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

By Noah Fleischman

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 pitchers Sam Highfill or 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. 

The transfer portal and junior college ranks were crucial in that process. 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. 

“You want to protect yourself against the draft by possibly taking more experienced players, whether it be through the portal or whether it be through junior college,” Avent said. “I think you’ll see more colleges taking guys with experience because experience does matter. Age does matter.”

“That’s what you’re seeing throughout college sports right now,” he continued. “People are taking more older players that have more experience to protect their program from being too young.”

The Wolfpack landed Vanderbilt first baseman Matt Ossenfort, UNC Greensboro right handed pitcher Julien Peissel, Georgia Tech third baseman Ryan Jaros, Ole Miss utility player Trenton Lyons, VCU infielder Chris McHugh and San Diego shortstop Justin DeCriscio from the transfer portal. NC State also added four junior college recruits in the likes of right-handed pitcher Landon Carr (Gaston College), outfielder Brayden Fraasman (Lincoln Trail College), left handed pitcher Eli Pillsbury (John A. Logan College) and outfielder Jet Gilliam (College of Southern Nevada).

And even though NC State had clear momentum from yet another trip to the College World Series under Avent’s guidance, the coach didn’t think that played a big role in the Wolfpack’s ability to land quality talent with experience. 

Avent, instead, thought it came from the program’s consistency of being a top-20 team year in and year out. 

“The World Series is hard to do, it’s hard to get there and you can be a great program and not get there,” Avent said. “It seems like that’s the crowning achievement, but I think it’s the consistency of winning every year that I find more appealing to me. If I were a player, I’d want to go to a program that I think is going to be good for a while and not just have that one good year.”

NC State was able to hit the field over the past month to work together as a complete team for the first time. Avent was happy with what he saw from the new group, though he did admit the squad had a long way to go before first pitch in late February. 

“I’m happy with what I saw this fall,” Avent said. “But anytime you think about the guys you lost, some of that happiness turns into a little bit of ‘wow’ because we lost a lot. …  There are so many new players, the league that we play in and the schedule that we play, we don’t expect it to happen right away. They play hard, they seem to love to play, you just have to figure out how to play together.”

Fall ball standouts

As Avent watched his new squad for the first time together, he was impressed with what he saw on the practice field and in three exhibition games against Duke and Elon, despite dropping both games against the Blue Devils. 

The coach was pleased with several players across the diamond including a handful of transfers, returning players and a couple true freshmen who could make an immediate impact this spring with the Wolfpack. 

Avent, who pondered the question of what players stuck out to him, brought up freshman outfielder Ty Head first. The Windermere, Fla., native was the No. 151 prospect in this past year’s draft, according to ESPN, but he elected to attend NC State instead. 

And Avent couldn’t be more thrilled, especially after he watched Head fit in this fall. 

“Ty Head has shown he’s going to be a tremendous baseball player here at NC State,” Avent said. “I’m so glad that he turned down the draft.”

Head appeared in all three games in center field for the Pack as he was 2-for-8 with 3 RBI, 2 strikeouts, a run and a walk this fall. 

In addition to Head, Avent was also excited about freshman infielder Ryder Woodson, who he said “showed great promise of being a big-time player here at NC State. He was outstanding.” Woodson played at third base this fall and showed his potential with a hit against Duke, while he also logged a stolen base. 

While the freshmen showed they will be able to develop and make an impact at NC State, the Pack’s transfers did as well. Avent called DeCriscio, Gilliam, McHugh and Ossenfort all “impressive” from what he saw this fall. 

Avent also raved about Fraasman, who was featured in left field for the Wolfpack.

“[He] had a really, really interesting fall,” Avent said of Fraasman. “It looks like he has a chance to be a big help for us.” 

The Pack’s returning players excelled too. Avent saw growth from backend relievers righty Jacob Dudan, lefty Cooper Consiglio and right-hander Derrick Smith, while sophomore righty Heath Andrews and redshirt junior left-hander Jacob Dienes also “had a really good fall.”

Dienes, in particular, seemed to show Avent something he wasn’t expecting. The coach said Dienes “seems like he’s turned a corner.” The Wilson, N.C., native gave up 5 runs (2 earned) with 2 strikeouts in an inning against Duke, but he rebounded with a perfect 3-strikeout frame against Elon. 

Andrews, meanwhile, posted two innings with 4 hits allowed, 1 walk and 4 strikeouts on 44 pitches against Duke as he looks to build off his 10 appearances from his freshman campaign. He also topped out at 95.8 mph on the mound, the fourth-fastest of any Pack pitcher this fall.

Redshirt sophomore catcher Drew Lanphere, who played a pivotal role early in the season a year ago, “had a really good fall behind the plate,” Avent said. He was 5-for-10 with a home run, 5 RBI, 3 runs scored and a walk during the fall exhibition slate. 

Injury updates

While last season ended in a run to the College World Series, NC State managed to reach Omaha without three key players who suffered season-ending injuries along the way.

Senior right-handed pitcher Matt Willadsen, a projected starter, tore his UCL on the first day of spring practice last season, resulting in Tommy John surgery shortly afterward. And by early May, right-hander Shane Van Dam, a go-to reliever, did the same and needed an operation as well. 

Both arms are progressing well and are on track to return this spring.

“They’re coming along,” Avent said of Willadsen and Van Dam. “Anytime you’re coming back from the surgery that they had, it’s always a work in progress. You never anticipate too much, and you never expect everything to go perfect, but right now we’d say they’re on course to be back this year.”

The other major injury the Pack sustained en route to the College World Series was sophomore outfielder Josh Hogue breaking his leg in an on-field collision going for a fly ball. He needed surgery the next day, ending his 2024 campaign after he started 36 games and hit .314 with 5 doubles, 4 homers, a triple and 28 RBI. 

Hogue is also recovering well from his leg injury, but Avent didn’t want to commit to a specific timeline for him, though the Pack expects the outfielder to play at some point this upcoming season. 

“It’s amazing to see what he’s able to do after that injury,” Avent said. “That injury was so devastating and so difficult. To see his recovery thus far, it’s been amazing to me — the strength he has, things he’s able to do to get ready for the season. But he’s still not there. He’s still not 100 percent because he isn’t able to run at full speed yet. There’s still a long way to go, but where he is right now, it’s cool to see.”