Intel: NC State coach Elliott Avent breaks down recruiting, fall ball standouts, injury updates

Fresh off its second trip to the Men’s College World Series in the last four years, NC State baseball made a splash in the transfer portal this offseason. The Pack took six Division I transfers after taking just four from four-year institutions the previous offseason, which was the fewest of any team left standing in Omaha.  But there was a pressing need for the Wolfpack to do just that. NC State lost the core that helped the Pack to the final stage of the NCAA Tournament, including two starting pitchers, nearly its entire infield and multiple outfielders to either exhausted eligibility or the MLB Draft.  “If you look at what we lost,” NC State coach Elliott Avent began in an interview with TheWolfpacker.com, “those are names that scare you to death when you think about losing those guys.” Without the likes of right-handed pitcher Sam Highfill or lefty Logan Whitaker and the elite infield talent of catcher Jacob Cozart (second round to Cleveland Guardians), first baseman Garrett Pennington, shortstop Brandon Butterworth (12th round to San Diego Padres) and power-hitting third baseman Alec Makarewicz, NC State had to reload in a hurry.  And the transfer portal and junior college ranks were crucial in that. The Wolfpack added 20 new players, including 10 with previous collegiate experience, for its 2025 roster. Avent, who is entering his 28th-year as the Wolfpack’s skipper, felt that he had no choice but to bring in more experienced players than usual.