The time has now come to regroup and rebuild for Oregon State’s baseball program. This time there are brand new challenges piling up for the upcoming season.

Falling just short of an impressive comeback effort in the Men’s College World Series, Louisville eliminated Oregon State with a walkoff base hit in the ninth inning. This sent the Beavers home with dreams of a championship pushed to next season.

Despite the loss, players were already hopeful of what the next season could hold with the already talented and youthful team Oregon State possesses. 

“(The team) got a taste of what could be and they got a taste of what it’s like,” junior AJ Singer told The Oregonian. “I know if I was to be here that I want to be back, and everyone else in that locker room wants to be back.”

However, a wrench has already been thrown into the Beavers’ prep for next season. A total of 14 Oregon State players entered the transfer portal after the end of the postseason.

Some had already entered the portal before the postseason started. Kailand Halstead was the first Beaver to enter the portal after not appearing in any games. Jabin Trosky quickly followed after his season was cut short by injury. Mathew Morrell and Levi Jones also left the team early, among others.

The top theory for the sudden rush is that there are concerns over playing time and available roles. Other reasons could be a want for new living conditions or a possibility of a fresh start on a new team.

Playing time concerns stem from a multi-million dollar deal adopted by the NCAA. The House Settlement, as it is known, allows colleges to compensate athletes directly and decide roster limits for all sports.

This deal allows clubs opted into the deal to offer as many scholarships as they want to their players, as long as they abide by set roster limits based on average team sizes within D1 baseball. 

As a result of this, Oregon State baseball will have a total of 34 roster spots instead of the 40 they had for the start of the 2025 season. The roster had already gone from 44 to 40 after the 2024 season and is continuing to dwindle.

Many athletes of the remaining list are in the freshman and sophomore class of 2025, looking to still have a chance to make their mark as a starter of a team.

Among the players set to leave, there are some that will impact the quality of the roster more than others. Sophomore pitcher Laif Palmer, who was 2-0 on the season, would have been a quality starter for the Beavers.

However, Oregon State still is still projected to have one of the better pitching rooms in college baseball. Headliners include the names of freshman Dax Whitney, sophomore Ethan Kleinschmit, and junior Eric Segura. The rest of the lineup flexes a healthy mix of talent and experience.

Outfielders Dallas Macias, Carson McEntire, and Jones, and second baseman Dawson Santana, all competed for starting spots and are now leaving. This puts a damper on possible season starters and backup options for next year.

All formerly mentioned players have shown flashes throughout the season even with limited starts and primary usage of pinch running/hitting, so seeing them leave is a little scary for Beaver fans.

The transfer portal is not the only thing affecting the roster. The looming threat of the MLB draft always hangs over Corvallis. As of right now, three players from OSU are almost guaranteed to see their name on an MLB rookie contract. 

This includes junior Aiva Arquette who is a candidate for the first overall pick, junior Gavin Turley who is a projected first rounder, and senior Wilson Weber.

Aside from those three, OSU’s coaching staff is unsure of the other potential draftees.

“Anyone who is draft-eligible is a question mark,” head coach Mitch Canham told The Oregonian after OSU was eliminated from the MCWS.

Despite all these new changes, there are parts to be excited about. While many are set to leave, the transfer portal has allowed the Beavers to bring in new transfers from other schools.

Oregon State baseball supporters should carry little worry, as the coaching staff as well as the remaining players are excited for how their roster will perform for the 2026 season, which will still be riddled with talent.

Senior pitcher Isaac Yeager (Washington), senior catcher Jacob Galloway (Texas A&M), and junior infielder Bryson Glassco (Clackamas Community College) are the players currently set to transfer into the OSU program.

OSU is also prepared to bring in 13 players from the incoming class. The freshmen have an early opportunity to immediately compete for playing time.

“This group represents what it means to a Beaver; dedication, toughness and selflessness,” Canham told Oregon State Athletics. “They’re going to work hard to bring titles back to Corvallis and Beaver fans should know how great of character they’re bringing to represent our school, program and community.”

The team continues to have discussions with players about future decisions and roster moves each day. With the transfer portal coming to a close in early July, now is when the real work begins to get another year of Beaver baseball in gear. 

With a possibly very different team, Oregon State will look to make their way back to The Greatest Show on Dirt. They look to go even further into the postseason, to possibly bring the championship back to Corvallis.