Virginia Tech catcher/first baseman Anderson French announced on his X account on Wednesday evening that he is entering the transfer portal. The upcoming junior will have two years of eligibility left.
French had a promising 2025 freshman season with the Hokies, where he played in 41 games, making 21 starts (14 at first base, 7 at catcher). He managed a slash line of .247/.416/.403, registering 19 hits, three doubles and three home runs. He also tied for fifth on the team in walks with 21.
Defensively in his freshman year, French sported a .986 fielding percentage with three errors (one at catcher, two at first base).
He saw significantly less action in 2026 with 28 appearances and 14 starts, in which he struggled. French batted .157 with a .662 OPS in 51 AB. Despite the reduced role, French improved defensively, sporting a 1.000 fielding percentage spanning 112 total defensive chances.
The path to consistent playing time in Blacksburg had become increasingly narrow. Senior catcher Henry Cooke entered 2026 as the anchor behind the plate. With Cooke entrenched as the starter, French's role was always going to be limited.
Virginia Tech also brought in freshman catcher CJ Oxendine, further crowding the position. Caught between a veteran starter and an incoming freshman, French's opportunity to carve out regular reps simply wasn't there.
At first base, the Hokies were also crowded, having mainly started Ethan Gibson and Hudson Lutterman, who both had career-best seasons.
Despite the difficult sophomore campaign, the tools that made French an intriguing player haven't disappeared. At 6-foot-4 and over 200 pounds, he has a swing that creates easy loft, above-average raw power and impressive barrel control for a player with his long levers.
Some refinement is still needed in his receiving and movement behind the dish, but the physical ceiling remains intact.
With two years of eligibility left, French figures to draw real interest from programs looking for a projectable bat with solid defense behind the plate — a combination that will generate plenty of interest on the portal market.
