UCLA Baseball Lands Intriguing Transfer Portal Commitment

The Bruins' offseason has officially started, and after losing two pitchers, they have found thier first player from the portal.

Jun 14, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach John Savage watches the team warm up before the game against the Murray State Races at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

The offseason for UCLA baseball has officially begun.

What was once a season with expectations of winning the College World Series has now turned into one that is already looking to the transfer portal. The Bruins were ranked the No. 1 team in the country from the beginning of the year through the start of the NCAA Tournament.

Jun 14, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach John Savage on the field before the game against the Murray State Races at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

Then, at the start of the regionals, the Bruins would play their opening match against Saint Mary’s and fall. After a win against Virginia Tech to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Bruins would fall once again to Saint Mary’s, becoming the second No. 1 overall seed to be eliminated before the Super Regionals.

Now, just eleven days after left-handed reliever Chris Grotheus and right-hander Jack O'Connor entered the transfer portal, John Savage has found his first pickup in redshirt senior outfielder Isaac Wachsmann.

Excited for this next chapter! @UCLABaseball pic.twitter.com/uaIqWoAtxM

— Isaac Wachsmann (@IsaacWachsmann) June 14, 2026

Wachsmann as a Player

Wachsmann spent his first three seasons of college baseball at Xavier, where he had a .259 batting average with 22 home runs, 68 RBI’s, .543 slugging, and .359 on-base percentage.

Jun 16, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach John Savage walks off the field before the game against the LSU Tigers at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Wachsman would enter the transfer portal and stay in the Big East to play for Creighton. The centerfielder had his most impactful season during his lone year at Creighton in 2026. Wachsmann hit a team-leading 14 home runs and punched in 48 RBI's on a .286 batting average. Wachsmann's 14 home runs ranked fifth in the Big East, while his OPS and slugging percentages ranked ninth and seventh in the Big East.

Wachsmann is also a great fielder, with a .992 fielding percentage that ranked eighth in the Big East. He also ranks 20th in the Big East in putouts with 119, with just two assists and only one error.

Jun 14, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; Murray State Racers head coach Dan Skirka and UCLA Bruins head coach John Savage meet with umpires before the game at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

What This Pickup Means for the Bruins

This will not be the only transfer pickup during this offseason, as manager Jon Savage will still need to find relief pitchers as well as a few other positional players. However, this is a great start for what Bruins fans can expect.

Aug 28, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, US; West outfielder Will Gasparino (23) during the Perfect Game All-American Classic high school baseball game at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

This also signals that starting center fielder Will Gasparino will likely enter the upcoming MLB Draft. Gasparino spent his first two years of college baseball with Texas but really became an impact player with the Bruins, making a big leap in his offensive production this past season, with a .314 batting average, 20 home runs, and 64 RBI.

Wachsmann isn't one of the top players in the transfer portal, but if he is able to produce at the same level during his time at Creighton, it would be the second straight home run pickup from the transfer portal for John Savage, as well as keeping the Bruins in the talks of winning a national title.