In recent years, the transfer portal has opened up on some unexpected names, such as transporting once wunderkind Christian Little to the alternate dimension of gumbo and other high profile transfers known as LSU-where he would compile a 7.09 ERA through 18 appearances (8 starts), by the way.
I will update this list whenever I learn of a new Diamond Dore walking into the Stargate. Well, hopefully I won't have to after this, but this year is the last class of seniors with the pandemic bonus year of eligibility, so there will be a roster crunch for anyone who wants to keep playing, but has been pushed out by younger talent.
'23 stats: .000/.000/.000 in 5 games (0 starts). Playing time in the infield was never going to be easy to get, and Arias only got 2 ABs on the season. His only stat of note was drawing one walk, though he did have a .1000 fielding percentage (albeit in the smallest of sample sizes).
The Verdict: Good luck to you wherever you go. With nearly all the position player recruits in the incoming freshman class being infielders, and the only infielder likely to move on, Parker Noland, might choose to come back for grad school-but even if he doesn't, 1st base will just go to Chris Maldonado, I would assume-the former Perfect Game 10 and 254th ranked player in the 2022 class (#1 in MA) found himself on the wrong side of a roster crunch.
He will likely have many suitors, and it wouldn't shock me if, say, Boston College came calling. If this is our biggest PORTALITY in '23, we should be happy.
'23 stats: .222/.300/.389 in 21 games (10 starts). Speaking of someone perpetually facing the roster crunch, Spuds decided to graduate and will be a grad transfer seeking to play one year elsewhere.
The Verdict: Good luck to you wherever you go. This is a no-brainer of a decision. I wonder if McKenzie will follow the Matt Hogan route and go to a lesser D1, mid-major type team (Hogan is with ORU in Omaha this week, as one of the driving forces behind their Cinderella run). Whomever gets him could tap into his power bat, but only if they give him starter's ABs. They'll also get a good kid who could have transferred out any of the past three offseasons, but was devoted to his teammates.
*Cade Law will head to UNC to play feetball with his brother. Why they didn't both just play feetball for The New Bald Coach is beyond me.