Virginia Tech right-handed pitcher Preston Crowl announced Monday on his X account that he is entering the transfer portal, becoming the fifth Hokie and fourth pitcher to depart following the end of the 2026 season.
Crowl spent three seasons in Blacksburg, never making a start across 64 career appearances. He worked exclusively out of the bullpen, pitching 96 ⅔ innings with 111 strikeouts and a 6.05 ERA. His best stretch came in 2024-25, when he posted a 3.90 ERA over 32 ⅓ innings with 43 strikeouts and a save across 25 appearances.
The 2025-26 campaign was a rougher ride. Crowl made 24 appearances, logged 47 ⅓ innings and picked up five saves, but his ERA ballooned to 7.61 as he allowed 11 home runs — nearly doubling his total of six in his first two seasons.
Crowl joins left-handed pitcher Chase Swift, right-handed pitcher Ben Weber, catcher/first baseman Anderson French and left-handed pitcher Madden Clement in the portal. Together, the five departures account for 94 innings from the 2026 roster — a significant chunk of production Szefc will need to replace heading into next season.
With the pitching staff depth thinning, the Hokies have confirmed only two returning pitchers so far: Ethan Grim and Logan Eisenreich, both announced via the program's X account. Szefc will likely need to be aggressive in the portal to shore up a staff that has lost four arms in a matter of days and will most likely see Brett Renfrow and Griffin Stieg go pro.
