Wake up at six, at the gym by seven and home for breakfast by nine. Then, head to the field for practice around 12, warm up for the game after that with first pitch at five. Even at night, dinner is followed by recovery and phone calls with coaches before going to bed. For summer ball players in the transfer portal, the grind truly is nonstop.

With the NCAA Baseball transfer portal opening on the first day of June, it is common for players to be navigating the transfer portal while playing for a summer team. Another quirk of this start date is that some players commit before they ever play a game on the Cape. One Kettleer who followed this timeline is Brady Christman (Mississippi State), who knew he needed a school that better aligned with his goals after he won Sun Belt Freshman of the Year at Georgia Southern.

“I wanted to bet on myself at the next level and try to play at the best conference in the country in the SEC,” Christman said.

Once the Eagles lost their final game of the season on May 16th, Christman thought long and hard about his future. With his season being largely successful, he wanted to play for a team that reflected that. He announced his intent to enter the portal on May 21st, and the phone calls from coaches came immediately.

After two weeks of constant visits and phone calls, Christman decided it was time to commit to Coach Brian O’Connor and the Bulldogs. During his visit to Starkville, he saw the culture of the school and the experience of O’Connor as a massive benefit and a key reason as to why he wanted to join the program.

“When I took the visit, the atmosphere was unbelievable,” Christman said. “The town and the coaches made me feel like Mississippi State was home.”

On the other hand, with the season starting pretty early in the portal period many players wait until they get to the Cape to start navigating the portal. Hunter Warren (North Carolina State) utilized his time in Cotuit efficiently, committing shortly after arriving to play for the Kettleers. He chose the Wolfpack because of their reputation for developing elite MLB talent such as Trea Turner and Carlos Rodon.

“I just felt like NC State was the right fit for me…” Warren said. “Ultimately my goal is to play professional baseball and I think NC State is the best place to give me the opportunity to do that.”

Like Christman, Warren entered the portal in May after his season at Wright State was done. However, he took more time to figure out where he wanted to spend his next year. The days he spent on the Cape during this period were really busy, but provided Warren with a healthy distraction from the chaos of the transfer portal.

“I’d wake up in the morning and immediately look for messages and have to answer calls from coaches all throughout the day…” Warren said. “Hanging out and playing with the guys has made it super enjoyable though, even when I’d have to step out and take a call from a coach for a few minutes.”

Of course, with the portal not closing until the end of the month there are still plenty of players that are looking for their new homes as the season draws on. Isaac Sturgess (Transfer Portal) is one of the Kettleers in that category after he announced he would be departing from Michigan State right before the season opener. For players like Sturgess, the days are long and busy as they try to figure out the next step on their baseball journey.

“The first couple days in the portal were crazy for me,” Sturgess said. “It felt like I was stepping out for a call with a school all the time.”

Sturgess points out one struggle of life in the portal while playing summer ball, that being communication with family. As someone who wants his family to be a big part of his next chapter, it can be difficult for Sturgess to communicate with them from afar.

“Obviously I want my parents to be a part of the decision,” Sturgess said. “Consistently calling them and letting them know what’s going on with coaches and offers has been hard.”

As the season keeps chugging along, more Cotuit players will likely enter and exit the portal, eager to find a new home to continue their development. The benefits of playing on the Cape will give them their best shot at landing in the best place for their futures.