Gophers' transfer portal class ranked among best in college baseball

Minnesota's incoming group of transfers is ranked as the third-best in the Big Ten.

Siebert Field | Picture via: University of Minnesota

Gophers baseball has had a busy offseason in the transfer portal. College baseball recruiting service 64Analytics ranks their incoming group of 11 players as the third-best in the Big Ten and 35th-best in the entire country.

Incoming transfer portal class (11 commitments)

Player	Position	Old team
Isaac Morton	RHP	Texas A&M
Marcus Kruzan	RHP	St. Thomas
Ben Gregory	RHP	Maryville (D2)
Josh Kirchhoff	RHP	Missouri
Davis Hamilton	INF	North Dakota State
Ty Allen	OF	Belmont
Brandon Jaenke	RHP	Viterbo (NAIA)
Michael Lippe	OF	Louisville
Jack Bello	1B	Butler
Ethan Cole	INF/RHP	Minnesota Duluth (D2)
Michael Starrs	INF	King University (D2)

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Minnesota had a disappointing finish to Ty McDevitt's first season as the program's new head coach, losing six of its final nine Big Ten games. Things got even shakier when top players Drew Berkland, Kyle Remington and Noah Rooney all went to the portal, but they've since responded with an intriguing group of 11 incoming transfers.

Bello, Lippe, Allen and Hamilton all bring some real offensive production from mid and high-major Division I programs. Minnesota needs serious improvement from its pitching staff, and Morton, Kruzan and Kirchoff all have great potential.

The Gophers landed commitments from four players, who come from outside the Division I ranks, which is something they might need to continue to do in the modern revenue-sharing era. Their baseball program will not receive the same funding as other athletic programs at the school and other baseball programs in the Big Ten. All four players will bring a unique combination of experience and production to the program.

Minnesota has only qualified for the NCAA Tournament twice since 2010, and they haven't even played in the postseason since 2019. McDevitt and his staff have shown some urgency to improve the roster this season at a program that's historically among the best in the Big Ten.