Texas A&M baseball, one of the top remaining teams in the NCAA Tournament, also has one of the best players left in the field.

Braden Montgomery has been a star since joining the program ahead of the 2024 college baseball season, batting .322 with 27 home runs and 85 RBIs as a switch-hitting outfielder for the No. 3 national seed Aggies. Montgomery, paired with fellow Texas A&M outfielder Jace LaViolette, makes up one of most lethal outfields in college baseball.

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Montgomery famously starred at Stanford for two seasons before deciding to enter the transfer portal after leading the Cardinal to the College World Series last season. Ironically, Montgomery, a former two-way player, also pitched against the Aggies in last season's Stanford Regional, as he helped the Cardinal end Texas A&M's season by earning the win after pitching 2 1/3 innings of relief.

Montgomery now will lead the Aggies to their super regional matchup with Oregon, which will be hosted in College Station at Blue Bell Park.

Here's why Montgomery transferred from Stanford to Texas A&M for what's likely his final season of college baseball:

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Why did Braden Montgomery transfer from Stanford to Texas A&M?

Montgomery's transfer portal entry was surprising last season, as he was one of the best players for a Cardinal team that made both the CWS both seasons he played there.

However, Montgomery explained his reasoning in an interview with reporters after arriving at College Station, noting his desire to get closer to his longtime hitting coach Jeremy Isenhower, who resides in the nearby Houston. area. Montgomery also aimed to play against the best talent in the SEC.

“Getting to work one on one with Jeremy is huge, because I can’t see everything I am doing wrong or not doing,” Montgomery said, via 247Sports. “He can pick up on that. He is really smart when it comes to hitting. His mind works a million miles an hour. So it is awesome being able to have him see me from every angle, be able to help and see what I can feel.”

According to MLB.com, Isenhower also works with MLB stars Bobby Witt Jr. and Alec Bohm, which checks out for Montgomery's sake as the Texas A&M slugger is likely prepping for the 2024 MLB Draft.

Montgomery's mother, Gretchen Montgomery, added more insight to the decision to 247Sports:

“He did not want to leave Stanford,” Gretchen Montgomery told 247Sports. “I did not want him to leave Stanford. My husband was really kind of the one who kind of instigated it.”

Montgomery's family also credited a fresh start as a pitcher as a reason for his transfer. However, Montgomery has only pitched two innings this season for the Aggies, allowing four runs on a home run with four walks. MLB Pipeline doesn't list Montgomery as a potential pitcher at the next level.

Braden Montgomery MLB mock draft

Here's where Montgomery is projected to be selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, according to MLB Pipeline and ESPN:

• MLB Pipeline: First round, No. 4 overall to Oakland Athletics

• ESPN: No. 6 prospect

Montgomery has elite grades on multiple tools, according to MLB Pipeline. Here's how he's graded as a prospect:

• Hit: 50

• Power: 60

• Run: 50

• Arm: 70

• Field: 50

• Overall: 60

Braden Montgomery stats

Here's Montgomery's year-by-year stats in college:

• 2024 (Texas A&M): .322 batting average with 27 home runs and 85 RBIs

• 2023 (Stanford): .336 batting average with 17 home runs and 61 RBIs

• 2022 (Stanford): .294 batting average with 18 home runs and 57 RBIs

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Braden Montgomery transfer: Why Texas A&M star left Stanford for Aggies