The Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball program’s Cinderella run didn’t go the way Will Bolt or the rest of his squad hoped it would. The summer offers new obstacles to overcome as eight Huskers have entered the transfer portal since the season abruptly ended in the Chapel Hill Regional.
The most notable name of the group departing so far is second baseman Cayden Brumbaugh. However, the sheer volume of those who have entered means that no matter what, Bolt has some roster reshaping to do. Brumbaugh appeared in 101 games across two seasons for the Cornhuskers, hitting over .300 both years. This season, he posted a .309/.388/.451 slash line and recorded career-highs with 18 doubles, 5 home runs, and 33 RBI.
Nebraska faces roster overhaul as transfer portal claims eight players after Chapel Hill exit
The Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team also lost outfielders Robby Bolin, Hayden Lewis and Cael Frost, catchers Colin Cymbalista and Kanon Sundgren, as well as freshman pitchers J’Shawn Unger and Aiden Lieser.
Of that group, Frost might be the most significant loss. He came over to Nebraska looking to copy the power numbers he had at South Dakota State, where he hit a school record 21 home runs. However, he struggled in his first season in Lincoln, recording just 7 homers.
It’s hard to know how much of the departures are about NIL money not being what they hoped it would be, and how much are roster changes in college baseball, which remain fluid with the House settlement still unapproved. That approval doesn’t seem imminent as the judge overseeing the situation granted an extension until later this month.
While nothing is set yet, programs, including the Huskers, are bracing for a trimming of player limits from 40 to 34. The Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team has a recruiting class of over 20 members. Quite a few of the eight players who have already entered the portal may be part of the trimming. However, Brumbaugh doesn’t fit a profile of players that Bolt would want to shave off.