By Zak Koshar
After Maryland baseball’s disappointing 2026 season, more than 20 players entered the transfer portal.
This forced head coach Matt Swope to add 19 transfers of his own, in hopes of strengthening the roster.
Despite the turnover. Maryland baseball is embracing this new chapter, blending experienced transfers with young talent and a renewed emphasis on leadership as the Terps aim to bounce back from a down season.
Of those transfers, six are position players and 13 are pitchers. Also, seven true freshmen joined the program, giving Swope a mix of experienced college players and developing talent.
Two heavy producers headline the transfer class.
Alex Marot, a junior transferring from Charleston Southern, hit .333 with seven home runs and52 RBIs.
Jackson Logar will make Maryland his third collegiate stop. The senior previously pitched at James Madison and Mississippi State. In 2024 for the Dukes, Logar recorded a 3.53 ERA with 72 strikeouts across 74 innings.
They headline a group that gives Maryland plenty of options across the roster. Swope said the new-look team has brought energy to the program and created an opportunity to build a stronger team. He is particularly encouraged by the leadership that has been on display during the transition.
“The energy’s just been fantastic. I think we got a really, really good leadership group,” Swope said. “Obviously, there’s a lot of new faces, but with that comes opportunity.”
That opportunity follows the departures of several promising young players, including Bud Coombs and Ty Kaunas. Both earned Big Ten All-Freshman Team recognition before transferring to Vanderbilt and Texas Tech, respectively.
Rather than dwell on those departures, Swope has focused on finding experienced players who want to develop and compete at a higher level. He believes the combination of transfers, freshmen and established leaders can give Maryland a strong foundation.
Swope began building that foundation during the summer by establishing a leadership council. The group read the book Legacy and started setting expectations for accountability before the fall semester began.
Senior infielder David Mendez emerged as a central figure in that effort. The captain helps guide his teammates and reinforce the standards Swope wants the group to maintain throughout the season.
“Dave is really the captain and the guy that everybody’s looking towards,” Swope said.
Mendez said the players have embraced Maryland’s facilities, training resources, and opportunities for development. He believes their appreciation for the program has helped create an environment where teammates are eager to improve.
“The biggest thing is how much these guys really appreciate that and kind of don’t take anything for granted,” Mendez said.
The Terps have also focused on bonding as a team off the field.. During the fall, the team organized weekly activities, including volleyball and other group games, helping strengthen player relationships.
Those relationships carry into daily practices and workouts. Mendez said teammates have made an effort to help one another adjust while staying focused on the smaller tasks that contribute to the team’s development.
Maryland also created a board featuring Polaroid pictures of memorable moments, accompanied by the phrase “Our Story, Our Standard.” The display reflects the players’ responsibility for shaping the team’s identity through shared experiences and accountability.
Swope believes the leadership group can help the roster come together and reach its potential. With experienced transfers and young players working toward the same standards, Maryland hopes to turn its preparation into success on the field.
The Terps have set their sights on reaching the Big Ten tournament and winning it. Mendez said the team plans to pursue that goal by concentrating on its daily work rather than looking too far ahead.
“The best way to get to where we want to be is focusing on what we’re doing today, what we’re doing at this moment,” Mendez said.
As the season approaches, Maryland’s success will depend on how quickly its new roster becomes a connected team. With leadership, accountability and a shared goal in place, the Terrapins will look to turn the foundation they have built into a run at the Big Ten championship.
