New Year, New 12

Thomas Dick, Athletics Communications

Many are deserving, but there can only be one.

Now one of the highest honors for Aggie baseball, wearing 12 goes to Ryan Targac.

“Ryan was near unanimous selection by his teammates, coaches and support staff to deserve the honor of wearing 12 for the Aggies this spring,” head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “12 represents many of the great core values of Texas A&M, but most specifically being selfless service and being available at all times to help your teammates.”

Though not officially a captaincy, 12 now goes to a player who through their career has most exemplified the Core Values of Texas A&M – respect, excellence, leadership, loyalty, integrity, selfless service – all the things one looks for in a captain.

“Since Coach Schlossnagle arrived we’ve instilled that into the program,” Targac said. “It’s the University’s values, but he’s really taken extra steps to make sure it’s something we emphasize every day in how we conduct our business.”

There is not another school in the country more invested in a number than Texas A&M, Home of the 12th Man. Although for most teams at the school some thought is put in when giving someone 12, only the football team had official criteria for bestowing it on a student-athlete.

While some Aggie greats have worn 12 in the past, including the likes of Kyle Colligan, John Stilson, Cole Lankford, Corbin Martin and Joseph Menefee in recent years, the aligning of the number with the performance was more happenstance.

It wasn’t until Schlossnagle’s first year as Aggie skipper in 2022 that 12 held a special spot on the baseball roster – bestowing the honor on Troy Claunch. It will typically be awarded to a player in his last year of eligibility that has exemplified the core values of the University and program at a very high level.

“The number 12 is obviously very near and dear to Texas A&M,” Schlossnagle said. “When I arrived, I thought it would be appropriate to award 12 to someone who truly defines the core values of our University and Aggie baseball.”

After limited action as a freshman, Targac burst on the scene as part of the 2022 College World Series squad. He ranked second on the team in home runs (15), RBI (58) and stolen bases (12) in 61 games.

Targac looks to improve on his 2023 campaign, which saw his number dip from his sophomore season. As a junior, he hit .224 with 47 runs, 11 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 43 RBI and 11 stolen bases. In addition to on the field work, he is looking to bolster his leadership qualities.

“I’m working to be a more vocal leader,” Targac said. “Speaking is not my thing, but I’m definitely getting better at it. I’ve always been a lead by example kind of guy. I can still lead by example, but to be a better leader I want to be more vocal. I want to help younger guys out and point them in the right direction.”

As it stands, Targac may be the last of the Schlossnagle-era No. 12s to have played with all the prior honorees. The Hallettsville Hammer has the highest endorsement from both the Claunch and Austin Bost, last season’s 12.

“If anybody is going to be a unanimous pick to wear the coveted 12, Ryan Targac is absolutely that guy,” Claunch said. “Tar is a great player and even better teammate and friend. He is the person you want to go to battle with every day. There is nobody to better represent Texas A&M and I’m excited to watch him uphold the values and traditions of our great university with 12 on his back.”

“He’s the best,” Bost said. “One of the great guys I’ve ever played with. You can’t help but have a smile on your face when you’re around him at the field. He’s a great leader and people look up to him. He’s been loyal to this baseball team and he’s done everything in his power to win games for Texas A&M. There is no one more deserving than him and I’m happy to pass the torch to him.”

Claunch and Bost took very different routes on their way to earning the 12 jersey.

A four-year letterwinner at Oregon State, Claunch transferred to A&M in July 2021 and had no brake pedal as he went full Aggie from the start.

“Troy earned the respect of his teammates, our coaching staff and all our support staff,” Schlossnagle said. “Although we had several players with tremendous character, he stood out as the player who earned the privilege despite not arriving in Aggieland until the late summer.”

For the start of a new tradition, few can argue with the high standard Claunch set. He served as the Aggies’ starting catcher on a team that won the program’s first College World Series games since 1993 and recorded A&M’s best finish ever in Omaha. He had an all-conference worthy season, batting .292 with 46 runs, 15 doubles, three home runs and 49 RBI. But it was game-winning moments which earned him the Clutch Claunch moniker.

Bost, on the other hand, was a future Aggie for a long time. Both his parents are Texas A&M graduates and his brother Blake is a backup quarterback on the football squad. For him, the season of wearing 12 will always be cherished.

“The number 12 is such a big deal at Texas A&M,” Bost said. “It’s a privilege to have that number on your back. To be able to go out there and represent the University and the core values means a great deal to me.

Targac learned loads from the two prior 12s and he looks forward to following in their footsteps.

“Troy was an awesome leader,” Targac said. “I’ve never really had someone on a team where I could go and just have a one-on-one conversation about life in general or if you needed anything you could talk to him.

“Austin and I have been buddies for a while – ever since we walked on campus. We spent a whole summer together out in California playing baseball and grew tight then. What I’ve learned from him is ‘No matter what happens you keep going.’ If you get knocked down or have an injury or setback, it doesn’t matter. You get up and you keep going.”

Targac is also likely to be the last player from the Coach Rob Childress era to earn the distinction. After seeing limited action in his freshman campaign, the Hammer never wavered in his allegiance to Texas A&M during the coaching change following the 2021 campaign.

“This is where I wanted to be,” Targac said. “There was no thought of there being anyone we hired who could change my mind. I’m very happy we have someone who has a track record of being very successful. It’s made me better as a person. Schloss says ‘Excellence in small things is excellence in all things.’ Taking that approach in daily life has made a huge impact on me.

Targac has already etched his name in Aggie lore with his tape-measure taters. In 2022, his titanic blasts included jaw-dropping home runs of 489 and 453 feet at Vanderbilt and a 461-footer seventh-inning, game-tying dinger in a home win against Auburn. He also provided a walk-off dinger against Ole Miss in 2023. But ultimately, Targac wants to be remembered for wearing 12 while winning a College World Series.

“My goal for this year? Win it all,” Targac said. “The main reason I came back was to dog pile in Omaha.”