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NC State Wolfpack's Mikey Ryan (2) celebrates after scoring a run as NC State Wolfpack take on UCF Knights during the NCAA Regional Baseball tournament at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala. on Friday, May 29, 2026. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
NC State landed a pair of transfers over the last week in RHP Connor Chicoli and OF Maddox Monsour. The transfer portal also tooketh as rFR RHP Kaden Morris entered. Morris did not appear in a game in his two seasons with the Wolfpack.
A Raleigh native who attended Garner HS and Pro5 Academy, Chicoli will arrive back in town after stops at Georgia Tech and South Carolina. This past year for the Gamecocks, the 6’3, 185 lbs rising junior posted a line of 2-3, 3.20 ERA, 39.1 IP, 7.1 BB%, 20.1 K% across 17 appearances including 6 starts. All of those starts came in midweek games, including in five of the first seven weeks of the season.
While he pitched an even 19.2 innings as both a starter and reliever in 2026, Chicoli had dramatically different results. As a starter, he posted a 5.49 ERA with 12 K while putting up a 0.92 ERA and 22 K as a reliever. Chicoli posted an 8.31 ERA with 4 K over 4.1 IP in SEC play.
Not an overpowering arm with a low-90’s fastball, his secondary offerings are what play with a nasty low-80’s changeup and a tight low-80’s breaking ball. In his freshman year at Georgia Tech, Chicoli posted a line of 1-1, 5.46 ERA, 28.0 IP, 4.2 BB%, 15.3 K% over 14 appearances including 5 starts, again doing better as a reliever (9.2 IP, 3.72 ERA, 9 K) than a starter (18.1 IP, 6.38 ERA, 9 K). Granted, that starter ERA is massively inflated by one bad start against Duke (0.2 IP, 5 ER); remove that and he had a 4.08 ERA over 17.2 IP with 9 K when starting a game for the Yellow Jackets.
It’s unclear what role will be expected of Chicoli, but the starting experience – even without the greatest results – is welcomed as the Pack will need to replace at least two members of their weekend rotation. With Anderson Nance and Luke Hemric likely moving into starting roles, there will be available innings in the bullpen. Chicoli’s experience there would be a boon for State.
Monsour has spent considerably more time in the Peach State than Chicoli, but will make his way to Raleigh from Texas after starting 14 games for the Longhorns in 2026. The Carrollton, GA, native is a stocky 5’11, 205 lbs speedster who was a Top 250 player nationally coming out of high school. He posted a 6.44 second 40-yard dash time at the 2024 Perfect Game National Showcase event.
This year was a struggle for Monsour at Texas, though, hitting just .185/.267/.278, 0 2B, 1 HR, 9.8 BB%, 44.3 K%, 7-8 SB over 61 PA. That walk rate and propensity to steal bases will play, but the strikeout numbers certainly won’t. Chris Hart is a good coach to land with to help fix that.
If incoming freshman Gunnar Alm makes it to campus, speed will be a strength of the 2027 Wolfpack outfield. Alm ran a 6.39 second 40-yard dash at the 2025 Perfect Game National Showcase while Rett Johnson ran a 6.60 second 40-yard dash at the 2023 Perfect Game Junior National Showcase. The only other rostered outfielder right now, Andrew Wiggins (currently playing in the MLB Draft League, so his status for 2027 is up in the air) ran a 6.62 second 40-yard dash at the 2022 Perfect Game National Showcase.
As it stands right now after accounting for graduations, transfers, and likely draftees, State will have 18 returnees from the 2026 team. Couple that with 7 transfers and 9 incoming freshman, and the Wolfpack’s roster sits right at the 34-man limit.
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