There’s no doubt that last year’s NCAA Transfer Portal had more ‘high-profile’ players enter, but there’s also no doubt this year’s portal was heavier in numbers.
Overall, 2,845 players entered the NCAA Division I Transfer Portal for baseball. Ranking the best transfers out of that group is a difficult and tedious process, but we separated hitters and pitchers for this exercise.
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This fall, we’re counting down from No. 50 to No. 1. Transfer hitters ranked 16-50 can be found within the links at the bottom of this article. Below, we conclude with the top 15, in reverse order.
15. Luke Gaffney, 1B (Purdue to Clemson)
The hard-hitting 6-foot-2, 215-pounder, made a huge first impression with the Boilermakers last season. Gaffney hit .359 last season with 15 doubles, three triples, 13 home runs and 64 RBIs. He also showed rather solid plate discipline with 29 walks vs. 32 strikeouts, while also tallying a 1.095 OPS. Gaffney should fit nicely into that Clemson lineup come spring.
14. Luis Hernandez, C/1B (Indiana State to LSU)
Hernandez looks to make a huge impact in Baton Rouge after two straight productive campaigns in Terre Haute. Two seasons ago, the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder, hit .293 with 18 homers, five homers and 28 RBIs before having his best season last year, hitting .359 with 14 doubles, 23 home runs and 76 RBIs, along with five stolen bases and a 1.114 OPS. Hernandez will certainly contribute from an offensive standpoint, but where he will be in the field is to be determined with some stiff competition behind the plate.
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13. Charles Davalan, OF (FGCU to Arkansas)
Davalan headed to Fayetteville as a second baseman but spent the fall as a more than adequate center fielder for the Razorbacks. Davalan is a consummate leadoff hitter type who has a jump in his step and can hit for some power. Last season with the Eagles, Davalan hit .293 with 10 home runs and 37 RBIs, along with 27 walks, 35 strikeouts, and double-digit stolen bases. Davalan’s stock could surge with a strong showing in the spring.
12. Tyson Bass, OF (North Carolina Wesleyan to North Carolina)
The Tar Heels struck gold with the addition of the ultra-athletic and powerful Bass. Bass, a 6-foot-3, 200-pounder, was one of the premier hitters in the Division III ranks last season. Now, it’ll be fascinating to see if he can make a quick transition to Division I in the spring. Early indications this fall is that not only is Bass making a quick transition, he has already transformed himself into one of the better overall players on UNC’s roster. Bass hit .319, .329 and .369 the last three seasons. In 2024, the talented outfielder hit that .369 with 11 doubles, four triples, 21 home runs and 57 RBIs, along with 31 stolen bases.
11. Robbie Burnett, OF (UNC Asheville to Georgia)
Wes Johnson’s Bulldogs have dominated the transfer portal over the past two seasons, and this past summer was no exception. Burnett, a 5-foot-10, 180-pounder, had three outstanding seasons at UNCA before choosing to head to Athens this fall. Burnett hit .322 with five homers back in 2022 before hitting .379 with 10 doubles, 13 home runs and 38 RBIs two seasons ago. This past season, Burnett hit .323 with nine doubles, 18 homers and 45 RBIs, along with 41 walks, 15 stolen bases and a 1.110 OPS.
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10. Blake Cyr, OF (Miami to Florida)
Cyr should make a massive impact for this Florida lineup in the spring. Cyr, a 5-foot-11, 190-pounder, had an impressive freshman campaign for the Hurricanes that included a .305 average, 12 doubles, 17 home runs and 63 RBIs before being hampered at times last season with just 95 at-bats. During that time, he amassed seven home runs and knocked in 21. Look for Cyr to return to his freshman ways with the Gators.
9. Daniel Dickinson, 2B (Utah Valley to LSU)
Dickinson, a 6-foot, 180-pounder, is undoubtedly a proven commodity in college baseball after hitting .376 and .367, respectively, at UVU the past two seasons. However, there is typically a transition period from the WAC to the SEC. Dickinson was just OK over the summer before showing glimpses of what makes him a special hitter for the Tigers this fall. Last season, Dickinson hit 14 doubles, two triples, 18 home runs and 53 RBIs, along with 32 stolen bases and more walks than strikeouts. He should bud in due time under the tutelage of offensive guru Jay Johnson.
8. Kane Kepley, OF (Liberty to North Carolina)
It would not be a shock to see Kepley atop this list at the end of the 2025 season due to his overall package of skill sets. Kepley is an electric offensive table setter who hit .310 as a freshman before taking an across-the-board massive step forward last season. In 2024, Kepley hit .330 with 12 doubles, nine home runs and 31 RBIs, along with a whopping 53 walks versus just 27 strikeouts. He also has impressive speed and finished last season with 25 stolen bases. He’s the perfect player to replace someone of Vance Honeycutt’s caliber.
7. Easton Winfield, OF (UL Monroe to Texas)
The Longhorns should have one of the better lineups in college baseball, and Winfield is a big part of that puzzle. Winfield, a 6-foot, 205-pounder, jumped on the scene in a big way at ULM last season, hitting .332 with eight doubles, three triples, 10 home runs and 40 RBIs. He also has some speed, as evidenced by his 18 stolen bases with the Warhawks. Winfield showed some serious upside during summer ball at the Cape before putting together a solid fall with the Longhorns. He should make a significant, immediate impact.
6. Gavin Kilen, INF (Louisville to Tennessee)
Once again, the Volunteers will have plenty of riches from an offensive standpoint entering the 2025 campaign, and Kilen will be a big part of that process. Kilen had a solid freshman season at Louisville before taking a sizable step forward last season, hitting .330 with 23 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 41 RBIs. The one area that Kilen could improve on is just taking more walks at the plate — he finished last season with just seven walks. He also didn’t strike out much. He’s an aggressive hitter who should fit in nicely for the Vols.
5. Gavin Kash, UTL (Texas Tech to Texas A&M)
It’s a one-scrimmage sample size, but Kash, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound, lefthanded hitter, looked more like his old self in the Aggies’ scrimmage against Houston earlier this fall. Kash had a monster 2023 campaign at Texas Tech, hitting .326 with 26 home runs and 84 RBIs. He also had strong power production for the Red Raiders last season, hitting 17 doubles, 15 home runs and knocking in 51 runs. However, he also struck out 63 times. Kash’s plate discipline looked improved in the scrimmage, and he made consistent, very hard contact.
4. Andrew Fischer, 3B (Ole Miss to Tennessee)
Fischer had a strong fall and should assemble monster power numbers at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in the spring. Fischer, a 6-foot-1, 205-pounder, hit .289 with 11 home runs and 33 RBIs as a freshman at Duke before hitting the transfer portal to head to Ole Miss last season. Fischer struck out 53 times last season, but also was a consistent, big-time power producer. He hit .285 with the Rebels, while also smacking 10 doubles, 20 home runs and 57 RBIs. He finished the season with a 1.039 OPS.
3. Wyatt Henseler, INF (Pennsylvania to Texas A&M)
As if the Aggies needed more big-time bats in their lineup for the upcoming season, Henseler is yet another big-time playmaker at the plate. The first thing that stood out about Henseler this fall was his physical 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame. He certainly looks stronger than the measurables would suggest. Henseler is coming off four decorated seasons with the Quakers. He hit .365 and .385, respectively, his first two seasons before hitting .321 and then .360 his final two seasons at Penn. Henseler hit 14 or more home runs in each of his final three seasons while also accumulating more than 50 RBIs in each of those campaigns as well.
2. Ethan Conrad, 1B (Marist to Wake Forest)
The D1Baseball Summer Breakout Prospect Award belongs to a Wake Forest transfer for a second-straight summer. Conrad, a physical 6-foot-3, 200-pound, lefthanded hitter, had two strong seasons at Marist before shining at the Cape Cod League this past summer. There, he raised many eyebrows and created excitement for his impending campaign in Winston-Salem. As a freshman at Marist, Conrad .320 with three home runs and 32 RBIs before hitting .389 with 18 doubles, 13 triples, nine home runs, 52 RBIs and double-digit stolen bases last season. Conrad has the complete toolbox at his disposal and was ranked the No. 5 prospect at the Cape this past summer.
1. Aiva Arquette, SS/2B (Washington to Oregon State)
The Beavers landed the premier player from the transfer portal this fall in the ultra-talented Arquette. Arquette, who reminds scouts of former LSU standout shortstop DJ LeMahieu with his 6-foot-4, 205-pound, frame, had a relatively quiet freshman campaign at Washington before taking a massive step forward last season with a campaign that ended with a .325 average, 14 doubles, 12 home runs and 36 RBIs, along with six stolen bases. Arquette followed up that solid sophomore campaign with a good showing at the Cape Cod League, where he earned the distinction as the top prospect in the prestigious summer league.
The rest of the rankings: (), (), (), ()
