Sean Yamaguchi, who had a record-breaking freshman year at Nevada, will return to the school for his sophomore campaign in silver and blue.
The reigning Mountain West freshman of the year announced Tuesday on social media he would not enter the transfer portal this offseason and instead remain with the Wolf Pack.
“I’ve decided to stay at the University of Nevada because this place means more to me than just baseball,” Yamaguchi wrote on his social media page. “The coaches have believed in me and push me to be my best every single day. My teammates have become family, guys I trust, grind with and grow alongside. And the support from the Nevada community has been unreal. They show up, they care and they’ve made my feel like I’m part of something bigger. That’s why I’m staying. I want to keep building, keep competing and represent the Silver State with pride.”
The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Yamaguchi hit .315 with a .926 OPS as a college rookie last season. He led the team in runs (51), RBIs (50), total bases (124) and homers (13). His 10 dingers in conference play tied a freshman record in the MW that was set 20 years ago. A third baseman, Yamaguchi helped Nevada go 34-23 last season with a 19-11 league mark, winning its fourth MW regular-season title.
Yamaguchi could have cashed in a big NIL deal had the Honolulu native entered the transfer portal this offseason. Instead, he’ll look to build on his freshman campaign as a draft-eligible sophomore in 2026. Traditionally, players who attend a Division I college must wait three years out of high school to become eligible for the MLB draft. But given Yamaguchi’s age, he will be eligible for the draft next summer.
The Wolf Pack could return up to eight starting position players plus its top-four pitchers and top-three relievers in 2026. Yamaguchi’s return is a strong start to the offseason for Nevada, which will be led by fourth-year head coach Jake McKinley next season.