Baseball Season Preview: Top Three Incoming Transfers
With Baylor Baseball’s season opener against Central Michigan being less than a month away, it's time to start breaking down some of the biggest storylines and questions heading into the 2023 season.
Today, I’ll break down who I believe are the three best incoming transfers. And in the coming days, I will highlight the top three wildcards on the team and my three biggest questions for the team.
Hunter Simmons – After spending the last two seasons at Howard College in Big Spring, Texas, the junior college transfer is expected to be a staple in the middle of the Bears’ lineup come this spring.
As a freshman in 2021, Simmons played in 48 games and totaled three home runs, 60 RBIs, 68 runs and 12 stolen bases while hitting for an incredible .478 batting average.
In 2022, Simmons made considerable strides in hitting for more power and finished the season with 77 hits, 19 doubles, three triples and 16 home runs. He also hit for a whopping .393 batting average, stole 23 bases and had an on-base percentage of .485.
Defensively, Simmons will likely be slotted in a corner outfield position.
Cole Posey – The grad transfer from Georgetown, Texas, grew up in a Baylor family and always wanted to play his college ball in Waco. After stops at Boise State and New Mexico, Posey returned home this past summer after being recruited by Coach Thompson.
Posey can play anywhere on the field and has sneaky pop for his frame at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds. He will be a vital piece as Coach Thompson begins to implement a culture at Baylor. I imagine because of his scrappy playstyle, he’ll quickly become a fan favorite once people watch him play.
In 109 plate appearances last season at New Mexico, Posey recorded a .404 on-base percentage and hit for a .297 batting average.
Will Pendergrass – The Cisco College transfer will likely be a starting infielder for the Bears this spring. He can play both third and first base.
As a freshman, Pendergrass initially went to the University of Houston, where he played in 52 games and batted .237 with 21 RBIs before transferring to Cisco College for his sophomore campaign.
In 2022 at Cisco College, Pendergrass played in 53 games, hit eight home runs, recorded 42 RBIs and hit for an average of .341.
Next up: Top Three Wildcards