Brian O'Connor admits transfer portal being open during College World Series is 'a little awkward'

The College World Series opens action Friday but the college baseball transfer portal has already been open since May 30. For Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor, that creates an unfavorable environment.

“I think it’s a little awkward,” O’Connor said. “Certainly for the teams that are playing, right, because your focus is to winning tomorrow, and that will always be our focus before the next player. It has to be. You also have to pay attention to maybe what your needs might be next year and try to plug some players in if it’s necessary in particular programs.”

The transfer portal has jumped in importance in recent years once all players who entered for the first time became eligible to transfer and play immediately. The transfer portal had been more significant in baseball than other sports prior to the move because of the importance of junior college transfers. But the decision has still resulted in some game-changing decisions.

Nine players on the current Virginia roster transferred in from a different school with six of currently graduate students for the Cavaliers. The non-graduate students include outfielder Ethan O’Donnell, who has started all 63 games and is hitting .356 with 13 home runs and 55 RBI, and left-handed pitcher Connelly Early, who is 12-2 with a 3.06 ERA.

O’Donnell was named to the All-ACC first team while Early was named to the All-ACC third team.

Those graduate transfers have also played critical roles on the team, especially on the pitching staff.

Right-handers Brian Edgington and Nick Parker have each started 15 games this season. Edgington is 9-3 with a 3.47 ERA while Parker is 8-0 with a 3.81 ERA.

Southpaw Angelo Tonas has been phenomenal out of the bullpen for Virginia, pitching in 21 games with a 2.25 ERA and 4-0 record. Edgington was also a third-team All-ACC selection.

“I don’t know what the answer is. I don’t have the answer. Somebody smarter than me probably does have some answers to it,” O’Connor said. “It needs to be at the end of the season for most all the teams in college baseball. We’re just fortunate to still be playing and still have the opportunity in front of us. Listen, the transfer portal is here to stay, and it’s part of college athletics. Each program has to decide how are they going to use it, if at all, to develop their program.”

With those transfer leading the way, the Cavaliers start their run at the College World Series on Friday against Florida.