Virginia Tech baseball coach John Szefc hits grand slam in terms of retention for 2027

It looked like the Virginia Tech baseball team was heading down the road of not making the NCAA Tournament again, just past the halfway point of the 2026 season. After starting the season 7-1, the Hokies hit some bumps in the road and fell below .500.

However, they turned things around in the second half of the season and won their final four ACC series, which allowed them to finish 15-15 and secure a first-round bye at the ACC Tournament last month in Charlotte. The Hokies collected a second-round win over Notre Dame and secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

When the 64-team field was announced on Memorial Day, Virginia Tech was a surprise second-seed in the Los Angeles Regional, hosted by the top overall-seed UCLA. It was a frustrating weekend in Southern California for the Hokies, who fell to Cal Poly in their opener before having the top-seeded Bruins three outs away from elimination. UCLA plated three runs in the bottom of the ninth to walk off Virginia Tech, 6-5, and end their season.

After Virginia Tech returned to Blacksburg, the Transfer Portal opened, and some huge decisions were looming. However, it appears that head coach John Szefc and his staff have done their job in terms of retention.

Virginia Tech baseball gets massive retention for 2027 season

There are some big contributors to the Hokies in 2026, and they were tabbed as must-keep players for Szefc and his staff. Over the last week, the Virginia Tech baseball X account has been announcing which players are returning for the 2027 season, and the news just kept getting better and better.

Names have been dropping in terms if players coming back for next season. On Monday morning, there was still one name that fans have been waiting to hear and the good news was finally dropped when the Virginia Tech baseball X account announced that freshman Ethan Ball is returning. It can't be drilled home enough just how big that is.

Ball ended up hitting cleanup for Virginia Tech as the season went along, and according to Dylan Tefft of Tech Sideline noted Ball led the Hokies with 18 doubles, 17 home runs, 53 RBIs, and an insane OPS of 1.081. He was the best hitter for Virginia Tech and needed to be retained, which, given this day and age of the portal and NIL, was up in the air.

Virginia Tech also has Clay Grady, Nick Locurto, Hudson Lutterman, Sam Grube, and Ethan Gibson returning. All in all, some additions are needed through the portal, especially on the mound, but the work Szefc and his team did in retention this year was huge and sets the Hokies up well going into 2027.

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