In 2021, new regulations to the NCAA transfer portal were adopted to allow Division I athletes to enter and use the portal without sitting out a year, allowing athletes across all sports to play on the field immediately for their new program.
As a result, the frequency of athletes entering the transfer portal has increased rapidly, with many athletes using any little reason to justify their decision to switch schools. Not getting enough playing time? Transfer. Not getting enough NIL money? Transfer. Girlfriend goes to a different school than you? Transfer.
Rightfully so, fans, analysts and even old-school players and coaches are taking issue with this. There’s no longer any sense of loyalty or unbridled devotion to one’s program identity anymore, creating a weird dynamic in college sports that feels more like reality TV show where everyday a more ridiculous story comes out about an athlete using the transfer portal in an absurd manner.
Just recently, now former Michigan basketball player Justin Pippen, son of NBA great Scottie Pippen, announced that he is entering the transfer portal, despite the fact that his team’s season is currently ongoing, as the Wolverines are in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.
But what about when the transfer portal is used correctly? When a college athlete uses it in a scenario where they have no other choice, and their subsequent transition to another school is one that elevates not only their game, but their program’s success as well.
Enter former Arizona State Sun Devil and current MLB top prospect Luke Keaschall. Underrecruited in high school, Keaschall’s only Division I offer was to the University of San Francisco to play baseball. In two seasons at USF, Keaschall exploded on the scene in the mid-major West Coast Conference, winning WCC Freshman of the Year and recording an impressive .312 batting average, 12 home runs and 64 RBIs during his time with the Dons.
However, as Keaschall was going into his crucial junior season ahead of his draft year, USF’s head baseball coach was fired amid abuse allegations. This forced Keaschall into the uncertainty of the transfer portal, where many mid-major stars like him struggle to find their footing after switching to a power-conference school.
“I didn’t want to transfer,” Keaschall told me over a phone call. “I had a lot of places I could have gone to but at the end of the day I picked the coaches I trusted and an organization that was awesome.”
His high school coach Jason Biancardi added, “I remember when he told me he was transferring, in the back of my head I was thinking, ‘Dang, it’s been going so well for him. I hope he doesn’t have a bad year and looks back and regrets transferring,’”
He ended up with the Arizona State Sun Devils, where he did even better in a more competitive Pac-12 Conference. Keaschall started all 55 games for the Sun Devils in 2023, hitting .353 with a 1.168 OPS, and led the team with 18 home runs and 25 multi-hit games.
“I was just excited to get there and put my own stamp on the place,” Keaschall said.
Keaschall’s success at ASU caused his draft stock to rise drastically, as he was ultimately drafted in the second round, 48th overall to the Minnesota Twins. Since then, he’s been flying through the minor leagues and currently sits as MLB Pipeline’s No. 60 ranked prospect in all of baseball.
The lesson here is that the transfer portal isn’t just a tool for impulsive athletes looking for an easy way out—it’s a lifeline for those in difficult situations. Keaschall didn’t transfer because he wasn’t getting enough playing time, or because he wanted more NIL money, or because he missed his high school sweetheart. He transferred because his program was in turmoil, and staying put could have jeopardized his development and draft stock.
Without the 2021 rule change allowing immediate eligibility, Keaschall would have faced a difficult choice: sit out a crucial year ahead of the MLB Draft or remain at a program in disarray. Neither option would have served him well. Instead, the updated transfer rules allowed him to land at ASU, continue his upward trajectory and ultimately become the player who he is today.
This is exactly why the transfer portal, when used properly, is a positive force in college athletics. It ensures that players have the flexibility to make the best decision for their careers when faced with circumstances beyond their control. Keaschall’s story proves that transferring isn’t always about selfishness or disloyalty, it can be about survival and opportunity. And in his case, it worked out for everyone involved: Keaschall, ASU and now the Minnesota Twins.
