The Aggies have a lot of new faces on the infield, thanks to the transfer portal and the 2023 recruiting class. But one familiar face, at least, returns.

Virtually everyone playing catcher, any infield position or DH can hit and hit for power. Adding in the big guns in the outfield, and this is about as dangerous a lineup as Texas A&M has had in 20 more than 20 years.

One of the new faces is the likely starter at first base. Ted Burton was a third team All-Big Ten selection at second base last year, but the 6-foot-3, 200-pound infielder is making the move to first with the Aggies. While there may be questions about where he'll play, there's little doubt about whether he'll hit. Burton hit .301 with 13 HR and 45 RBI, all team highs for the Wolverines. If he can replicate that at A&M, the Aggies will be quite content.

Ryan Targac didn't hit for average last year (.224) but he still ended up with an OPS of nearly .800 as 23 of his 49 hits went for extra bases (10 HR, 11 doubles, 2 triples). He also drove in 43 runs. Targac, who is wearing number 12 this season, is likely to start at second base but could also DH. Kaden Kent, who hit .265 with a homer and 23 RBI in 28 games (23 starts) last season, could also be a serious factor at second.

Replacing Hunter Haas, who hit .302 with an OPS of better than .950 last year, at shortstop is no easy task. Still, the Aggies may have upgraded with transfer Ali Camarillo, a first team All-Big West selection in 2023. Camarillo hit .371 with 7 HR and 44 RBI last year, with an OPS of 1.032. Camarillo may not have the glove Haas did -- he had 10 errors and a .947 fielding percentage, compared to Haas' 6 errors and .974 fielding percentage -- but he's perfectly capable of making the routine plays at short and then some.

Trever Werner has gone to the pros, so the Aggies need a new third baseman. They're turning to true freshman Gavin Grahovac, who is creating buzz similar to Jace LaViolette last year. The back-to-back player of the year in California, Grahovac hit for both average and power in high school. He's picked up right where he left off at A&M, scorching pitching throughout spring training.

Max Kaufer was the youngest player in Division I baseball last year and he had his struggles at the plate, hitting .183 with 1 homer and 12 RBI. But A&M pitchers developed a rapport with Kaufer behind the plate, so he started 36 games as a true freshman. But coach Jim Schlossnagle has brought in some new competition for Kaufer in the former of senior Jackson Appel, a first team All-Ivy League selection in 2023 at Penn. Appel, a native of Houston, started all 50 games for Penn and hit .300 with 4 homers and 41 RBI. He's also highly selective at the plate and doesn't get himself out, as his nearly 1:1 (25 walks, 26 strikes) walks to strikes ratio indicates. Appel could get some at-bats at DH on days he's not behind the plate.

So who will DH? Targac and Appel both could see some time, as could redshirt freshman Blake Binderup. Binderup didn't play last year, but he's huge at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds. The power is abundant, as he hit .402 with 10 homers his senior year of high school. True freshman Jett Johnston, who scored high school pitching tot he tune of .401 with 13 HR and 48 RBI last season at Farragut (Tenn.), could also get a look.

In spite of pitching problems last season, it seemed like another consistent bat or two could've been the difference in getting back to Omaha. That shouldn't be a problem around the infield this year.