After long road back from shoulder injury, Meola leading by example for Cowboys

The ending to Aidan Meola’s senior campaign left him immensely dissatisfied. 

An injury to his left shoulder during a series opener against Illinois State in March 2025 prematurely ended his season. Shortly after the Oklahoma State third baseman announced on X that he would be undergoing shoulder surgery.

The ensuing seven months, Meola said, were rigorous. Countless hours through rehab sessions transpired as the craving to merely swing a baseball bat grew by the day. 

Still, Meola remained patient. He trusted his coaches, medical assistants and most importantly, himself. He’d been through such injuries before. This wasn’t a nuanced element of his baseball career.

“It was challenging,” Meola said. “It took me about seven months to get fully back.

“It’s hard. It always is. But I’ve been through it before, so I obviously know what to do.”

Fast-forward, his patience has paid dividends.

Meola has come out firing so far during his fifth-year campaign. Through nine games played, he ranks third on OSU’s roster in batting average with a .324 clip — only behind catcher Campbell Smithwick (.391) and center fielder Kollin Ritchie (.356). He’s also blasted five home runs, all of which came within a five-game span a week ago. OSU coach Josh Holliday said he’s hopeful for Meola’s return to the lineup this weekend after he missed three of the past four games due to illness, as the Cowboys (9-3) embark on a three-game home series against Gardner-Webb, which begins Friday at 6 p.m.

Meola is playing with a refined outlook thus far. He’s approached the 2026 season with a renewed sense of purpose. His confidence and swagger at the plate has returned — both elements that vastly contributed to a polished pedigree as a hitter during his underclassman years. And he’s emulated that of which a seasoned veteran within the sport should.

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In turn, he’s cemented himself as one of college baseball’s hottest hitters through the first three weeks of the season, and the Cowboys are merely reaping their rewards. 

“He’s been great for us — (it’s taken) a lot of hard work,” Holliday said. “Just good old fashioned, day-to-day, hard work. Doing the little things, putting the time in, focusing on the details — all of it. I mean, you name it. If there’s a piece of the puzzle, he’s just been willing to do it. He’s been a great leader. He’s been very encouraging to others, especially the younger guys. He’s obviously performed well. So, he’s led through performance”

But he’s also relished the opportunity to serve as a leader around a roster flooded with young prospects and newcomers. While it’s a task he’s embraced so far, it hasn’t come without mild caveats.

“I’ve definitely been what the (younger) kids call unc status,” Meola said. “I’ve actually been called ‘Unc’ quite a bit.”

Nonetheless, he’s embraced it, and has taken everything tethered to that role in stride. 

During OSU’s team media day in February, Meola reflected on his prior four seasons as a Cowboy. There, he reminisced about his early days as a Cowboy. He highlighted the euphoric feeling that came with proving himself as a young player. 

Concurrently, Meola said he hopes to mentor OSU’s youth-filled roster. The thought of serving as a role model to younger prospects, all while pioneering a potent offensive attack in aiding the Cowboys’ hunt for a return to national prominence, is a feeling he described as “exciting” and “intriguing.” 

Which is why the thought of transferring out never crossed his mind. 

Why depart the program and coaching staff that stuck with him through thick and thin? 

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than here,” Meola said. “It’s been a little bit different role wise. I’ve had to be a leader, which kind of comes natural to me, and I like it. So, it’s been fun.”

That dedication, Holliday said, is a precise encapsulation of Meola’s year-long journey back to the lineup. A selfless player who put his team first at a time when he could have seamlessly done the latter. 

For a while post-injury, Meola said, his practice and preparation ahead of the 2025 MLB Draft had seemingly been for nothing. In an instant, his stock as a draft prospect had tanked, and his outlook on the future was flooded with uncertainty.

Now, he’s back to his old self. His offensive production has skyrocketed. His success at the plate has put the heads of scouts and pundits on a swivel. Should his hand at the plate continue, perhaps a shot at the big leagues isn’t too far-fetched. 

For Meola, this season is centered around unfinished business. Which stems largely from the manner in which his senior year ended. And so far, he’s avenging all of that and more. 

“That kind of commitment — that this is very important to him — has been great,” Holliday said. “And he just wants to be there for his team. I think when you play for your team instead of yourself — any athlete would tell you — when you’re truly inspired to play for your team, you have a chance to be the best version of you as a player. And so far, he’s really played for his team.

“What he’s doing right now is remarkable. He’s been nails for us so far. But that’s a product of his willingness to play for his team rather than doing so for himself. So, hopefully he can keep that up and hopefully he keeps doing what he’s doing.”