Texas A&M baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle leaving for Texas (2024)

Texas A&M head baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle is taking the vacant coaching position at Texas, A&M athletic director Trev Alberts confirmed in a statement Tuesday.

“After our baseball team arrived back in College Station earlier today, Jim informed me of his desire to leave Texas A&M,” Alberts said in the statement. “While we are certainly disappointed, we are grateful for his contributions in helping our baseball program reach unprecedented heights. Baseball success is important to everyone associated with Texas A&M, we will not stop in our pursuit of excellence and our commitment to baseball will not waiver.”

Texas later confirmed the hiring with a post on social media.

The move comes a day after Schlossnagle’s Aggies lost in Game 3 of the College World Series finals to Tennessee, marking the longest postseason run in A&M history. Earlier in the day, Texas announced the firing of eight-year head coach David Pierce after he led the Longhorns to a 36-24 record this season and a third-place finish in the Big 12.

Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte served in the same role at TCU through the majority of Schlossnagle’s tenure as head coach of the Horned Frogs.

“I would like to thank General Welsh, Trev Alberts and the 12th Man for an incredible experience during my time at Texas A&M,” Schlossnagle said in a statement released by A&M athletics. “Although I know many will be upset with my decision, I chose to make a change to join a longtime friend to continue my career as a college baseball coach. The run to the National Championship game was truly a remarkable one this year, and I will savor the memories and true friendships I have made there for a lifetime.”

The news of Schlossnagle’s departure was first reported by Horns 247.

In the third year of his contract that runs through 2029, the Aggie head coach has a base salary of $1.35 million, per his contract obtained by The Eagle via open records request. That raises to $1.4 million in year four.

Since Schlossnagle terminated the contract without cause and took a job at another university in Texas, his buyout becomes twice the amount of his base salary, at the time. This season, it would be $2.7 million.

Monday, after A&M’s loss to Tennessee, Schlossnagle angrily rebutted questions about his coaching future.

“I left my family to be the coach at Texas A&M,” Schlossnagle said, when asked about his future. “I took the job at Texas A&M to never take another job again and that hasn’t changed in my mind. … I gave up a big part of my life to come take this job and I’ve poured every ounce of my soul in this job. I’ve given this job every single ounce I can possibly give. Write that.”

In three seasons in Aggieland, Schlossnagle compiled a 135-62 record, including a 52-38 record in SEC play. He won the SEC West in 2022, his first season, and took the Aggies to the semifinals of the College World Series. At the time, it was the deepest postseason run in A&M history.

After losing in the Stanford Regional in 2023, Schlossnagle’s Aggies posted a 53-15 overall record and played for the program’s first national championship in 130 years of history.

In 23 seasons as a head coach, Schlossnagle has an overall record of 945-451, notching his 900th win this season. He has gone to seven College World Series between TCU and Texas A&M.

“We will find a great leader and excellent coach to head up this proud Aggie baseball program,” Alberts said in the statement.

A&M infielder and 12th Man Ryan Targac said on X that he found out via social media and had no idea the move was coming.

Texas A&M pitcher Chris Cortez posted his thoughts on the news after the initial reports came out.

“This should not take away from what this 2024 Texas A&M baseball team has done,” Cortez posted. “The players make the team, not the coaches. Less than 24 hours ago we were one of the last two teams standing, playing for a National Championship. Nothing can take that away from us.”