcing the delay. Along with the delay of spring sport competition, the Ivy League announced the cancellation of all winter sport competition, including basketball. One head coach, not affiliated with the Ivy League, shared with College Baseball Nation that potential loss of revenue from college basketball would be concerning for college baseball. While spring sport competition has been delayed until March 1, "[a]thletics training opportunities and practices for enrolled student-athletes will be permitted," according to a press release from the Ivy League. In 2020, most teams began play on February 14 in 2020; however, no Ivy League teams played until the following weekend. The earliest allowable game day for the 2021 season is February 19, so the delay of the start of competition until March 1 for Ivy League teams likely only removes one weekend from most teams' schedules. The Ivy League was the first conference to cancel spring sport competition in 2020 and has taken the most cautious approach of any conference to the restart of college athletics. Read the full statement from the Ivy League Council of Presidents: Throughout the last nine months, we have asked our campus communities to make extraordinary adjustments in order to do our part in combating the global pandemic and to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our students, faculty members, staff and the communities in which they live and work. Regrettably, the current trends regarding transmission of the COVID-19 virus and subsequent protocols that must be put in place are impeding our strong desire to return to intercollegiate athletics competition in a safe manner. Student-athletes, their families and coaches are again being asked to make enormous sacrifices for the good of public health — and we do not make this decision lightly.While these decisions come with great disappointment and frustration, our commitment to the safety and lasting health of our student-athletes and wider communities must remain our highest priority. We look forward to the day when intercollegiate athletics — which are such an important part of the fabric of our campus communities — will safely return in a manner and format we all know and appreciate. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

The University of Northern Colorado announced on Wednesday the addition of former American League Manager of the Year, Jeff Banister, to their staff. Banister, who most recently worked as a special assistant for the Pittsburgh Pirates, joins Northern Colorado as the Director of Player Development. Banister led the Texas Rangers to back-to-back American League West Division titles in 2015 and 2016, clinching the 2015 title on the last day of the season. The 2015 turnaround for the Texas Rangers led to Banister winning American League Manager of the Year, and the Rangers subsequently earned the best regular season record in the American League in 2016. The Rangers were eliminated by the Toronto Blue Jays in the Division Series both years. Banister brings with him a wealth of baseball experience, having worked in the majors for over two decades with the Pittsburgh Pirate and Texas Rangers. The hiring of Banister by Northern Colorado reflects a broader commitment to improving player development. The Bears last had a player drafted in 2018 and have only had 24 total players drafted in program history. The hiring of Banister by Northern Colorado reunites him with Northern Colorado head coach, Carl Iwasaki. The two first worked together 25 years ago in the Hawaiian Winter Baseball League. In addition to Banister, Northern Colorado also added Dan Martony as pitching coach and Danny-David Linahan as assistant coach this offseason. Both Martony and Linahan are transitioning from Abilene Christian University. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

In a move likely to have support from players and coaches alike, the 2021 MLB Draft has been officially pushed back until July 11-13th, one month later in the year than the 2020 draft which was held this past June. The draft will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, allowing for the combination of draft with the MLB All-Star game, which will be hosted by the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. After a five-round draft in 2020, the 2021 MLB Draft will be closer to the typical 40 rounds. Per an agreement between the MLB and the MLB Players Association, the 2021 draft must have at least 20 rounds and is expected to have somewhere between 20 and 30 rounds. Of import to college baseball players and coaches, delaying the draft to July means that the draft will no longer interfere with the college baseball postseason. Gone are the anxious moments when players are drafted while battling it out in a Regional. Stanford's Kyle Stowers was drafted while on deck at the 2019 Stanford Regional. Additionally, a July draft opens the door for a later start to the college baseball season. Spearheaded by Michigan head coach, Erik Bakich, the New Baseball Model, among other things, proposes pushing the opening weekend of the college baseball season to mid-March. With the likely elimination of the Rookie-level leagues and short-season from professional baseball, the last major barriers to a later college baseball season have been removed. Bakich has already been in discussion with other prominent head coaches, including Ole Miss's Mike Bianco and Oklahoma State's Josh Holliday. His plan is likely to have broad support from cold-weather coaches but will need the support of southern leagues to gain traction. The earliest proposed adoption of the New Baseball model is for the 2022 season, but there is a possibility that the 2021 season will offer an opportunity to test it out earlier. While one source from a powerhouse team relayed to College Baseball Nation that scheduling is proceeding as usual for the 2021 season, a source from a mid-major program suggested that there might be some changes, including fewer games and less travel, in 2021. Perhaps this opens the window for a later start to the 2021 college baseball season. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

We sat down with author, Heath Clary, to learn about his experience writing, All It Takes is Everything You've Got. At the heart of any good story is first-hand experience, and author, Heath Clary, had the experience of a lifetime in 2019. From fall ball to the postseason, Clary had access to every one of Texas A&M's practices, team meetings, and games. In the confines of Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park and all around the country, Clary experienced, up-close-and-personal, a year in the life of an Aggie baseball player. All of his experiences, interviews, and insights ended up in his debut book, All It Takes Is Everything You've Got. Clary's personal journey is quite impressive itself. From a student newspaper writer to online reporter for TexAgs.com to published author, Clary developed into a seasoned college baseball reporter during his time at Texas A&M. While ordinary students may spend their senior year relishing in their last bit of freedom before entering the real world, Clary was not ordinary. Clary capitalized on his excellent relationship with the Aggie baseball coaching staff to craft a once in a lifetime experience. "Instead of just covering the team as a regular beat writer again, maybe they'll let me do this . . . and they welcomed me with open arms."     -Heath Clary, Author of All It Takes is Everything You've Got While Clary enjoyed his time as a beat writer and feature writer for the subscription-based online sporting news source, TexAgs.com, he was looking for something more his senior year. "Instead of just covering the team as a regular beat writer again, maybe they'll let me do this . . . and they welcomed me with open arms." Clary made the most of his unprecedented access. From the physically demanding "Program" that Aggie baseball players must endure in the fall to the ups and downs of the season in the spring, Clary left no stone unturned. Perhaps most striking is the genuineness of his story-telling. Quotes from players (former and current), the Aggie Baseball coaching staff, and rival coaches (including TCU's Jim Schlossnagle and Arkansas's Dave Van Horn) fill the pages with first-person accounts. "I hope we can give you a special season to write about." -Texas A&M Head Baseball Coach, Rob Childress None of this would have been possible without the support of the coaching staff and players. Aggie Baseball Head Coach Rob Childress was on board from the start. After just a few minute conversation with Clary, Coach Childress was all in. "I hope we can give you a special season to write about," said Childress. Childress and the Aggies did not disappoint. The Aggies returned to a Regional for the 13th straight season in 2019 and scored one of the most unbelievable comebacks in college baseball history. Clary's book hits its climatic high with Bryce Blaum's walkoff grand slam of West Virginia which capped off a comeback victory for the Aggies from 9-1 down. The book is littered with exciting moments like this from the Aggies' 2019 season and remarkably captures the emotional ride that is a college baseball season. What's next for Clary? Clary admits that "it will be a little bit weird not being inside the program . . . but whatever I do, I will continue to write." It is my hope that Clary continues his writing in the world of college baseball because his talents will be needed as the sport continues to grow. Not only does Clary's book offer incredible insight into Texas A&M's baseball program, it also reveals what life looks like as a college baseball player in the SEC and across the country. If you're an Aggie fan, baseball fan, or sports fan in general, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of All It Takes is Everything You've Got. Pick up a copy of Clary's book here! Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

Editor's note: College Baseball Nation is joined by guest writer, Riley Zayas, for coverage of the Texas Collegiate League. Riley Zayas is a high school freshman and freelance journalist from Round Rock, Texas. He began his journalism career as a Sports Illustrated Kid reporter and has since become a regular contributor to Horns Illustrated, covering Texas Longhorn sports. His work also includes Fellowship of Christian Athletes publications, his personal blog 360 Sports, and Sports Spectrum, a national christian sports magazine and website. He is passionate about all things sports and can be followed on Twitter at @ZayasRiley. After hundreds of games, a late start, and the addition of six new teams, the Texas Collegiate League playoffs have finally arrived. The playoffs look to be more competitive than ever, with four unique teams, three of them being new to the league, and one being the defending league champion. Three series of exciting baseball are set to be played across Texas and Oklahoma. South Division Championship: Brazos Valley vs. San Antonio Game 1: Brazos Valley Bombers vs. San Antonio Flying Chanclas - 8/4 7:05 PM CT @ Wolff Stadium Game 2: San Antonio Flying Chanclas vs. Brazos Valley Bombers - 8/5 7:05 PM CT @ Travis Field *Game 3 (if necessary): San Antonio Flying Chanclas vs. Brazos Valley Bombers - 8/6 7:05 PM CT @ Travis Field Overview This series will be a rematch of one that took place from July 21-26, and resulted in the Bombers winning the series 4-2. In all three contests played in Bryan, Brazos Valley came out victorious, a sign that game two, and possibly game three, will be an uphill battle for the Flying Chanclas. Regardless, each team has its strengths, and while San Antonio enters this game as the underdog, this will be an evenly matched series for the South division title. 3 Keys for Brazos Valley Stick to small ball- Second in the league in stolen bases, the Bombers need to make the most of every baserunner. In addition, Brazos Valley is currently first in the league in sacrifice flies. Depth in the bullpen- Using the bullpen efficiently has been the key all season for Brazos Valley. The more pitchers San Antonio has to adjust to, the easier it will be to keep them guessing at the plate. It will also preserve some of the Bombers’ top arms. Do not lose the momentum- This goes without saying but once San Antonio gets on a roll offensively, it can quickly result in multiple runs being scored in the blink of an eye. The Bombers need to put an end to any kind of offensive outburst before it gets out of hand in order to stay competitive in these games. 3 Keys for San Antonio Use the shift- Brazos Valley can hit well, but the majority of the lineup will be pull hitters, so San Antonio making a proper adjustment in the infield to counter that will likely result in the Bombers trying to hit more to the opposite field, and take them out of their comfort zone. Make the most of the depth- With 13 players batting over .200 (with a min of 19 ABs), San Antonio has all the depth they need in the lineup. In a must-win series, it will be crucial that the right players are put out in the field. Having added depth should make this easier, considering manager Tom Holliday can mix and match his lineup based on who is hitting well, rather than having to put the offense on the shoulders of just a few players. Eliminate the hits- When it comes to pitching, Marcelo Perez will be San Antonio's ace. All season, he has allowed just one run. The one weak area for him, and the pitching staff in general has been allowing high totals of hits. That can not happen against Brazos Valley. In the three game sweep in Bryan two weeks ago, the Flying Chanclas simply allowed too many hits. If that happens, the bulk of the pressure will be put on the offense, a dangerous thing, especially against a very talented Bombers bullpen. North Division Championship: Tulsa vs. Amarillo Game 1: Amarillo Sod Squad vs. Tulsa Drillers - 8/4 7:05 PM CT @ ONEOK Field Game 2: Tulsa Drillers vs. Amarillo Sod Squad - 8/5 7:05 PM CT @ Hodgetown *Game 3 (if necessary): Tulsa Drillers vs. Amarillo Sod Squad - 8/6 7:05 PM CT @ Hodgetown Overview This series is set to be a showdown in the North. The Sod Squad have far and away established themselves as the TCL’s top team, the only team to lose fewer than 10 games and win more than 20. However, Tulsa has been on the verge of being competitive all season, and seen contributions from a variety of players. Winning their lone home game of the series in game one will be crucial to the Drillers’ chances to come up with the big upset. 3 Keys for Tulsa Eliminating Amarillo’s Power hitters- All season, Amarillo has relied on a high-powered offense to score runs and win high-scoring games. Tulsa can not let that happen in this series, and must rely on stellar pitching to accomplish that. In addition, high pitches in the strike zone have been an achilles heel for the Sod Squad throughout the season, and is exactly where Tulsa’s pitchers will want to be throwing. Hitting with runners on base- A challenge this season for the Drillers has been hitting with runners on base, as they’ve stranded eight or more runners in four of the last five games. Smart baserunning- One reason for Tulsa’s lack of scoring (ranked 7th in TCL in runs scored) is the fact that the Drillers also lead the TCL in runners caught stealing. In a must-win series, where every baserunner counts, that style could easily result in scoring two or three less runs, and ultimately losing the ballgame against an Amarillo team that is strong at the plate. 3 Keys for Amarillo Using hitting to their advantage- On paper, the Sod Squad are much better at the plate than the Drillers. In order to avoid an upset here, Amarillo must hit well under pressure, and build its lineup around the core of Miller-Green and twins Julio and David Marcano, who have proven themselves at the plate and are expected to start every game of this series. Starting Pitching- Having a good starter on the mound is crucial to the Sod Squad’s game plan; to score early and keep the Drillers at bay, especially for the first five or six innings. There are four main starters who could play this role during this series; Jake Suddreth (West Texas A&M), Tyler Myrick (FIU), Cooper Harris (West Texas A&M), and Kerry Boykins (Grambling State). Embrace the opposite field hitting- On multiple occasions, Amarillo has shown an exceptional ability to find the gaps in the defense and hit to the opposite field. That is one reason for the .280 team batting average and 160 RBI and high-octane offense. All-TCL Regular Season Team As the Texas Collegiate League regular season has come to close, here are our picks for the all-TCL team: C-Ricardo Leonett, Western Kentucky, Texarkana (.341 Avg) 1B-Ryan Hernandez, Houson, Round Rock (.364 Avg, 6 HRs) 2B-Matthew Garcia, Bethune-Cookman, Amarillo Sod Dogs (.351 Avg) 3B-Enrique Porchas, Bethune-Cookman, Amarillo Sod Dogs (19 RBI) SS-Kelby Weyler, Lamar, Brazos Valley (.367 Avg) OF-Isaiah Oretega-Jones, Texas State, Frisco (16 RBI) OF-Julio Marcano, NJIT, Amarillo Sod Squad (24 Runs scored) OF-Ediardo Acosta, Lubbock Christian, Amarillo Sod Dogs (25 RBI) UTIL- Jonathan Tapia, UT-San Antonio, San Antonio (.356 Avg) SP-Chandler Best, Southern Miss, Acadiana (1.99 ERA) SP-Garrett Crowley, Fordham, Tulsa (3-0, 28 strikeouts) SP-Marcelo Perez, TCU, San Antonio (0.44 ERA, 5 starts) RP-Zach Poe,. Paris Junior College, Brazos Valley (1.22 ERA, 14.2 IP) RP-Hunter Meche, LSU-Alexandria, Acadiana (10 appearances, 1.09 ERA) RP-John Cheatwood, Marshall, Brazos Valley (17 strikeouts, 0.00 ERA, 13 IP) Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

Editor's note: College Baseball Nation is joined by guest writer, Riley Zayas, for coverage of the Texas Collegiate League. Riley Zayas is a high school freshman and freelance journalist from Round Rock, Texas. He began his journalism career as a Sports Illustrated Kid reporter and has since become a regular contributor to Horns Illustrated, covering Texas Longhorn sports. His work also includes Fellowship of Christian Athletes publications, his personal blog 360 Sports, and Sports Spectrum, a national christian sports magazine and website. He is passionate about all things sports and can be followed on Twitter at @ZayasRiley. Weyler wins TCL Batting Title Kelby Weyler came from behind to clinch the TCL Batting Title on the final night of the season. With just three points more than Round Rock’s Ryan Hernandez, the Lamar infielder hit .367 on the season, with 36 hits and 18 runs scored. It was a fitting end to the season, as Weyler’s impressive .367 average is now tied for fourth in league history. The shortened season certainly helped to keep his average high, but the amount of great arms in the league increased dramatically this season. Frisco Ruled ineligible for postseason In a frustrating decision made by league administrators on Saturday, the Frisco Roughriders were declared ineligible for the postseason. The ruling was made after 13 of Frisco’s games were either cancelled or forfeited this summer. Several of those forfeits were during the multiple instances in which the team had a member of the front office tested positive for Covid-19. That caused Frisco to play the majority of its season without fans at Dr. Pepper Ballpark. Despite these challenges, the Roughriders were a talented team, and finished their inaugural TCL campaign with an 11 game win streak. Without this ruling, the Roughriders would have been the North’s second team in the playoffs. Instead, Tulsa will take that spot. Frisco becomes the league’s second team to end its season prematurely here in 2020. Also on Saturday, the Round Rock Hairy Men made the tough decision to cancel the rest of its season after at least two players tested positive. Hitter of the Week: Isaiah Ortega-Jones, Texas State, Frisco The outfielder led the way in Frisco’s five wins this week, hitting two home runs to go along with 10 runs scored and five RBI. It was a breakout performance for the Texas State Bobcat, who raised his batting average from .255 to .314 over the course of the week. Pitcher of the Week: Marcelo Perez, TCU, San Antonio Perez was solid in his lone start for the Flying Chanclas, picking up his first win of the season over the Amarillo Sod Squad Wednesday. Through six innings of work, he shutout the potent Sod Squad offense, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out eight. His ERA has been near-perfect all season long, and was lowered to 0.44 thanks to a great performance on the mound. He looks to be a key factor as San Antonio battled Brazos Valley for the South division title this week. Power Rankings Amarillo Sod Squad, 21-9- Riding a three game win streak, the Sod Squad is undoubtedly the league’s top team. Having fought for first place in the North division, the Sod Squad head into the playoffs with the best record in the league, and momentum on their side. Brazos Valley Bombers, 19-11- The Bombers have been consistent all season, even in the ultra-competitive South division. That has panned out, as the decision by the Round Rock Hairy Men to back out of the season after positive Covid-19 tests, put Brazos Valley in first place in the South, with home field advantage in the playoffs. Tulsa Drillers, 17-13- The Drillers did not reach the goals they had set out to achieve, especially with a stacked roster, but find themselves with a chance to win the title despite finishing the season in third place. That comes after Frisco was declared ineligible for the postseason as a result of multiple forfeits on the season. That is a positive for the squad led by former Texas pitching coach Greg Holliday, who has kept Tulsa in the hunt throughout the season. San Antonio Flying Chanclas, 16-12- The Flying Chanclas are in a similar situation to Tulsa in the sense that they finished third in the South yet still made the playoffs with the decision by Round Rock. San Antonio has been solid at the plate, batting .249 on the season. Round Rock Hairy Men 16-13- While the final three games of the season were cancelled, nothing can take away from the poise and dominance Round Rock showed in the three game sweep of Brazos Valley earlier in the week. With those three key wins, the Hairy Men vaulted into first place in the South, and needed only one victory in the weekend series against San Antonio to make the playoffs. After multiple players tested positive for Covid-19, though, the team made the decision to cancel the rest of its inaugural campaign. Frisco Roughriders, 16-11- If there is a way to go out, it is with a five game win streak like Frisco did. While the squad did not make the playoffs, Frisco had a successful season, despite having to battle through positive tests and closing the games to the public. Through all of that, the Riders managed to find a way to finish the season. Acadiana Cane Cutters, 15-14- Acadiana held its own in a tough division, and simply did not have enough fire power from its bats to contend with the other hard hitting teams in the South. Behind great pitching, the Cane Cutters fought from start to finish, and surprised a lot of opponents along the way. Amarillo Sod Dogs, 15-15- The Sod Dogs collapsed in the last week of the season, and seemed to have lost all the momentum built up throughout the year when the Sod Squad took control of the North division. Over the final 10 games of the season, the Sod Dogs went 4-6. Victoria Generals, 9-21- The Generals posted the lowest team batting average in the league (.217) and it affected them throughout the summer. The lack of firepower offensively made it a challenge to contend with many of their power-hitting counterparts in the South and played a role in the 9-21 record. Texarkana Twins, 4-26- The Twins never could find a way to get over the hump. The 4-26 record says it all. Texarkana fought hard but ended up on the losing end more often than not. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content! If you like what you are seeing from us and want to support us, consider becoming a Patreon supporter. 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