Gavin Grahovac’s 2026 Comeback Could Change Everything for Texas A&M

By Jake Mckeever

The 2026 Texas A&M Aggies stand to be one of the most hyped teams who missed the tournament the previous year. They returned a few key pieces, attacked the portal, and brought in one of the best assistants in Cliff Pennington.

Questions still remain around Michael Earley and the upcoming staff. But, I think the most critical piece to Texas A&M’s success lies in the return of superstar Gavin Grahovac. Luckily for Texas A&M, Grahovac is about to return to the scene as one of the best players in college baseball. 

Grahovac was one of the most electric freshmen in the nation back in 2024, helping lead the Aggies to a No. 1 national ranking while breaking the program’s freshman home run record. At the time, there was a legitimate debate between Drew Buress and Grahovac for the potential 1:1 pick.

Two years later, after an injury-plagued sophomore campaign, Grahovac’s name faded from the top of draft boards.  The new names at the top are Roch Cholowsky (UCLA), Justin Lebron (Alabama), and Drew Buress (Georgia Tech). Scouts, armed with a year of film, had time to nitpick Grahovac and find reasons not to take him. “Best raw power in the draft” turned into “He will need to fix his swing tool in his junior year.”.

I went back and watched every swing that was available via Wheels from the last two years on Grahovac. Before I give my opinion on Gavin, I should add a little context.

Grahovac didn't play in the fall of 2024 due to the injury that ultimately shut down his 2025 campaign. While he did play in Team USA that summer, his average was sub .100, and it was the end of a grueling long season and during the departure of his head coach and the hiring of his replacement. It is safe to say Gavin gets a pass to these four games, due to both his body being tired as well as his mental health. 

Looking at the swings Gavin took in 2025, it is easy to see his shoulder was still bothering him.  The opening weekend in Aggieland was miserably cold as well, a factor that can amplify pain in joint injuries due to stiffness, slower blood flow, and reduce mobility. The result? His swing looked slower and lacked the explosiveness of 2024.

In 2024, especially early, Grahovac excelled at ambushing fastballs. Back in March of that year, I wrote, “What excites me most about Grahovac is just how well he hits offspeed pitches for power.” The rewatch confirmed that impression. In Perfect Game scouting footage, Grahovac’s ability to stay back and create effortless power with his hips was on full display.

MLB draft Critics often point to Grahovac’s strikeout numbers as a freshman, with many Ks coming on offspeed pitches outside the zone. After watching nearly every SEC AB Gavin took, I view this more as a reps and approach issue than a mechanical flaw.

Gavin isn't normally on his front hip with his timing off, he instead was swinging over the top of these off-speed pitches.  There’s another 2026 draft prospect, currently ranked higher than Gavin, who has even bigger problems with off-speed. He chases, he takes hittable pitches, and his average suffers.

Grahovac’s problem isn’t recognizing spin, it’s his chase rate. With more SEC reps and a refined approach, something a high quality hitting coach like Michael Earley is famous for developing ,Grahovac has every chance to once again drive off-speed pitches for power to all fields. I think he will return to driving the off-speed for power to all fields. 

The biggest question for 2026 is whether Gavin returns to the “Dirtbag” persona he was as a freshman. While he doesn’t have shortstop-level range, he plays with fearless energy, willing to dive for everything near him. The tape makes it clear that he loves to get dirty and make a play.

But, will we still see that version of him after the shoulder injury? If Gavin Grahovac can return to form, Texas A&M instantly vaults from a talented, intriguing team to a legitimate contender in the SEC. His bat is the type of difference-maker that forces opposing pitchers to change their approach and creates space for the rest of the lineup to shine. More importantly, his presence brings back the edge and identity that made the Aggies so dangerous in 2024.

The questions about Michael Earley’s staff and the Aggies’ depth are real, but few programs in the country can boast a player with Grahovac’s ceiling. If he plays like the Dirtbag we saw as a freshman, fearless, powerful, and relentless, Texas A&M won’t just be one of the most hyped teams in 2026. They’ll be one of the most feared.

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