Top 10 Most Impactful College Baseball Transfers for 2026

*Transfer portal data/rankings is brought to you by our good friends at 64Analytics. 

As mentioned in our previous article covering the top 5 transfer portal classes, the transfer portal has completely changed the landscape of college baseball. 

Guys are constantly on the move. Whether it is due to coaching changes, reduced playing time, or attempts to secure the next lucrative NIL deal. The portal has provided both positives and negatives for the game. 

That said, the portal creates opportunities for teams to truly revamp their roster and make a run at a College World Series championship. So which players might have a chance to provide the most impact for their teams? Let’s dive in! 

OF AJ Gracia (Duke → Virginia)

64Analytics Ranking: #1

2025 Stats: 60 G, 10 2B, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 8 SB, 57 BB, 36 SO, .293/.449/.558

AJ Gracia, the standout Duke outfielder, decided to follow his Head Coach Chris Pollard to Virginia. This is huge for the Cavaliers. Gracia had a slow start to the 2025 season but quickly turned it around to continue to show why he’s one of the top prospects for the 2026 MLB Draft.

The slow start seemed more due to a timing and rhythm issue rather than a mechanical issue or a need for a massive adjustment. Gracia has one of the smoothest, most beautiful swings from the left side. It is almost Ken Griffey, Jr.-esque when you watch it. 

Gracia absolutely hammers the ball pullside, but also can use the entire field. He hits the ball hard, sporting an average exit velo of 84 MPH and max EV of 112. The bat speed is ridiculous. 

On top of that, Gracia has a very solid feel for the strike zone, although he can get a bit passive and not capitalize on his pitches. Regardless, he can easily work a walk and has very good contact rates. 

Virginia may have lost most of their players to Mississippi State and elsewhere, but Coach Pollard bringing in the likes of AJ Gracia and others should have the Cavaliers not missing a beat in 2026. 

RHP Joey Volchko (Stanford → Georgia)

64Analytics Ranking: #2

2025 Stats: 15 G, 70.1 IP, 79 H, 47 ER, 34 BB, 56 SO, 6.01 ERA, 1.607 WHIP

Don’t let the numbers fool you… Joey Volchko has some electric stuff. Volchko burst onto the scene after an incredible summer in 2024 for both the USA Collegiate National Team and the Cape Cod League. 

He’s struggled a bit to hone in his stuff, but maybe a change of scenery and a move to Georgia can help him unlock a new level in his game. 

As mentioned, the stuff is what has him an intriguing prospect for the 2026 MLB Draft. Volchko features a mid-90s fastball with cutter-like action that has been clocked at up to 97. He pairs that with a high-80s to low-90s slider that has some decent depth, a mid-80s curveball, and low-90s changeup. 

Volchko has all the makings to be a starting pitcher. As Tyler has mentioned before, he is a work in progress, but the right pitching coach could turn this kid into a Friday night ace type.

Could that be Wes Johnson and the Georgia Bulldogs? Maybe! It seems like the perfect match with Johnson’s experience as a pitching coach at the big league level and the strides they’ve taken with other arms.

It’ll be fun to watch the development of Volchko with the Dawgs, and Georgia may have itself a four-headed monster of a rotation if everything pans out. 

OF Will Gasparino (Texas → UCLA)

64Analytics Ranking: #3

2025 Stats: 58 G, 14 2B, 2 3B, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 5 SB, 28 BB, 63 SO, .242/339/.512

Big time power. That’s what outfielder Will Gasparino will bring to UCLA. The Bruins landed the #3 overall portal player as Gasparino comes home to Los Angeles. 

The athletic Gasparino was the everyday centerfielder for the Texas Longhorns and we should expect to see him in a similar role with the Bruins. The draft-eligible junior will look to take the next steps in his game to help UCLA chase Omaha.

At the plate, Gasparino has some immense raw power. With that raw power, though, comes an aggressive approach due to some high chase rates, which led to more strikeouts than you’d like to see. 

He’s an athlete with a ton of tools at the table and will look to see if the Bruins coaching staff can unlock another level to his game. He’ll join an already stacked UCLA lineup that will be looking to make a ton of noise in 2026. 

INF Chris Hacopian (Maryland → Texas A&M)

64Analytics Ranking: #4

2025 Stats: 52 G, 12 2B, 14 HR, 61 RBI, 40 BB, 19 K, .375/.502/.656

Where do we even start with Chris Hacopian? He might be one of my favorite players in this entire 2026 MLB Draft class, not named Roch Cholowsky. 

The former Maryland Terrapin heads to College Station to test his talents in the SEC. In his two years there, he was the best hitter in the entire BIG 10, where he smashed 22 2B, 29 HR, and 103 RBIs in two seasons there. 

The power is more than apparent with Hacopian in the stat lines, but the underlying data is just as nice. He posted an average exit velo of 88 MPH and a max EV of 112 MPH. 

What’s even crazier is that on top of his power, he has maybe one of the best plate approaches in all of college baseball. He struck out just 15 times in 249 plate appearances. He’s got an advanced feel for the strikezone, and he doesn’t chase or whiff at much. 

Hacopian headed to the Cape this summer, where he showcased that he can handle the upper echelon of competition. He hit six doubles, two home runs, and drove in 17 in 36 games. Striking out just 6 times in 150 plate appearances. 

Hacopian started his career at Maryland at third base because they had some guy named Matt Shaw at shortstop his freshman year. He shifted to shortstop in his sophomore year and showed he could handle the position. The assumption is that he will still play short at Texas A&M. 

The Aggies got the best bat in the entire transfer portal class, in my opinion. I know he is ranked below both Gracia and Gasparino, but the talent is immense with Hacopian. For Head Coach Mike Earley, who will be looking to bounce back in 2026, this is a huge get. 

RHP Matt Scott (Stanford → Georgia)

64Analytics Ranking: #5

2025 Stats: 11 G, 52.1 IP, 67 H, 35 ER, 22 BB, 56 SO, 6.02 ERA, 1.701 WHIP

Another Stanford arm heading to the Dawgs. Matt Scott follows his teammate Joey Volchko to Athens, where they give Georgia an immediate boost to the rotation.

As we mentioned with Volchko, don’t let Scott’s numbers fool you. What you see on paper isn’t the expectation you’d have for Scott with the stuff he has. Before the start of the season, Scott was a highly touted prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft. 

Scott is a towering presence on the mound coming in at 6’7, 241lbs. He features a solid heater that sits in the mid-90s and has been up to 98. He pairs that with a cutterish slider that is in the upper-80s. It has some solid bite. He’s also got a low-80s splitter. 

Command hasn’t been the full issue for Scott. He does a good job at limiting the walks. It’s more of finding a way to get the most of his arsenals. Getting his fastball to play up in the zone, generate more swing-and-miss, etc. 

Either way, Georgia has done a good job at taking arms to the next level and he’s got the right Head Coach to help him unlock that next level in his game. A real solid get for Wes Johnson and company. 

OF/1B Henry Ford (Virginia → Tennessee)

64Analytics Ranking: #6

2025 Stats: 50 G, 9 2B, 11 HR, 46 RBI, 21 BB, 30 K, .362/.420/.575

Man, if Chris Hacopian and AJ Graica are one and two in this transfer portal class, Henry Ford has the argument for the third-best bat in this class. 

The monster of a human that comes in at 6’5, 220lbs was considered a top 60 prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft. Tennessee was able to get the draft-eligible sophomore to campus and it is a massive get. 

While the bat took a bit of a step back from his freshman year, Ford was still fairly productive. Overall, in two years, he was a steady producer for the Cavaliers, hitting 22 2Bs, 28 HRs, and driving in 115 in 111 games. 

As mentioned, Ford is a physical presence in the box, and his physicality leads to him generating significant power, which is a huge part of his game. He had an average exit velo of 85 MPH and a max EV of 111 MPH. 

Defensively, Ford played the OF at Virginia and in the Cape Cod League this summer. In his freshman year, he spent most of his time at first base, given the depth of talent at Virginia. 

Ford is a big bat who should replace some of the production the Volunteers lost with Andrew Fischer, who was drafted in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft. It’s a huge get for Coach Vitello. 

INF Jarren Advincula (Cal → Georgia Tech)

64Analytics Ranking: #7

2025 Stats: 55 G, 17 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 33 RBI, 13, SB, 22 BB, 29 K, .342/.410/.506

Everyone seemed to think Advincula was heading to an SEC school, but alas Georgia Tech came swooping in and got him to become a Yellow Jacket.

This is a huge get for Georgia Tech, as Advincula has been one of the best pure hitters in all of college baseball. If you’re looking for a true table setter, Advincula is your guy. The hit tool across the board is phenomenal. He had a 90% contact rate, which showcases his incredible bat-to-ball skills to all fields. 

He should slide into second base for the Yellow Jackets with his solid glove, giving Georgia Tech one of the more impressive infields in all of college baseball. 

Head Coach James Ramsey has to be super excited about this get and the ability to put him a top of the lineup in front of guys like Drew Burress and Vahn Lackey. The Yellow Jackets’ lineup is going to be loaded and a ton of fun in 2026. 

LHP Tomas Valincius (Virginia → Mississippi State)

64Analytics Ranking: #8

2025 Stats: 13 G, 64.2 IP, 64 H, 33 ER, 17 BB, 70 SO, 4.59 ERA, 1.253 WHIP

Another big-time name is following Brian O’Connor to Starkville. Lefty Tomas Valincius was a staple in the Cavaliers’ rotation, sliding in as their Sunday guy as a freshman.

Valincius put up some incredible numbers his freshman year, where he posted a 4.59 ERA while striking out 70 batters in 64.2 innings. He showcases a fastball that has been up to 97 and averages nearly 94 MPH.

He pairs that with a solid mid-80s slider that generated 44% Whif and an above-average changeup. It’s a solid three-pitch mix for the young lefty.

Valincius likely slides right into the rotation for the Bulldogs, giving them a much-needed boost on the mound. A much-needed get for a rotation that basically lost every arm to the draft or graduation.

Valincius could emerge as the Friday night ace, but O’Connor did a good job bringing in more arms that should help drive some competition on the mound. Either way, Valincius will be playing a huge role for the Bulldogs in 2026.

RHP Ethan McElvain (Vanderbilt → Arkansas)

64Analytics Ranking: #9

2025 Stats: 16 G, 27.1 IP, 31 H, 22 ER, 28 BB, 45 SO, 7.24 ERA, 2.159 WHIP

Ethan McElvain is, in a sense, the epitome of someone who just needs a change of scenery. After posting a 4.68 ERA while striking out 29 batters over 25 innings, McElvain really struggled in his sophomore year.

He will try to reset with Arkansas and see if he can finally harness the incredible stuff he has to take his game to the next level.

He’s got a 93-95 MPH fastball that has been up to 98, which he pairs with a low-80s slider and a developing changeup.

Command and the ability to put away hitters have been the most significant struggles thus far in his college career. While he features the swing-and-miss type stuff with his fastball and slider, he varies in sharpness at times, which leads to many more walks.

It’ll be interesting to see if Arkansas can take McElvain to the next level, where he is more than just a strikeout pitcher, and turn him into a more complete pitcher. He’s got the ability to do so, and the future still seems bright for McElvain.

C Alex Sosa (NC State → Miami)

64Analytics Ranking: #10

2025 Stats: 52 G, 16 2B, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 33 BB, 50 K, .291/.401/.534

Alex Sosa is a huge get for the Miami Hurricanes. A certified legit backstop, Sosa should bring some decent pop and the ability to drive in runs for Miami. The former NC State Wolfpack member could be in for a really solid 2026.

Sosa is a great leader behind the dish. He has excellent receiving skills and does a good job of throwing runners out. At the plate, he has some issues with contact rates and boasts some swing-and-miss, but he’s still a steady producer.

After a strong spring, Sosa went to the Cape this summer, where he had hit five doubles, two home runs, and driven in 15 runs in 25 games. While the strikeouts were still a bit high, there was no doubting the production.

The Hurricanes did well in the portal and they’ll hope that Sosa and others can help them continue to build on their successful 2025 campaign.

Other Names to Note

LHP Haiden Leffew (Wake Forest → Texas)

OF Aidan Teel (Virginia → Mississippi State)

LHP Trey Beard (FAU → Florida State)

C Karson Bowen (TCU → Florida)

1B/RHP Erik Paulsen (Stony Brook → North Carolina)

RHP Drew Whalen (Western Kentucky → Auburn)