After the Virginia Tech baseball team was bounced from the NCAA Tournament last month at UCLA, there were a lot of fingers being crossed by Hokies fans in terms of potential retention for the 2027 campaign.
There were some big names that could either leave for the MLB Draft or hit the Transfer Portal. However, there were some key names that head coach John Szefc needed to try to retain, and for the most part, he did. On Monday, it was announced that Ethan Ball was returning for the 2027 season, which is a huge announcement given the other retention for the Hokies.
One area where there is going to be a big need for Szefc and the Hokies is going to be on the mound. Virginia Tech has lost some pitchers to the portal, and there are pitchers who are leaving for the MLB Draft. Adding arms through the Transfer Portal is going to be huge, and on Monday, they picked up a portal commitment on the mound.
Virginia Tech baseball picks up portal commitment on the mound
The Hokies picked up a portal commitment on Monday when left-handed pitcher Chris Torres committed to Virginia Tech after finishing his junior season at USC Upstate. He hit the portal earlier this month after working 76.2 innings with an ERA with a 5-4 record and a 5.28 ERA. He appeared in 18 games with 16 starts and had a 1.54 WHIP. He is from West Springfield, Massachusetts. He began his college career at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Thankful for this opportunity @HokiesBaseball pic.twitter.com/kMgNXT2oEC
— Chris Torres (@ChrisTorres_33) June 15, 2026
The Hokies have already lost pitcher Ben Weber to the portal after he returned to Xavier, while three other pitchers, Chase Swift, Madden Clement, and Preston Crowl, also hit the portal. Right-hander Brent Renfrow was likely going to be drafted, so finding a staff to go along with the returning players is going to be key for Szefc.
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