VCU transfer infielder Chris McHugh commits to NC State
NC State baseball’s transfer portal success continued Friday as VCU transfer infielder Chris McHugh committed to the Wolfpack, he announced via social media.
McHugh, a rising sophomore, played 54 games at first base this past season for the Rams, who won the Atlantic 10 Tournament and beat Wake Forest in the Greenville Regional. He hit .273 with five doubles, six home runs and 33 RBI this past season at VCU.
The Commack, N.Y., native helped the Rams knock off the Wolfpack 9-6 in the second game of the season this past spring. He logged three hits in total on opening weekend, but a 2-for-4 day with three RBI in the middle game of the series propelled VCU to nab a contest from NC State.
McHugh posted a career-best four-hit game, all singles, when he drove in three runs at George Mason on April 25. The infielder logged a career-best four RBI at Richmond, where he went 2-for-5 with three runs scored and slugged a homer in the process.
McHugh was the No. 47 player in New York’s Class of 2023 as a shortstop, ranking No. 500 overall in the nation in high school. He earned All-Long Island honors in 2022 and 2023, while helping his team to the Long Island Championship in 2021 and 2023.
The infielder hails from a baseball family as his father played collegiately at St. John’s and Florida International.
McHugh has three years of eligibility remaining. He is expected to compete for the Wolfpack’s opening at first base, which was vacated after Garrett Pennington’s eligibility expired. McHugh will likely battle Vanderbilt transfer first baseman Matt Ossenfort for the job, though he has experience at second base as well.
McHugh is the seventh Division I transfer to commit to the Wolfpack this cycle. He joins, UNC Greensboro right handed pitcher Julien Peissel, Georgia Tech third baseman Ryan Jaros, Campbell outfielder Dalen Thompson, Ole Miss utility player Trenton Lyons, San Diego shortstop Justin DeCriscio and Ossenfort in the portal class.
