3 reasons why Jason Kelly would be a great fit to join Michael Earley’s staff at Texas A&M

Texas A&M Baseball moved swiftly to end their search for a new head coach following the shock exit of Jim Schlossnagle. Earlier today, the 2024 College World Series runners-up promoted assistant coach Michael Earley, making him the 21st head coach of the program.

Michael Earley will take over from Jim Schlossnagle as Texas A&M Aggies head coach.

With a new athletic director at the helm in Trev Alberts, the Aggies are keen to create solid foundations for the future, starting with Earley's support staff. One of the names in the mix is Jason Kelly, who took over as head coach of the Washington Huskies in 2022.

His experience in NCAA Baseball can be very beneficial to the Texas A&M Baseball program. Here are three reasons why Kelly will be an excellent addition to Earley's staff this season.

Three reasons why Texas A&M Baseball should sign Jason Kelly

1. Immense college baseball experience

After serving as the pitching coach for the Chico State Wildcats and Cal Poly Mustangs, Kelly became the pitching coach of the Huskies in 2012. He served the Huskies for seven seasons, during which the team made the postseason thrice and their first and only College World Series appearance in program history, which was in 2018. He also won the National Assistant Coach of the Year honor in 2018.

He also served as the Arizona State Sun Devils' pitching coach for two seasons before joining Jay Johnson's staff as the pitching coach of the LSU Tigers. He took his first head coach job at the Huskies in 2022, leading them to the postseason for the first time since 2018 in his first season.

2. Past relationship with Michael Earley

Kelly and Earley worked together as part of the Arizona State Sun Devils program for two seasons as part of then-head coach Tracy Smith's staff. While Kelly served as their pitching coach, Earley was the team's hitting coach, helping the team reach the postseason that year.

Having a familiar face with immense college baseball experience among his staff will help Earley immensely in his first season as head coach.

3. Reputation for growing draft-worthy talent

Following his first season as the Huskies' head coach, six players from the team were selected. The most notable name among them was right-handed pitcher Kiefer Lord, who went to the Baltimore Orioles as the 86th overall pick.

The Aggies possessed one of the most lethal bullpens in the country this season and with Kelly's skill set, he can continue to churn incredible arms to sustain the Aggies' competitive edge in the coming seasons.