New Oklahoma State Transfer Sean Yamaguchi Fills Huge Need for 2027

The Oklahoma State Cowboys picked up some slugging at a position that lost its starter after the season.

Oklahoma State head baseball coach Josh Holliday. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Most of Oklahoma State baseball’s transfer portal commitments have come from pitchers, a position where the Cowboys need help.

But, Tuesday’s commitment feels a need that was just as important for next season.

Sean Yamaguchi, a slugger from Nevada, announced his transfer to the Cowboys on Tuesday via social media. He played two years for the Wolf Pack and comes to Oklahoma State as a draft-eligible sophomore. It means that his pledge may depend on where he’s selected in next month’s MLB draft.

The Hawaiian-born star led the island to the 2018 Little World Series crown. The Cowboys would love it if he could replace Aidan Meola at third base.

Sean Yamaguchi’s OSU Fit

This local boy is headed to the 405 🤙🏽🤠#committed #gopokes @OSUBaseball pic.twitter.com/TwA8FjC6Md

— Sean Yamaguchi (@SeanYamaguchi_) June 23, 2026

After he was named the Mountain West freshman of the year after his 2025 season, he returned to the Wolf Pack and batted .310 and finished second on the team with 14 home runs and a .595 slugging percentage. He also had six doubles and 37 RBIs. Nevada went 24-27 and lost in the first round of the Mountain West Tournament.

That was a consistent build off his freshman year in which he batted .324 with 13 home runs and 50 RBI, both of which were tied for the team lead. He also doubled 13 times, scored 51 runs and walked 18 times.

Yamaguchi played infield and can play third base, which makes him a replacement for Meola, who starred at the hot corner all season for the Cowboys before an injury kept him out of the regionals in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He finished with a .320 batting average, along with 17 home runs and 69 RBI. Meola was part of a lineup that hit the second-most home runs of any Division I team in the country except Georgia.

That makes his bat a good fit for the Cowboys, who will need more power after losing both Meola and first baseman Colin Brueggemann.

Cowboys in the Portal So Far

Oklahoma State head baseball Josh Holliday. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Cowboys had commitments from six players before Yamaguchi committed on Tuesday. The bulk of those commitments were pitchers.

That included Washington right-hander Noah Kenney, who was a full-time weekend starter for the Huskies last season; former Texas Tech reliever Will Jordan, who missed part of last season due to injury; former Wake Forest hurler Tyler Wood, who pitched just 1.1 innings last season; Division II star Ben Leikam, who helped North Greenville reach the playoffs; and Utah reliever Kaden Soder, was previously in the juco ranks.

The only position player that previously committed was former Morehead State infielder Aubrey Kearns. The former first-team all-Ohio Valley Conference selection slashed of .387/.622/.471 with a 1.093 OPS in 2026.