All Wolfpack

Transfer Pitcher Among Potential Breakouts for Wolfpack

Big things may be on the horizon for a new Wolfpack arm.
Travis Tyler|
Jun 17, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; The NC State Wolfpack take the field for the start of the game against the Florida Gators at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
Jun 17, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; The NC State Wolfpack take the field for the start of the game against the Florida Gators at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

College baseball season is right around the corner, and NC State boasts the No. 17 team in the country, according to D1baseball's preseason top-25 poll.

The Wolfpack returns 17 players from a team that reached the regional final last season, inviting high expectations for 2026. The pitching staff is supposed to be one of the team's big strengths this season, and based on D1baseball.com's list of potential breakout players for NC State, one pitcher in particular may be in for a big year.

Collins Black's College Career

Unlike many of his teammates, Collins Black is a new addition to this Wolfpack squad, although he is incredibly familiar with the state of North Carolina and its positioning in ACC baseball. The Cary native spent his first collegiate baseball season at Duke, throwing 9.1 innings out of the bullpen with 18 strikeouts.

As a high school baseball prospect, Black was a Perfect Game All-American as the No. 53 prospect in North Carolina, No. 23 right-handed pitcher, and a top-500 recruit nationally. He also played summer baseball with new teammates Brandon Novy and Preston Bonn.

His ERA (8.68) will have to come down, but much of that came from a rough first career start against Cincinnati. Black has plenty of baseball left in his college career and plenty of time to work things out. Plus, at North Carolina State, he'll get to work with renowned veteran pitching coach Clint Chrysler, who enters his eighth season with the program and has produced plenty of All-ACC arms and MLB prospects.

The Rest of the Wolfpack Bullpen

NC State entered the 2025 season with one of college baseball's top-rated bullpens, driven by guys like Derrick Smith, Camden Wimbush, and Jacob Dudan, among others. However, it was a pretty tough year for the Wolfpack pitching staff overall, finishing with a 5.09 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP.

NC State breakou
May 23, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack pitcher Jacob Dudan (41) throws in the fifth inning against the Duke Blue Devils during the ACC Baseball Tournament at Truist Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Wimbush allowed 16 earned runs in 12 appearances to end up with the staff's worst ERA, while Smith only appeared in six games. Dudan was a bright spot with a 2-2 record and 3.38 ERA in 22 games, including one start. But, as D1baseball mentions, the junior right-handed pitcher has earned a shot in the starting rotation with those numbers.

As such, NC State will be looking to remake its bullpen. It's a rather young group, which may bode well for development and improvement, and there's no reason Black can't contribute and be a critical part of the season's process.

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Travis Tyler
TRAVIS TYLER

Travis Tyler joined On SI as a writer in January 2026. He has experience contributing to FanSided’s NFL, college football, and college basketball coverage, in addition to freelance work throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area, including high school, college, and professional sports for the Dallas Express and contributions to the College Football Dawgs, Last Word on Sports/Hockey, and The Dallas Morning News. In addition to his writing, Travis contributes video and podcasting content to Fanatics View and regularly appears as a guest analyst. He is a graduate of Michigan State University and SMU and is an avid Detroit sports fan with a deep knowledge and appreciation of sports history. Follow Travis Tyler on Twitter at @TTyler_Sports.