Texas A&M baseball’s Hacopian recovering from hand fracture

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - When Texas A&M baseball coach Michael Earley landed former Maryland shortstop Chris Hacopian out of the transfer portal, he filled a void in the Aggie batting order left by last year’s departed draftees.

However, A&M will have to wait till the spring to see his bat in action.

Hacopian suffered a small fracture in his right hand that will keep him out of the batter’s box through fall practice, Earley said Friday.

“It’s not anything that needs surgery, just something he needs four weeks to heal,” Earley said.

Hacopian is still able to take ground balls through the offseason practice period and hit for two weeks before suffering the injury. Over usage through the summer season was potentially the culprit, according to the Aggie head coach.

Last season at Maryland, the shortstop slashed .375/.502/.656 with 14 home runs and 61 RBIs. The Aggie coaching staff believed him to be not only the best hitter in the portal, but the best overall player.

“Getting a guy like that in your program — not only because he’s a good player — but when we met him on the visit, we’re like, ‘OK, this guy fits what we do,’" Earley said. “He fits Texas A&M and we think he’s going to make us really, really good.’”

Veterans Shane Sdao and Gavin Grahovac missed most of last season due to injury, but have returned to action for the Aggies in the fall. Sdao, a left-handed arm for the Aggies, threw a 15-pitch bullpen this week after missing last season due to a surgically-repaired elbow.

He’s on a recovery plan that might allow him to throw in one of A&M’s two spring exhibitions, Earley said.

“I want to think you’ll see him live against one of the outside opponents, but possibly towards the end of our fall,” Earley said. “Then, he’ll continue to throw some live in November, probably just to our hitters. We want to make sure it’s a balance if he needs to pitch, because it’s been a really long time, but also, we need him healthy.”

Grahovac, who is likely to man third base for the Aggies this season, has returned to hitting form, according to Earley. Like Sdao, Grahovac is on a rehab plan through the fall.

“There’s going to be a point where he’s going to be getting full at-bats and that should come soon.”

A&M baseball returns to action in Blue Bell Park on Oct. 4 for an exhibition against Sam Houston, followed by another practice game against TCU on Oct. 10.