Guardians select All-American outfielder Jace LaViolette 27th overall
All hail Lord Tubbington!
On Sunday night, Texas A&M’s Jace LaViolette became just the 15th Aggie to become a first-round selection in the MLB Draft when the Cleveland Guardians took him with the 27th overall pick.
LaViolette becomes just the seventh A&M position player to be taken in the first round of the First-Year Player Draft. Joining Braden Montgomery (12th overall in 2024), it is the first time Aggies have been taken in the first round of back-to-back drafts since Braden Shewmake (21st overall in 2019) and Asa Lacy (fourth overall in 2020)
Entering this weekend’s draft, MLB.com listed the powerful outfielder as the No. 20 draft-eligible prospect. On the 20-80 scale, he was rated 55 overall, with his power (65), arm (55) and run (55) traits standing out.
Over the course of his three seasons in Aggieland, LaViolette built a legacy that lands him among the program’s greats.
In 188 career games, he slashed .285/.432/.651 and set program records in home runs (68) and walks (169).
LaViolette’s best individual year coincided with A&M’s greatest campaign.
As the Aggies battled adversity and finished as the national runners-up in 2024, LaViolette hit .305 with 29 home runs, which ranks second in program history for a single season behind Daylan Holt’s 34 in 1999. He drove in 78 RBIs and worked a school-record 64 walks.
In Omaha that June, the star defender used every inch of his 6-foot-6 frame to steal a home run from Florida’s Cade Kurland in a nail-biting 3-2 victory. After suffering a hamstring injury vs. Kentucky, LaViolette remained in the lineup as the Aggies reached the Men’s College World Series final vs. Tennessee.
On June 23, 2024, LaViolette joined Holt and Scott Livingstone as the third Aggie to hit 50 career homers as his solo shot served as A&M’s lone run in a 4-1 series-evening loss to the Vols.
As a junior in 2025, the Katy Tompkins product hits .258 with team-best marks in homers (18) and RBIs (61).
In a 14-11 loss to Kentucky at Blue Bell Park on March 29, LaViolette stood alone as the program’s greatest power hitter, clubbing a first-inning home run off Nic McCay for the 57th of his career and officially nudging Holt’s 56 into second place on A&M’s all-time list.
Later in the year and with A&M fighting for its postseason life in the SEC Tournament vs. Auburn, a fifth-inning hit-by-pitch broke LaViolette’s left ring finger, but after a postgame surgery, he went on to play the next day vs. LSU. In a final exhibition of his toughness and embodiment of the Aggie spirit, LaViolette went 1-for-3 with two RBIs in a season-ending loss to the eventual national champions.
Racking up collegiate accolades in Aggieland, the first-rounder’s mantle includes consensus Freshman All-American honors in 2023, consensus first-team All-American honors in 2024 and multiple all-conference recognitions.
With a professional future officially on deck, Sunday further cements LaViolette’s place amongst the legends of Texas A&M baseball.
Ryan Brauninger’s scout of Jace LaViolette
“Elite athlete with a massive frame. Not many humans of his size can move the way he does. Natural outfielder that covers a ton of ground due to a great feel for jumps, then outstanding closing speed. More power than hit at the plate. Mechanical changes are likely coming, but the adjustment period should be mitigated thanks to the natural ability and mechanical efficiency shown in other areas of his game. Huge upside player.”
