Sports
Wave of players hit the transfer portal amid Ohio Baseball coaching change
By: Marc Goldstein
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — As seen in many other sports, coaching changes bring a lot of turnover, both on the roster and coaching staff. After Ohio announced that Craig Moore would no longer be the head coach of the team, a number of players have announced that they have hit the transfer portal for a variety of reasons.
This article will be updated as players continue to enter the portal
Updated May 21
Zach Weber, RHP
Weber’s decision to transfer is likely not related to the coaching change. He announced on Tuesday that he would be entering the transfer portal as a graduate student. The fact is that he could not use his final season of eligibility with Ohio, so his decision likely boils down to getting a final opportunity on the mound. He missed all of the 2025 season with an elbow injury. In 2024, he was an effective swingman out of the bullpen for Ohio. He went 4-3 with a 3.99 ERA in 29.1 innings across 13 outings. Weber would have factored into the bullpen mix this season had he been healthy. Regardless, his 2024 season is easily his best, shaving his ERA in half from his first two seasons in the Green and White. Weber enters the portal with one year of eligibility left.
Pauly Mancino, OF
One of the biggest storylines during this coaching change is that Ohio will have a number of hitters that could form a strong nucleus if paired with a better pitching staff. Mancino is clearly one of those hitters. In 2025, he emerged as one of the pillars of the team during his 32 games. He missed the final chunk of the season with a wrist injury, but his numbers are still rather strong and demonstrate a skill set that will likely be hard to replicate. As a freshman, Mancino hit six homers with 17 RBI. In his sophomore campaign, he hit fewer homers, but hit for a much better average, spraying the ball around the diamond.
Mancino’s decision makes for a strange dilemma in the outfield. Trenton Neuer is out of eligibility, meaning there will now be two spots in the outfield up for grabs. In Mancino’s absence this season, Neuer patrolled center with a combination of Caleb Karll and Brady Alexander splitting time in left. Now, both Karll and Alexander figure to get a lot more looks in center unless an incoming freshman or transfer addition stakes a claim to the position.
The fact is that Mancino openly cited the coaching change as his reason for entering the portal is something to keep an eye on as the wave of transfers continues. Mancino enters the portal with two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Jack Geiser, RHP
Geiser might be the toughest transfer decision considering his role and impact on the team. Ohio lacked a lot of things in the bullpen in 2025, but one of the main ones was a reliable source of innings, especially late in games. Although Ethan Stewart emerged as an option late in the season, Geiser was the pitcher at the forefront of the relief corps for Ohio. He broke out as the marquee late-inning arm for the team to rely upon with his team-leading three saves. His 5.18 ERA is not indicative of a strong season where he struggled towards the middle of the campaign. He demonstrated a unique ability to both throw high-leverage, high-intensity innings while also being able to eat innings in the process. His final outing in 2025 is indicative of this; he went four innings without allowing an earned run against Western Michigan on May 15.
Geiser was often wearing more hats than most closers do. He thrived in the “fireman” role where he was called upon in big situations to attempt to get Ohio out of hairy situations late in games. His electric fastball that sat in the mid-to-upper 90s provided a different dimension for an Ohio pitching staff that lacked elite velocity. Geiser has the measurables and arm to become a force, but his reliance on only two pitches can be seen as limiting. Like Mancino, Gesier stated that the coaching change was the main reason for his decision to enter the portal. He enters the portal with two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Trae Cassidy, C/INF
Cassidy’s decision to transfer is a difficult one for Ohio. The amount of catching depth on the team is now going to be tested. Blake Reed, Wes Lug and Jackson Cauthron were all seniors in 2025 and the only remaining catcher is Brady LaViolette, who did not appear in a game his freshman season. More than anything, Cassidy was a player that could be plugged into the lineup and not be a cause for concern as he is a pure hitter that feels destined to get at least one hit per game.
Cassidy enters the portal with two years of eligibility remaining.
Ben Slanker, OF
The big blow of the transfer period is Slanker’s decision to leave Athens. Slanker became one of the best hitters, not only in the MAC, but the country. His 21 homers and 68 RBI led the team by a longshot and placed him in the top 20 in both categories on a national level. At times, he was one of the pieces keeping Ohio afloat offensively. His well-rounded approach at the plate made him a feared hitter in a lineup devoid of major power threats.
For Slanker, this move felt a little bit expected. Like many big-time players at the mid-major level, it was time for him to transfer to a better school where he could get more NIL opportunities and a greater spotlight on him ahead of the MLB Draft, which he is eligible for after his junior season. The All-MAC First Team outfielder will certainly command a large market in the portal. His power alone makes him someone that many teams would covet, but his contact and discipline tools make him a truly fearsome hitter.
Updated May 28
Slanker announced on social media that he has committed to Louisville. The addition of Slanker to Louisville strengthens a lineup that is already one of the best in the ACC. Louisville is currently in the NCAA Tournament, the No. 2 seed in the Nashville Regional. Slanker’s 21 homers would have led Louisville this season and he will make a formidable combination with freshman Tague Davis, who hit 18 homers of his own this season.
Updated May 23
Jimmy Cerha, RHP:
Cerha announced his intention to transfer on Thursday as the freshman righty appears poised to leave Athens. Outside of his numbers being a little inflated from a difficult beginning to the season, Cerha proved to be a valuable piece to the Ohio bullpen. His 7.62 ERA in 13 innings might not stand out on paper, but he was able to come into many games for mop-up duty and perform admirably and stop the bleeding.
Cerha possesses a powerful fastball that can be hard to square up when his command is on point. The thing he struggled with, like many other Ohio pitchers, is the ability to locate that fastball and get ahead of hitters. Cerha demonstrated solid secondary pitches and showed a tendency to rack up some strikeouts during his outings. Although used sparingly at the beginning of the season, he would find himself entering a game about once every week by the end of the year. With the right development, Cerha could have been a pretty big piece to the Ohio bullpen in 2026 and beyond. He enters the portal with three years of eligibility.
Updated May 28
Jackson Cauthron, C:
Cauthron’s announcement, like Weber’s, might be due mainly to eligibility than anything. However, the fact that he openly cited the coaching change as the catalyst for his decision is an interesting aspect of his decision. Cauthron has embarked on a strong two-year stretch as one of the primary starting catchers for Ohio. Splitting time with Cassidy behind the plate, he also served as a DH at times when he was not catching. His offensive numbers in 2024 were respectable with a .278 average and 4 homers and seven doubles. In 2025, he nearly replicated those numbers, but increased his home-run total to seven and hit 11 doubles.
The thing Cauthron does best, though, is play defense behind the plate. He has a very strong arm and blocks the ball well. Although his pitching staff did not do him many favors, he was a wall behind the plate and was able to manage the emotions of his staff. The loss of Cauthron further decimates the catcher position for Ohio. With Cassidy transferring and Lug and Reed graduating, only LaViolette remains on the active roster. Cauthron has one season of eligibility remaining.
JR Nelson, INF:
The latest blow to the Ohio offense during the transfer portal is Nelson. He announced both his intention to transfer and destination at the same time. Nelson will make his way to Illinois for the 2026 season. Nelson was a reliable top-of-the-order bat for Ohio this season before a knee injury ended his season prematurely. He hit .252 after a slow start to the year with 5 homers and 15 RBI. His main contributions, though, come on the defensive side of the field. He is an elite shortstop, winning MAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.
Illinois had a difficult season in the Big Ten. The 30-24 record is not bad by any stretch nor is a 14-16 conference mark, but a program that has, historically, been far better will be looking for a rebound in 2026. Nelson certainly adds to that effort as transfers are easier to insert into a lineup as experience has proven to win games in college baseball. Nelson has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Updated June 4
Blake Gaskey, RHP:
Ohio is facing a lot of hardships stemming from the transfer portal. Ohio’s Friday night starter is now the next player to add his name to the lengthy list of players to announce an intent to transfer. Gaskey has been a consistent piece in the starting rotation for Ohio over the course of the last two seasons since transferring from Southeastern Community College. He has started 14 games in each season, logging over 120 innings between his two campaigns in Athens.
The impact of losing Gaskey is pretty evident as innings are at a premium for a roster that is likely to be incredibly young in 2026. Having a veteran presence at the top of the rotation is something that proves invaluable. Gaskey’s fastball command was spotting at times in 2025 and he had a tendency to give up homers, but was an inning eater. His 7.80 ERA might be enhanced by the home runs and being left in games too long. However, Gaskey is a true competitor on the bump and his contributions will be dearly missed. He enters the portal with one season of eligibility remaining.
Dylan Eggl, RHP:
Eggl has become the tenth Bobcat to announce that he is entering the portal. Like Gaskey, he is a JUCO product from SCC. Eggl started the season very strong, picking up saves in each of the first two victories for the Bobcats, including the series opener against Butler on Feb. 28. However, his season took a turn for the worse, ending the year with a 14.46 ERA in 18.2 innings. Eggl did not pitch for the majority of the middle of the season, throwing just six innings once the calendar turned to April.
Although he picked up 5 losses over the course of the season, his late-inning experience could be something that Ohio will miss with his departure. Getting the last few outs in a game has proven to be a difficult task and losing a pitcher who has done that in his career is not an easy thing to replicate. He enters the portal with one season of eligibility remaining.
Updated June 10
Matt Ineich, INF
Ineich is an elite contact hitter. His strikeout rate as a freshman was absurd. He struck out just 11 times in 142 plate appearances. Ineich is a throwback archetype of player in the sense that he does not swing for the fences or strike out often. This is something that makes him invaluable for a lineup looking for a different look.
West Virginia has quickly become a powerhouse in the Big 12, winning the last two regular season titles and going to a Super Regional in both of those seasons. Head coach Steve Sabins has also made a name for himself in the recruiting ranks for his ability to identify and scout talent. Ineich heads to Morgantown with three years of elibigility remaining.