The latest dealings in college baseball's busy transfer portal.
Brad Crawford
A national champion will be decided Monday at the square off for a decisive Game 3 and meanwhile, college baseball's transfer portal continues to stay active. Updating a look at the best-available players and talented starters who have already made commitments, a few off the biggest names are already off the market.
Numerous well-known sluggers and top-of-the-line pitchers made themselves available following the spring season, including one of the Group of Five's best players overall.The transfer portal openedearlier this month withthe deadline to enterbeing July 2. Like its football counterpart, there are exceptions for graduate transfers. Athletes who are 21 or olderor have completed their third season at the college level are eligible for selection in the 2024 MLB Draft.
NIL opportunities have a great deal of influence on where players land now that the draft is over and choices are being made on where to play next spring.
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Here are a few of the biggest names available portal and updates on those who have already made their transfer decisions:
Zach Root, ECU, LHP
Per Hoist The Colours, Zach Root was projected to be the team's ace next season after a strong sophomore campaign in Greenville behind future likely first-round pickTrey Yesavage, Considered one of the top left-handers eligible for the 2025 MLB Draft, Root finished the season 5-2 with a 3.82 ERA, striking out 76 against 21 walks in 68.1 innings. Root dealt with an arm injury the second half of the season and didn't pitch from late April, until the conference tournament, before returning to throw three innings in Clearwater, Fla., at the AAC Tournament.
Gavin Kash, Texas Tech, 1B
One of college baseball's active leaders in home runs is available in the transfer portal as one of the top players on the market. Texas Tech's Gavin Kashclubbed 41 round-trippers over his career in Lubbock including a Big 12-leading 26 during the 2023 season. That single-season number was the second-most all-time in a single season behind Joe Dillon’s 33 in 1997. Kash played in 16 games at Texas previously after originally signing with the Longhorns. After two years with the Red Raiders, he has another year remaining.
Gavin Kilen, Louisville, INF
One of several everyday players in the ACC to enter the transfer portal when it opened, Gavin Kilen is arguably the most coveted after hitting .330 with nine home runs, 23 doubles, three triples and driving in 41 runs this season for the Cardinals. The all-conference player was one of three selected to the All-ACC team from Louisville and started 54 games for the Cardinals this spring. Losing him at the top of the lineup is a significant blow.
Brady Neal, LSU, C
Per Geaux247, Brady Neal slashed .276/.408/.578 with nine home runs and 31 RBIs in 44 games, 33 starts, this past season as a sophomore. Neal also had eight doubles with a walk rate of 14.1 and strikeout rate of 24.7.Neal, who bats left-handed, is originally from Tallahassee and played at North Florida Christian as a freshman before spending his next two years at IMG Academy before reclassifying from the 2023 class to the 2022 class where he was considered the 29th-best player and second-best catcher according to Perfect Game.
Bobby Boser, USF, INF
Bobby Boser is available on the market as one of the Group of Five's top position players after a notable season with the Bulls.Boser hit .299 this season with 12 homers and 32 RBIs. He also managed a 1.018 OPS during the 2024 season. He's a middle-of-the-lineup guy, but could spark rallies at the top, too. He was named all-conference this spring for his standout campaign and is commanding attention from several power conference schools, including Arkansas.
Austin Williamson, South Carolina, RHP
Austin Williamson announced on social media he was leaving the program earlier this month.The sophomore righty has two years of eligibility remaining after appearing in 18 games as a freshman last season and three this spring. His top performance of the 2024 season came on Feb. 24 against Belmont when he struck out two batters over 1 2/3 innings. He's likely a reliever at his next stop, but could be inserted into a rotation as a mid-week guy.
Jason Torres, Miami, 1B
Update: Committed to Alabama
Jason Torres wasone of eight players from the University of Miamito enter the transfer portal earlier this month. Per InsideTheU, the sophomore first basemanhit .331 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs in 39 games this season before missing the final month of thecampaign after Tommy John surgery. Torres hit .358 with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs in 57 career games — including 45 starts — with the Hurricanes. Considering the recovery time from surgery, he should be available next spring.
Blake Cyr, Miami, UTL
Update:Committed to Florida
Blake Cyr hit .284 with seven home runs and 21 RBIin 25 games as a sophomore, splitting time between left field and second base, before sustaining a season-ending left thumb injury in April, which required surgery. Like Torres, he missed the rest of the campaign and officially entered the portal with six others in Coral Gables. He hit .305 with 17 home runs and 63 RBIs as a freshman, earning All-ACC Third Team, Freshman All-American and All-ACC Freshman Team honors.
Cam Johnson, LSU, LHP
Update:Committed toOklahoma
One of seven LSU players to enter this month, Cam Johnson is the most-talented former Tigers pitcher to do so after making the call. Geaux247's Glen West says Johnson has "untapped potential" as a hard-throwing, 6-foot-5 lefty and he was expected to take a sizable role on next season's team after playing just one year in Baton Rouge. He fanned 13 batters over nine innings and 13 appearances this season, but did give up 16 walks and 12 earned runs. Florida State is reportedly the team to watch for Johnson.
Logan Maxwell, TCU, OF
Update:Committed to Arkansas
Per HornedFrogBlitz, Logan Maxwell entered the portal after leading TCU with a .929 OPS from his outfielder spot and splitting time in the designated hitter role. A multi-year starter in Fort Worth, Maxwellhit .300 as a sophomore in 2023 with 30 total hits including six doubles, two triples and two home runs. Most of his starts over his first two seasons at the program came in left field. He's never been known for his power, but Maxwell makes a lot of contact and has speedon the basepaths.
Mason Koch, Creighton, RHP
Update:Committed to Auburn
Quality pitchers are not easy to find in the transfer portal, but Creighton'sMason Koch certainly fits the mold of a quality reliever or potential front-end starter next spring. At 6-foot, 190 pounds, Koch is known for his live fastball and fanning 60 hitters over 38 1/3 innings. His slider is one of his top pitches, too. He scattered 17 walks with an almost 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio. Opposing hitters managed a .226 batting average against him.
Cole Cramer, Washington State, 3B
Update:Committed toTCU
One of three first-team all-conference honorees for the Cougars this season, Cole Cramer was a tough out at the plate. According to his Washington State bio, the formerLinn-Benton Community College transferfinished the regular season eighth in the Pac-12 with a .364 batting average, tied for the team-high with 15 doubles along with a pair of triples, three home runs, 37 RBI andhad seven stoles bases in seven tries. Cramer, ajunior with another year of eligibility remaining, led the team with 19 multiple-hit games and had seven doubles in conference play.
