The transfer portal is never just about the biggest names at the top. As the offseason unfolds, this series will look a little deeper, highlighting players whose value might not be immediately obvious but whose tools, track records or developmental paths make them especially interesting.

In most cases, that means players ranked outside the top 50 of Baseball America’s portal rankings . Every now and then, though, we’ll bend the rules for a particularly fun up-and-comer worth knowing early.

Alec Blair, OF

Old School: Oklahoma

New School: Texas A&M

Blair is one of the more fascinating projection plays in the portal. A former two-sport athlete who committed to Oklahoma to play both basketball and baseball, he ultimately chose the diamond and played sparingly as a freshman for the national-champion Sooners, hitting .247/.320/.697 with two home runs, four doubles, a triple and a stolen base over 30 appearances.

The rawness is evident. Blair’s lefthanded swing is long and geared for impact, and his aggressive approach leads to significant swing-and-miss. But few players in the portal can match the physical ingredients. He’s a premium athlete with a projectable 6-foot-6 frame and plus raw power from the left side. Texas A&M is betting on traits far more than polish, but Blair’s combination of athleticism, frame and power gives him one of the highest ceilings among this year’s transfer hitters.

Trevor Goldenetz, OF

Old School: Long Beach State

New School: Texas

Goldenetz brings one of the more advanced contact profiles in the portal, even if the offensive impact remains underdeveloped. The 6-foot, 180-pound lefthanded outfielder hit .369/.489/.405 as a freshman at Long Beach State with two doubles, a triple, 10 stolen bases in 15 attempts and more walks than strikeouts. His bat control is the carrying tool. Goldenetz posted an 89% overall contact rate and a 94% in-zone contact rate, giving him a strong foundation as a hit-over-power outfielder.

The offensive ceiling depends on whether Texas can add strength and aggression without dulling the contact. Goldenetz is extremely passive and produces well below-average exit velocities, so he will need to impact the ball with more authority to handle SEC pitching. If that happens, his bat-to-ball skill gives him a chance to become one of the better pure hitters to move through the portal this year.

Hayden Johnson, LHP

Old School: Coastal Carolina

New School: South Carolina

Johnson did not pitch in 2026 because of arm injuries, but his 2025 season still carries weight after he emerged as one of Coastal Carolina’s more effective arms, posting a 2.82 ERA with 55 strikeouts over 38.1 innings during the Chanticleers’ run to the College World Series final. The lefthander’s appeal is built on fastball shape and slider quality more than overpowering velocity.

His fastball averaged 92 mph and reached 95, playing above its velocity because of its carry, spin and effectiveness at the top of the zone. His slider is the carrying secondary, flashing plus with multiple shapes and giving him a weapon against both lefthanded and righthanded hitters. Johnson is a below-average strike-thrower and comes with obvious medical risk, but he is draft-eligible and could return to school with a chance to rebuild his stock if he proves healthy in a starter role.

Wills Maginnis, 3B

Old School: Georgia State

New School: Arkansas

Maginnis, who checks in at No. 18 in BA’s portal rankings, offers a strong blend of athleticism, approach and defensive flexibility after moving from first base as a freshman to third base as a draft-eligible sophomore at Georgia State, giving him major Power Four breakout potential. He hit .306/.404/.486 in 2026 with eight home runs, 13 doubles, 21 steals in 24 attempts and nearly as many walks as strikeouts, giving him one of the cleaner offensive foundations in the portal.

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound righthanded hitter has above-average power, though it presently shows more through firm line-drive contact than consistent home run lift. He takes complete at-bats: Maginnis is difficult to beat in the zone, rarely chases, handles velocity and shows discipline against spin. The main offensive separator will be whether he becomes more assertive without sacrificing the strike-zone judgment that makes the profile work. With plus athleticism, bat speed and a chance to stay on the left side of the infield, Maginnis has the ingredients to be a high-impact addition at his next stop.

Serigne Sarre, LHP

Old School: Mount Saint Mary’s

New School: Virginia

Sarre’s case to jump from the MAAC to the ACC starts with his ability to miss bats. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound lefthander spent the last two seasons as a starter at Mount St. Mary’s and posted a 3.80 ERA with 176 strikeouts against 62 walks over 142 innings. He is not a power arm, sitting 88-89 mph and touching 93, but his fastball has run, ride and good extension that help it play when he’s around the zone.

Sarre is a below-average strike-thrower, and he can spray the fastball enough that his best fit might be in shorter bursts. His changeup is the separator, a low-to-mid-80s pitch with fade that became a legitimate bat-missing weapon in 2026, and he also mixes a low-spin, low-80s slider with horizontal break. Sarre could give an ACC staff a matchup-oriented fireman with enough starting history to provide length if needed, and his changeup is a true carrying pitch as he makes a significant jump in competition.

Mateo Serna, C

Old School: Missouri

New School: Alabama

Serna’s most memorable 2026 moment came in the SEC Tournament, when the former Missouri catcher turned ABS challenges into a weapon and showed just how well he knows the strike zone. That awareness carries into the rest of his defensive profile. Serna is a fluid receiver with a good arm and strong catch-and-throw skills, giving him the tools to control the running game and provide real value behind the plate as he moves within the SEC to Alabama. The offensive profile is lighter. He is closer to an average college bat with below-average strength and bat-to-ball skill, so his impact will be driven primarily by his defense, game management and ability to steal value on the margins.

Kaden Smith, RHP

Old School: South Florida

New School: LSU

Smith will transfer to LSU after one season at South Florida, where he split time between the rotation and bullpen and posted a 4.24 ERA with 52 strikeouts and 25 walks over 46.2 innings. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound righthander is solidly built and athletic, with a power arsenal led by a mid-90s fastball that touches 97 with cut-ride shape. He also throws a big low-to-mid-80s curveball and a mid-to-high-80s slider, both of which generated whiff rates north of 35% in 2026. Smith’s control is poor, which creates reliever risk even in college, but his velocity and two swing-and-miss breaking balls give LSU a talented power arm with multiple bat-missing weapons.

Righty Kaden Smith is in the portal after one season at USF, where he split his time between the rotation and pen. Mid-90s cut-ride FB up to 97. Throws a big low-to-mid 80s CB and mid-to-high 80s SL both of which drew whiff rates north of 35% in 2026. pic.twitter.com/iSlNmy7oOZ

— Jacob Rudner (@JacobRudner) June 22, 2026

Chase Swift, LHP

Old School: Virginia Tech

New School: Miami

Swift will transfer to Miami after two seasons at Virginia Tech, where he worked mostly out of the bullpen. An undersized lefthander without much power in his arsenal, Swift relies on location, movement and separation rather than velocity. His fastball sits just 87-88 mph, but it has good carry and at times shows promising cut-ride shape, allowing it to play better than its raw velocity. His changeup is a real weapon, playing well off the fastball with excellent vertical separation and giving him a legitimate bat-missing pitch. Swift also mixes a cutter, but his fastball-changeup combination drives the profile. He is not a traditional power reliever, but his pitch traits and feel give Miami a useful lefthanded bullpen piece.

Landon Sloan, RHP

Old School: Grand Canyon

New School: Long Beach State

Sloan is light on track record but strong on projection, which makes his move to Long Beach State one of the more interesting lower-profile transfers in the portal. He recorded just two outs in two appearances as a freshman at Grand Canyon before an injury cut his season short, but his pre-injury look suggested a much more talented arm than the stat line can show. The 6-foot-2 righthander worked with a low-to-mid-90s fastball that showed carry and played well at the top of the zone, and he paired it with a low-80s changeup with quality fade and a sweeping breaking ball.

Sloan also moved well on the mound, with a clean, athletic operation, a low slingy arm path and some crossfire that created deception without taking away his ability to repeat. He remains raw and will be just 20 years old for the 2028 draft, but if he gets healthy and regains the form he showed last fall, Sloan has the movement quality, pitch traits and athleticism to take a significant step forward at Long Beach State.

Matt Toomey, OF

Old School: Long Beach State

New School: Cal State Fullerton

Toomey has the foundation of a contact-oriented lefthanded hitter, with the remaining question centered on how much strength he can add to a thin 6-foot-3, 165-pound frame. He hit .273/.390/.386 with 11 doubles, two triples and six stolen bases as a sophomore at Long Beach State in 2026, showing above-average bat-to-ball skill and limited chase despite swinging frequently. The present impact is light, and Toomey still has a long way to go physically, but his feel to hit gives him a useful starting point. If he continues to fill out without losing the contact traits that drive the profile, he could make real offensive gains at Cal State Fullerton.