Jace LaViolette injury update: Texas A&M star explains decision to play after surgery

Jace LaViolette left it all on the field. After suffering a broken left hand on Thursday and being ruled out for the remainder of the SEC Tournament, the Texas A&M star refused to miss the Aggies’ showdown against LSU in the quarterfinals and suited up against doctors’ initial recommendations.

In three at-bats, LaViolette recorded one hit and two RBIs. Despite LaViolette’s heroic performance, Texas A&M ultimately fell 4-3 in what was likely the Aggies’ season finale. After the game, LaViolette opened up on his decision to play through the injury.

“I got hit in the hand yesterday, broke bone in there, and got surgery and played today,” LaViolette said in a blunt recap of his past 36 hours. “… I said in an interview the other day, ‘I’d run through a brick wall for this [Texas A&M head coach Michael Earley] and I want to win. That’s about it. I just wanted to win.”

LaViolette entered this season as the preseason SEC Player of the Year and one of the highest-rated MLB prospects. While LaViolette, like the Aggies in general, didn’t necessarily meet expectations this season, he’s still projected to be a top-10 pick in the upcoming draft.

Many players would’ve opted to not risk further injury but LaViolette played through the pain for his team. Although LaViolette wasn’t able to pen the storybook ending with the Aggies that he’d hoped for, he’ll always look back on his time in College Station fondly.

“The past three years have undoubtedly been the best three years of my life,” LaViolette said. “I can’t speak enough about this university, what it’s done for me, not only as a as a baseball player, but as a person.

“It’s hard to fathom that three years ago, I came into college, and I’m leaving now a totally different person. I can’t express enough of what this university can do for you and what these coaches can do for you, and just the 12th Man — I just want to say thank you. I can’t imagine baseball without it.”

College baseball fans undoubtedly weren’t the only ones who were impressed by LaViolette’s gritty display on Friday evening. Perhaps with some luck and a full recovery, Jace LaViolette will see his draft stock rise in the coming weeks.

“Possessing as much raw power as anyone in the Draft, LaViolette is built to crush balls with a quick left-handed stroke, the strength and leverage in his impressive 6-foot-6 frame and a focus on launching pitches to his pull side… His power and solid arm strength fit the right-field profile to a tee,”  LaViolette’s draft profile on MLB.com reads.