Two Iowa baseball players enter transfer portal

The transfer portal is the new big thing in college sports and while it can be a helpful tool to help build your team, no team is safe from losing players.

A pair of true freshmen for the Hawkeye Baseball team have decided to take another route with their college baseball careers. Kendall Rogers of D1Baseball confirmed to me that the two players are listed in the NCAA Transfer Portal, despite no announcements from their social media accounts. RHP Reece Lawler will look for a new home, after missing the 2021 season with a UCL injury. Lawler was rated the #20 prospect in Illinois, by Perfect Game, as a part of the 2020 class.

RHP Will Semb has also entered the transfer portal, despite pitching in seven games with the Hawkeyes in his first season. Semb posted a 3.00 ERA over 15 innings pitched, striking out 16 and walking 12. He started to pitch well at the end of the season, allowing just two runs in his last four appearances. In those four games, Semb allowed five hits, while striking out 11 and walking five over 10 innings. It is a disappointing departure, after seeing the potential that he showed late in the season.

It will be interesting to see if any other players decide to leave, as the number of players on the squad increased due to the Covid rule that allowed seven seniors to return for another year. Another thing to watch will be the possible addition of some players through the transfer portal.

If a couple of the graduated pitchers decide not to use their extra year, Coach Heller could look to the portal to try to sure up the pitching staff for next season.