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After a 21-30-1 season and failing to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament, Northwestern baseball desperately needs to turn things around. While aggressive transfer portal activity hasn’t necessarily translated to success for the Wildcats in recent years, eventually one of their swings is bound to result in a home run.
Northwestern brought in six transfers last offseason, and with several seniors and graduate students departing the program, a similar level of portal activity should be expected during this cycle.
Before diving into potential targets, it is important to note that while the D-I portal cycle opens on June 1, many of Northwestern’s eventual additions could come from the lower levels of college baseball, so specific names should be taken with a grain of salt. However, it is possible that these are the types of players the Wildcats are likely to pursue based on their most obvious needs.
Pitchers
As is the case at every level of baseball, Northwestern needs pitching.
Only two Wildcat pitchers made more than 10 starts last season. One of them, Ryan Weaver, has no remaining eligibility. That means Matt Kouser will likely remain a workhorse while Jake Rifenburg and Garrett Shearer take on expanded roles in the rotation. Even then, the Wildcats will need multiple starters to supplement them.
Simply put, Northwestern’s pitching staff needs more bodies. Here are some potential targets.
Landon Salvesen — Utah
Salvesen has already entered the transfer portal and has one year of eligibility remaining.
Before transferring to Utah, he spent two seasons at Utah State Eastern, where he recorded seven separate 10-strikeout performances in 2025.
Salvesen struggled in his lone season with Utah, allowing nine runs and nine walks in just 8.1 innings in 2026. Despite his command struggles, his swing-and-miss ability remained evident.
The 6-foot-2 left-hander appears ready for a change of scenery, and Northwestern could provide the opportunity for immediate innings in high-leverage situations. For a program searching for pitchers with upside, Salvesen’s strikeout potential alone makes him an intriguing option.
John Hegarty — Cornell
Hegarty has put together two impressive seasons at Cornell. As a freshman, his 15 appearances ranked sixth-most by a rookie in program history. Last season, the 6-foot-5 right-hander posted a 2.65 ERA across 34 innings.
Northwestern has firsthand experience facing Hegarty. In a February matchup against the Wildcats last season, Hegarty threw four scoreless innings while striking out three batters. That outing may have caught the attention of NU’s coaching staff.
Beyond a seamless academic fit for the Ivy Leaguer, Hegarty offers valuable versatility. He could compete for starts or provide multi-inning relief, but either way, he would add much-needed depth to the pitching staff.
Spencer Johnsen — Indiana State
Johnsen appeared in 20 games for Indiana State last season, striking out 41 batters in 49 innings. Prior to that, he spent two seasons at Santa Ana College, where he posted 69 strikeouts compared to just 17 walks during his sophomore campaign.
Plainly, Johnsen misses bats.
A left-handed pitcher with legitimate strikeout ability is exactly the type of arm Northwestern should pursue. Whether used as a starter or a bullpen weapon, Johnsen’s pitch mix and ability to generate swings and misses could make him an immediate contributor.
Hitters
Now that Northwestern’s top priority has been addressed, it’s time to discuss the bats.
The Wildcats are losing key hitters from last season’s team, namely Noah Ruiz and Jack Lausch. Every position of the field should be considered, but second base and center field stand out as the roster’s biggest holes entering the offseason. Here are some transfers that could provide Northwestern some offensive pop.
Michael Kuska — Valparaiso
Kuska has two years of eligibility remaining and is coming off a breakout sophomore campaign at Valparaiso. The Illinois native hit .327 last season with a .416 on-base percentage while recording 49 hits, drawing 20 walks and stealing three bases. By the end of the season, Kuska had firmly established himself as the Beacons’ leadoff hitter thanks to his ability to reach base consistently.
At Northwestern, Kuska could see immediate playing time and remain in a leadoff role. His plate discipline and approach appear translatable to the Big Ten level, as he consistently looks comfortable and under control in the batter’s box.
While Kuska does not provide overwhelming power, Northwestern’s offense needs hitters capable of wreaking havoc on the base paths and generating traffic atop the lineup.
Graham Mastros — Illinois State
Northwestern plucked Ryan Weathers from Illinois State last offseason, and it could return to the Redbirds once again for Mastros.
Mastros was part of a dynamic top of the lineup for Illinois State last season and put together the best campaign of his collegiate career as a junior. He hit .361 with a 1.064 OPS, 14 home runs and 48 RBIs while drawing 22 walks and stealing 12 bases. The Wildcats saw his talent firsthand when Mastros homered against them in the teams’ lone meeting last season.
Mastros is a do-it-all player that impacts the game at every level.
The Northfield native would bring valuable positional versatility to Northwestern, possessing the ability to play both the infield and outfield because of his blend of athleticism and size.
If Northwestern were able to land Mastros, he’d immediately become one of the most impactful hitters on the roster and significantly raise the ceiling of NU’s offense heading into next season.
Although many questions surround the Wildcats entering next year, one certainty remains: Northwestern will feature plenty of new faces and several players stepping into expanded roles. The Wildcats must use the transfer portal aggressively to patch roster holes and regain their footing in an ultra-competitive Big Ten.
If Northwestern remains passive, it risks continuing its slide toward the bottom of the conference.
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