A Deep Dive Into Texas A&M's 1st Round Draft Picks in Recent MLB Drafts

In recent years, Texas A&M baseball has turned its program around, making it to the College World Series Championship game in 2024. The Aggies have also produced a number of first-round draft picks in recent years, with their latest pick in Jace LaViolette, who was selected No. 27 overall to the Cleveland Guardians.

With the 2025 MLB Draft underway, Texas A&M has had 242 players drafted into the MLB since 1965, while also being the only program in the nation to have three or more players drafted in each draft since 2001.

Here is a deep dive into former Aggies who are currently in the minors or majors:

Jace LaViolette, No. 27 Pick, Cleveland Guardians 2025

The most recent news is that A&M's all-time home run leader is headed to Ohio after three seasons of college baseball in Aggieland. The newest rookie had an incredible career with the Aggies, starting and playing in all 188 games the Maroon and White played last season.

In his collegiate career, LaViolette had a .285 batting average to pair with an all-time school record 68 home runs and 202 RBIs. He also led the 2025 team in runs, home runs, and RBIs.

Braden Montgomery, No. 12 Pick, Boston Red Sox 2024

The Aggies had back-to-back first-round picks in 2024 and 2025, as Braden Montgomery was drafted in the first round last draft as the overall No. 12 pick to the Boston Red Sox. He was quickly traded to the White Sox, where he spent his first professional season with the Winston-Salem Dash.

With High A, Montgomery has had a heck of an outing in the outfield as he is currently batting .261 paired with eight home runs and 33 RBIs, making a name for himself as the White Sox No. 3 prospect.

Braden Shewmake, No. 21 Pick, Atlanta Braves 2019

Before Montgomery came another Braden, Braden Shewmake. After spending three seasons with the Aggies as a shortstop, Shewmake landed the overall 21st pick of the 2019 MLB Draft, selected by the Atlanta Braves. Shewmake is now with the New York Yankees, as he is currently playing with Triple-A, while he is still on the 40-man roster for the Yankees.

Tyler Naquin, No. 15 Pick, Cleveland Indians 2012

Tyler Naquin, who has certainly made a name for himself after an eight-year MLB career, decided to go back through the entire process at 34, but this time as a pitcher. Across eight seasons, Naquin has played with four teams, his most recent the Chicago White Sox.

Michael Wacha, No. 19 Pick, St. Louis Cardinals 2012

Michael Wacha, the right-handed pitcher, has played in the majors since 2013, across six different ballclubs, his current one, the Kansas City Royals. In this season so far, Wacha has a 3.74 ERA through 19 starts, accumulating 84 strikeouts.

As the 2025 MLB Draft continues in upcoming days, we are almost sure to see more Aggies come off the board, taking the next step to their professional careers.