Aggie baseball assistants Justin Seely & Chad Caillet preview 2020 season

Key notes from Justin Seely interview

• When you go through coaching searches, you don't just go online and look up stats. You go find people that you trust. The things that came back about Chad... He got rave reviews. We had a few recruiting trips and conversations, and we felt good about him as a coach, a recruiter, a father and a husband. We knew he could help us accomplish what we want to do. We needed to do something different with this hire, and Caillet fit everything we were looking for.
   
• I was talking to Chad about our team, trying to sell him on coming here. One thing that stands out is that we have great experience and great talent. Hunter Coleman isn't the most athletic guy, but he has an elite baseball IQ, and that's huge to us. We have the personnel and veterans to help bring up the younger players and learn what we're trying to do. We can unlock that potential and have an excellent team this year.
   
• I'm glad the season didn't start in the fall because we had a few guys that were banged up. Ray Alejo had a rough time healing, but we're glad we got him back because he's going to play very fast and very well. He's had trouble putting the ball in play at times, but he's been putting it in-game very well so far this spring, so we're excited to see what he can do. Logan Britt has been turning it up a notch this spring as well, and he is making strides, so we're excited for him as well.
   
• The talk around the team will be about Asa Lacy, and rightfully so because he has earned it, but Christian Roa is going to make a name for himself through his hard work and his performance this season. There are a few things behind the scenes that may have affected his performance last year and altered his consistency, but those things aren't affecting him as much anymore. They are a heck of a one-two punch, and those two guys will represent this team very well at the forefront.
   
• I think we have a few guys that will be fighting it out for that Sunday starting role. It's a great competition right now, and the bullpen is coming together. We have guys battling and earning some of the late innings. A few of our guys are having great springs, so pitching is going to be a strength for us once again.
   
• We're cautiously optimistic about Will Frizzell. He did everything possible to be an available option for this team last year, and it was hard on him. Thankfully, he's in a much better place today than he was last year, mainly because of what we're asking him to do. I don't think we realized how big the burden was on him last year, and that burden is gone. He's doing much better now.
   
• Typically, I will run the offense from the dugout, but once guys get on base, Chad and Cliff will have the freedom to do what they want. Cliff Pennington has been a very nice addition for us with his baseball knowledge. He's been around the game forever, so he has a lot to offer this team. We're going to pick up the pace. We're going to get thrown out on the bases, but we don't care. We're going to be aggressive, but I think it's going to pay off for this team in the long run.

Key notes from Chad Caillet interview

• I was honored to get the call and be offered the hitting coach position. It was a great opportunity in a great place with a lot of success. I always said it would take the right place to leave Southern Miss. I had known Coach Seely and Coach Childress before the offer, and Texas A&M speaks for itself. It was not a hard decision but tough to leave home because Southern Miss was my school.
   
• On offense, our word has been tempo. We want to play fast with high energy, and that fits my personality. It's not just about stealing with guys on base. I believe the home run ball comes from rhythm though offense. We're making sense of the roles of the lineup and want to get guys at the top more at-bats and elevated pitch counts. We're going to play a step ahead and be fearless while understanding timing and taking chances when opportunities present themselves.
   
• We have good options at shortstop after the loss of Shewmake. Justin brought in great, versatile players. Trevor Werner, Logan Sartori and Bryce Blaum have been strong. Werner is an intriguing player; you'll hear his name quite a bit this season. He's fun to work with and has shown tremendous growth as a freshman to embrace the speed of the game at the plate. Looking at the strides he's made in the infield, specifically at shortstop, he might be the hardest worker I've been around.
   
• It will be a terrific season for Blaum if he can repeat last year. He's the energy guy and can be an over-worker at times. Cam Blake has been tremendous, adapting to everything we've asked. The key is to try to get the veterans not to do too much. We don't need them to step up and do more, because the offense isn't going to be about one guy. We're going to work as a unit. The vets have been open-minded, and I expect good seasons from them.
   
• Asa Lacy is a remarkable talent, and I had heard so much about him on the outside. The pitching culture here is amazing; it is not fun to intrasquad against our own arms. The pitchers are very impressive. I'm in awe of Christian Roa; we have a great one-two punch with him and Lacy.
   
• Will Frizzell takes the pressure off Hunter Coleman and Zach DeLoach to hit home runs, and he's solidifying the middle of the lineup. That allows other guys to not have to do too much. It's a relief having Frizzell back in the lineup because we don't have to chase home runs. He has limits with his knees, but this team needed a presence to get the ball in the air, and he has the ability. He's made great adjustments and is in a great place now.
   
• We have many so options off the bench, and we're excited about the competition level. We still have a lot of questions about positions. They're fighting every day; playing time is about who makes the offense run.