10 Underrated College Baseball Transfer Portal Classes For 2026

Following last week’s piece analyzing the top 10 newcomer classes, this week we’ll be taking a look at 10 underrated transfer portal classes.

While reading, it’s important to keep in mind that “underrated” does not necessarily apply to the school itself. A few of the programs discussed are household names, yet their respective transfer classes—which could be the final piece to their Omaha puzzle—are perhaps being overlooked due to the fact that they fall into the “quality over quantity” bucket.

It’s also important to note that this is not a numerical ranking, but rather an alphabetical list.

Central Florida

Following a tournament appearance in 2024—its first since 2017—UCF took a bit of a step back in 2025 and finished with a more modest record of 29-26. However, it was the Golden Knights’ first year in the Big 12, and they showed plenty of positive flashes that bode well for the 2026 season. Additionally, coach Rich Wallace and his staff have brought in a plethora of pieces via the portal.

Outfielders Landon Moran (.268/.398/.395) and John Smith (.314/.412/.466) are both in line to earn starting roles, while switch-hitter James Hankerson Jr. (.261/.414/.457) enjoyed a solid summer in the Northwoods League and has a chance to be an impact bat in the middle of the order. As far as pitching goes, keep a close eye on Maryville University (Division II) transfer Braden Smith. Smith last year pitched to a 3.52 ERA with 79 strikeouts to just 16 walks across 76.2 innings, and his fastball has been up to 96 mph.

Another arm to circle is former South Florida and LSU righthander, Chandler Dorsey. Following an impressive freshman season with the Bulls, Dorsey in 2025 logged just five innings with LSU and again opted for a change of scenery. He had a bounceback summer in the Cape Cod League in which he posted a 4.15 ERA with 23 strikeouts across 15.1 innings while, at times, flashing impressive stuff.

UCF has the pieces to compete at a higher level than it did in 2025 and boasts a tournament-caliber roster.

Georgia Tech

While Georgia put together the nation’s top newcomer class, its Peach State counterpart rather quietly constructed a high-quality transfer class of its own. Georgia Tech is fresh off an excellent season in which it took home its first ACC regular season title since 2011. Incoming first-year coach James Ramsey is off and running, and he did an outstanding job in the portal to round out his roster.

The class is headlined by star second baseman Jarren Advincula (.342/.410/.506), who could potentially be the Yellow Jackets’ leadoff hitter next spring. On top of his exciting toolset, Advincula’s baseball sense and makeup are separators, and he’s a leader both on and off the field. In addition to Advincula, power-hitting third baseman Ryan Zuckerman(.295/.382/.555) joins the fold and will provide thump in the middle of the order.

While he experienced typical freshman year growing pains, righthander Justin Shadek (4-5, 7.78 ERA) was the most highly-touted recruit in Rutgers’ 2024 class and flashed impressive stuff at times this spring. Also on the mound, former Tennessee southpaw Dylan Loy (4-0, 3.97 ERA) will be mighty effective regardless of the role in which he’s used. In his two years at Tennessee, Loy was deployed primarily as a matchup reliever, though this spring he could earn a spot in the rotation.

Georgia Tech will look to build off the momentum it built last spring and show that a season of that caliber is the standard as opposed to a flash in the pan.

Lamar

Lamar hasn’t made a regional since 2011, but it has put together back-to-back 40-win seasons and took home the 2024 Southland Conference regular season title, which was its first since 2004. Coach Will Davis has built the program into one of the more dangerous teams in the Lone Star State, and the Cardinals will look to break down the door to regionals in 2026.

Having added 17 players, Lamar boasts one of the more expansive portal classes of this year’s cycle, and a handful are expected to make an immediate impact. Northwestern State transfers Braden Benton (.297/.473/.572) and Balin Valentine (.292/.375/.468) combined to hit 18 home runs and drive in 80 runs last spring, while former Seattle catcher Jake Wagoner is fresh off a breakout sophomore campaign in which he slashed .289/.353/.446 with 16 extra-base hits.

Pitching coach Sean McGrath has done an excellent job with his staff, and 2026 figures to be more of the same. Cam Diaz, Blayne Fritcher and Travis Lutzall averaged over nine strikeouts per nine innings last spring, while others—especially AJ Kostic—will also log their fair share of innings.

Missouri State

The Joey Hawkins Era is off to a strong start in Springfield, as the Bears last year captured their first regular-season conference title since 2018. A new challenge awaits them in 2026, however, as this season will be their first as a member of Conference USA. To supplement their key returners, Hawkins and his staff did a great job of navigating the portal and put together a well-rounded class.

From a pro prospect standpoint, shortstop Jax Ryanis the standout of the group. He stepped into an elevated role last spring at Arizona State and slashed .281/.377/.371 with six extra-base hits and 14 RBIs. Ryan has an intriguing toolset, and it’s rather easy to feel confident in the duo of Bobby Atkinson (.332/.457/.582) and Bryce Cermenelli (.395/.461/.474) being consistent producers offensively, too. Atkinson last spring tallied 29 extra-base hits with a 1:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, while Cermenelli flashed plus bat-to-ball skills from the left side.

On the other side of the baseball, Missouri transfers Brock Lucasand Daniel Wissler are both in line to take on a meaningful role. The same can be said for 6-foot righthander Ryland Bozenhard, who last year at Florida Gulf Coast posted a 4.76 ERA with 49 strikeouts across 56.2 innings. The biggest wild card is undoubtedly Bethany Lutheran (Division III) transfer Trent Ash. Ash last season pitched his way to a 10-1 record with a 3.18 ERA to go along with an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio of 108-to-37 in 82 innings. He took home Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year honors and also enjoyed a successful two-start stint in the Northwoods League in which he allowed only one run across 10 innings.

San Diego State

It’s been a disappointing four-year stretch for San Diego State, which has failed to reach the 25-win threshold since 2021. It’s hard to believe where the program is now after it made the tournament in five of six years between 2013 and 2018, but first-year skipper Kevin Vance will look to spearhead the Aztecs’ return to prominence. It may take a season or two to get into a groove, but Vance’s first portal class gives him a chance to win right away.

My personal favorite player in the class is former Boston College outfielder, Adam Magpoc (.232/.353/.351). A quintessential top-of-the-order sparkplug, Magpoc is a plus runner whose 26 stolen bases this summer led the Cape League. He applies pressure and speeds the game up for opposing defenses, and his speed allows him to take an extra base on a ball in the gap or down the line. On the dirt, sure-handed infielder Jabin Trosky (.250/.250/.250) will compete for the everyday shortstop job. He appeared in just two games in 2025, but in 2024, he hit .287/.362/.357 with 20 RBIs across 36 games.

Vance has long demonstrated the ability to develop pitchers at a high level. While they didn’t log a whole lot of innings at their respective schools last season, the trio of Alec Belardes, Rohan Lettow and Bryce McKnight all have a chance to earn prominent roles in 2026. Lettow is arguably the most notable of the bunch, but after a breakout fall, he scuffled in the spring. However, he returned to his fall form this summer in the New England Collegiate League and pitched to a 1.72 ERA with a sparkling strikeout-to-walk ratio of 26-to-3 across 15.2 innings. An advanced athlete with dynamic stuff, Lettow this fall has a chance to cement himself as a weekend starter. McKnight last spring notched 16 strikeouts across 14.2 innings, and he’s plenty familiar with Vance given the fact he was his pitching coach in each of the last two seasons.

There might be some growing pains with a new coaching staff in place, but I expect 2026 to be a step in the right direction for San Diego State.

South Carolina

From a sheer talent standpoint, this year’s South Carolina portal class is far from underrated. However, with the Gamecocks being on the outside looking in of the top 10 newcomer classes, I wanted to make sure to give the program the flowers it deserves. It’s no secret that 2025 was a down year for South Carolina, as it won an abysmal six conference games. Coach Paul Mainieri will look to turn over a new leaf in 2026, and this year’s transfer class should provide plenty of excitement for a hungry fan base.

One of my favorite pieces in the class is former Sacred Heart righthander Elijah Foster. Foster’s fastball averaged 92 mph, but it was up to 96 and plays well up in the zone. On top of the nearly seven feet of extension Foster is able to generate, he has a relatively flat approach angle. He pairs it with an upper-70s-to-low-80s slider that flashes two-plane tilt with some sharpness, and this spring it garnered a 33% whiff rate.

Also on the mound, landing former Florida righthander Alex Philpott was a major win for Mainieri and his coaching staff. The 6-foot-6 righthander features a three-pitch mix that includes a low-to-mid-90s fastball, mid-80s slider and mid-to-upper-80s changeup. Philpott’s fastball plays well in the top half of the zone thanks to its riding life, while his changeup is his most effective swing-and-miss pitch, to the tune of a 32% whiff rate. Two additional names to circle are fiery southpaw Alex Valentin and Amp Phillips. Phillips is the better of the two, and last spring at USC Upstate he worked a 3.64 ERA with 81 strikeouts against 29 walks across 84 innings.

Offensively, it starts with first baseman Logan Sutter. Sutter last spring posted a gaudy .367/.417/.709 slash line with 22 doubles and 15 home runs, and his power from the right side profiles nicely at Founders Park. Former Western Kentucky standout Ethan Lizama is fresh off a career year in which he hit .336/.407/.646 with 18 doubles, 15 home runs and 60 RBIs. Lizama has present bat speed to go along with an uphill swing path that’s geared towards getting the ball up in the air.

Catcher Reese Moore (.304/.436/.546) was a key cog within the heart of Iowa’s lineup and laced 27 extra-base hits en route to posting a new career-high in nearly every major statistical category. Moore has a pull-oriented approach, and his highest quality of contact comes to the pull side, though he’s shown he’s capable of driving the baseball into the opposite field gap.

Troy

Under the guidance of coach Skylar Meade, Troy has quickly evolved into one of the more dangerous non-Power Four teams in the sport. The Trojans have won 35-plus games in each of the last three seasons and are seeking their second tournament appearance in the last four seasons. This year’s transfer class is pitching-centric, though there are also a few impact bats who project as everyday regulars.

Starting on the mound, a trio of southpaws in Zach Crotchfelt, Lucas Litteral and Hayden Smith bring plenty of depth to the bullpen. All three will be particularly effective against lefthanded hitters, but they can also throw multiple innings if need be. Righthander Cooper Ellingworth pitched to a 4.86 ERA with 57 strikeouts across 53.2 innings last spring, and he’s a candidate to potentially slide into the rotation.

Offensively, Nico Azpilcueta (.320/.390/.711), Nolan Book (.326/.417/.429) and Aaron Piasecki (.318/.397/.460) all look the part of potential impact bats. Book and Piasecki are each hit-over-power profiles, while Azpilcueta is physically imposing and provides plenty of thump from the right side. While his power is accompanied by a bit of swing-and-miss, Azpilcueta’s 20 home runs and 61 RBIs last season were both team highs at Stony Brook.

Tulane

After winning back-to-back AAC tournament titles in 2023 and 2024, the Green Wave last season lost in the conference championship game to end the streak. Nonetheless, coach Jay Uhlman and his staff wasted no time getting going in the portal and brought in 15 new players.

Infielder Nolan Nawrocki’s 2025 campaign was limited to just 14 games due to injury, but the strong-bodied infielder has an exciting toolset that gives him the ability to impact the game in myriad ways. First baseman Trent Liolios (.263/.352/.623) is a physical lefthanded hitter who last year belted 16 home runs at Northwestern, while both John Elliott (.271/.388/.329) and Tye Wood (.317/.448/.509) also figure to be mainstays in the Green Wave’s starting nine.

Former Tennessee Tech righthander Jack Brafa pitched to a 3.48 ERA with 38 strikeouts to just 12 walks last spring, and he can be deployed either as a reliever or a starter. Jake Toporek looks every bit the part of a weekend starter, and he’s fresh off a successful 2025 campaign at Wagner in which he compiled a 3.49 ERA across 87.2 innings. Former Liberty hurler Jack Frankel also will be a key piece of Tulane’s pitching staff, and across 18 relief appearances last spring he worked a 3.40 ERA with 32 strikeouts against just 12 walks.

There will be a lot of figuring out to do this fall as far as who fits where, but Tulane will again be mighty competitive in the AAC.

UCLA

You might be wondering how any aspect of the ‘Way Too Early’ No. 1 team can be categorized as “underrated,” but UCLA’s transfer class is exactly that.

The Bruins return the vast majority of production from last year’s College World Series team—including BA’s Player of the Year in Roch Cholowsky—but they added a pair of key pieces via the portal that could very well push them over the national championship hump.

The first is former Texas outfielder, Will Gasparino. Standing at 6-foot-6, Gasparino returns to his home state of California after a pair of seasons with the Longhorns. Gasparino has some of the most tantalizing upside of any college position player in the 2026 class. He can go and get it in center field and has range to either gap, but there are questions about his offensive profile. He has appealing power upside, but whether or not he’ll make enough contact to get to it in-game on a regular basis has yet to be seen.

On the other side of the baseball, former San Diego righthander Logan Reddemannfigures to compete for the Friday starter job. Heading into the offseason, one of UCLA’s few needs was a high-level weekend starter, and Reddemann fits the description to a tee. He made a strong first impression last spring and worked a 4.01 ERA with 66 strikeouts to just 19 walks in 76.1 innings. He didn’t miss a beat this spring and pitched to a 2.29 ERA with 53 strikeouts against only 12 walks across 55 innings.

Reddemann features a quality three-pitch mix that includes a low-to-mid-90s fastball and a solid two-plane slider, though his bread-and-butter pitch is his mid-80s changeup. Reddemann does a nice job of killing spin on it, and he’s comfortable using it against both righthanded and lefthanded hitters. His confidence in the pitch is evident, and it routinely flashes plus with late dive.

Between its outstanding group of returners, dynamic freshman class and transfer portal “dynamic duo,” UCLA heads into 2026 with little-to-no glaring holes on its roster.

West Virginia

West Virginia is one of the most underrated teams in the country as it pertains to navigating the transfer portal. Between Griffin Kirn, Ben Hampton, Tyler Switalski, Jace Rinehart and a handful of others, it feels as if each season at least one portal player ends up being an integral part of the Mountaineers’ success. 2026 figures to be more of the same, and this might be West Virginia’s best portal class yet.

Leading the charge is dynamic infielder, Matt Ineich. During his freshman year at Ohio, Ineich posted a .387/.467/.514 slash line with 12 extra-base hits, nine stolen bases and 21 walks against just 11 strikeouts. He has typical top-of-the-order traits and figures to be a mainstay leading off the Mountaineers’ lineup. Also on offense, veteran outfielder Brock Wills heads to Morgantown via UNCW, where last season he hit a career-best .351/.450/.545 with 13 extra-base hits. A lean, wiry outfielder with some twitch, Wills’ combination of speed and athleticism profile well on the grass. Former Ohio State backstop Matthew Graveline (.282/.371/.513) seems like a natural fit to fill the hole left by Logan Sauve, though he can also man a corner outfield spot when needed.

On the bump, the trio of Andrew Middleton, Dawson Montesa and Bryce Thacker all figure to log meaningful innings.

Middleton was one of the most fascinating players in the transfer portal. His season was limited to just 11.2 innings due to an arm injury, but he managed to log a whopping 29 strikeouts, allowing just one hit and no runs. His fastball sits in the high 80s/low 90s, but it routinely registered 20-plus inches of vertical break. Middleton generated a 50% whiff rate with the pitch this spring, and he supplements it with a mid-70s curveball that flashes impressive depth and downward tilt.

Montesa was one of the best Division II pitchers in the country this spring and compiled a 1.99 ERA with 105 strikeouts against just 24 walks across 72.1 innings. He features a three-pitch mix that includes a low-90s fastball, a mid-to-upper-70s curveball and a mid-80s split-change. Montesa’s heater has been up to 94 mph with life in the top half of the zone, though his secondaries are his bread-and-butter pitches. His curveball will flash impressive depth with sharp, downward bite, while his split-change flashes fade and late tumble.

Last but not least, Thacker logged just 4.1 innings last spring at Tennessee, but he enjoyed a breakout summer in the Appalachian League to the tune of a 1.88 ERA with 34 strikeouts across 28.2 innings.