By Noah Fleischman NC State baseball entered the transfer portal cycle with several needs, including a few go-to hitters and some arms to bolster its bullpen, heading into the 2026 season. While the program likes to lean on developing its own young talent, it was able to find success in the portal this offseason. Let’s […]
By Noah Fleischman
NC State baseball entered the transfer portal cycle with several needs, including a few go-to hitters and some arms to bolster its bullpen, heading into the 2026 season. While the program likes to lean on developing its own young talent, it was able to find success in the portal this offseason.
Let’s take a look at the Wolfpack’s offseason moves and how they could impact the team next spring.
NC State addressed the hitting need
The Wolfpack seemed to miss having a true power hitter on its roster for the 2025 season. NC State hit 72 homers (tied for the 10th most in the ACC), but only had three players that eclipsed double-digit blasts (11 each from outfielders Josh Hogue and Brayden Fraasman, and 10 from catcher Alex Sosa — and only Fraasman returns for the 2026 season).
But by adding Tennessee transfer utility player Dalton Bargo, NC State seemed to fill that need in a hurry.
Bargo, who won a national championship with the Volunteers in 2024, had a breakout campaign this past spring with a career-best 14 home runs. He also hit 14 doubles and a triple en route to 40 RBI, while he posted a career-high .559 slugging percentage at Tennessee.
NC State’s ability to land Tennessee’s clean-up hitter, who will be in his final year of eligibility this coming season, was a key transfer portal victory for Elliott Avent and his staff. But while Bargo is likely to be the headlining addition to the Wolfpack’s lineup this season, he isn’t the only bat that’s in line to make a big-time impact.
Indiana transfer Andrew Wiggins, the No. 37 recruit in the 2023 cycle, has the makings of another consistent hitter with some fine-tuning in Raleigh. He hit .256 with seven doubles, a triple, four home runs and 24 RBI last season with the Hoosiers, while he also walked 38 times — aided by a 20.7 percent walk rate.
Although Wiggins’ numbers weren’t eye-popping to the casual fan, his makeup has nearly every MLB team very interested in seeing what he does at NC State. The outfielder hits the ball hard, but tends to do so along the ground. If Wiggins is able to lift the ball in the air a little bit more — a likely change that Wolfpack hitting coach Bo Robinson will look to make — he could become a Day 1 pick in next year’s draft.
In addition to Bargo and Wiggins, both infielders Sherman Johnson (McLennan Community College) and Mikey Ryan (LSU) also bring quality bats to the Wolfpack order.
Johnson, who started 1-for-21 this past spring, finished the year with a .319 average to go with 21 doubles, three triples and 51 RBI. He was key in McLennan’s path to the JUCO World Series, including a .333 showing with two doubles, two homers and six RBI on junior college baseball’s biggest stage.
Ryan, meanwhile, was the No. 113 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class and was Louisiana’s top-ranked shortstop as a senior. The infielder was 1-for-3 with two walks in 16 appearances at LSU as a freshman last spring, while he hit .231 with five doubles, a triple, a home run and 14 RBI with the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League this summer.
Competition on the left side of the infield will be interesting
As NC State baseball weathered the storm of transfer portal losses, it had its top three third basemen all depart. The Wolfpack’s starting shortstop, Justin DeCriscio, exhausted his eligibility and was a 10th-round pick by the San Diego Padres.
In other words, NC State has open spots to fill at third and shortstop.
The Wolfpack used the transfer portal to bring in competition for both spots as both Johnson and Ryan will likely battle for the starting shortstop job. James Madison transfer Wyatt Peifer, who won a Gold Glove in 2024, is expected to battle for the third base starting spot, while sophomore Brandon Novy and Ryan will be his top competition on the hot corner.
Johnson was the JUCO World Series’ Defensive Player of the Year, while Ryan brings a blue-chip resume to the left side of the infield. Novy, meanwhile, was featured at third base twice this past spring, while he’s also likely to get a look at designated hitter as well.
Could another LHP be added?
NC State needed to replenish its bullpen after last spring, and it was able to do just that via three right-handed transfers this summer: Collins Black (Duke), Ryder Garino (South Carolina), Danny Heintz (Alabama/Penn).
The Wolfpack has one scholarship left and could look to add another left-handed pitcher. NC State projects to have just four left-handed pitchers on its 2026 roster, including Ryan Marohn and Cooper Consiglio, a pair of likely starters.
Consiglio, who is a candidate for the starting rotation, could be held out of it to keep a top left-handed option in the bullpen. NC State’s only other left-handers in the bullpen, at the moment, are sophomore Tristan Potts and incoming freshman Luke Hemric.
If NC State heads into the season with 13 right-handers and four left-handers, it’s likely the Wolfpack will be able to make do with it. But adding one more southpaw to the mix could make it easier to play the matchup game on a consistent basis in season.
Time will tell, but NC State’s classes are set to start on Aug. 18.
Projecting a starting lineup
CF Ty Head
RF Brayden Fraasman
1B Chris McHugh
DH Dalton Bargo (Tennessee)
LF Andrew Wiggins (Indiana)
2B Luke Nixon
SS Sherman Johnson (McLennan CC)
3B Wyatt Peifer (JMU)
C Drew Lanphere
Key reserves: INF/DH Brandon Novy, SS Mikey Ryan (LSU), OF Devin Mitchell (Darlington-Florence Tech), C Preston Bonn, C Vincent DeCarlo, 3B Quinn Bentley
Category: General Sports
