Texas A&M Veteran Pitcher Returning for 2026 Season

Stewart finished his junior campaign in 2024 on a high note, establishing himself as a key bullpen contributor. However, his momentum was cut short during the 2025 spring, when knee issues began surfacing. The injury lingered into the regular season and ultimately culminated in a season-ending blow early in the year against Cal Poly.

Stewart's Impact for the Aggies:

The injury was a big blow for an A&M program that struggled all year in all facets of the game. Forced to watch from the dugout, Stewart saw his team endure one of the most disappointing seasons in recent program history. Texas A&M, which entered 2025 as the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation, missed the NCAA Tournament entirely. The pitching staff struggled in his absence, finishing with a 5.58 ERA, a .276 opponent batting average, and surrendering 44 home runs.

While Stewart has become a familiar face in Aggieland, his college baseball journey began in burnt orange. He originally committed to A&M’s archrival Texas, where he made just 10 appearances as a freshman before transferring.

The move proved fruitful. Stewart quickly made a name for himself as a rotational piece for the Aggies, making 11 appearances in his first season and then taking a leap in 2024 with 25 outings. That year, he posted a 4.26 ERA across 31.2 innings, tallying 39 strikeouts and limiting hitters to a .258 average.

Most notably, Stewart was also a key piece to A&M’s historic 2024 postseason run, which saw the Aggies come one inning short of a national championship in Omaha. His postseason statline was impressive, posting a 2-2 record with 39 strikeouts and a solid 4.26 ERA across 25 relief appearances.

Stewart was expected to take a stellar role in 2025, but as already mentioned, an injury derailed all expectations.

With fellow veteran arms like Ryan Prager, Justin Lamkin, and Myles Patton expected to hear their names called in the 2025 MLB Draft, the Aggies are bracing for a significant loss in experience on the mound.

Head coach Michael Earley has already been proactive in addressing the issue, reloading the bullpen with transfer arms like Juan Vargas (Tennessee Tech), Carson Bailey (Baylor), Ethan Darden (Clemson), and Michael Bollinger Jr. (FAU). 

Bringing back a veteran like Stewart not only strengthens the staff but also provides invaluable leadership to help these new faces quickly acclimate to life in Aggieland.