Austin, TX
Oregon Baseball Loses Key Talent in Surprising Transfer Portal Move
More tough news for the Oregon Ducks baseball program after being swept in two games by the Texas Longhorns in the Austin Super Regional.
With Oregon’s season over, freshman right fielder Angel Laya has entered the NCAA transfer portal, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. He has quickly become one of the more coveted names available on the market.
Laya was one of the top breakout first-year players across all of college baseball. Perfect Game’s First Team Freshman All-American selection hit a .296 batting average/.538 slugging percentage/.396 on-base percentage with 14 home runs, 10 doubles, 47 runs batted in, and 27 walks to 34 strikeouts in 59 games played this season.
The slugger will look to receive a hefty check in Name, Image, Likeness or NIL money, and Laya could potentially be a first-round pick in the 2028 MLB Draft thanks to his swinging impact to the pull side and easy lift of the ball.
In Laya’s absence, Mark Wasikowski will now lean on his other star freshmen from 2026, catcher Brayden Jaksa and designated hitter Naulivou Lauaki Jr., to bring in runs even more. Especially if junior second baseman Ryan Cooney and junior shortstop Maddox Molony decided to completely buy in on the MLB route. Neither has been invited to the MLB Draft Combine at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, on June 23 through June 25.
From the returning pitching staff, the name to monitor as next season’s potential star ace is redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Cal Scolari. He cracked MLB Pipeline’s top-200 upcoming draft prospects at No. 191. Scolari has the potential to be an early-round pick before his junior season.
The 2026 MLB Draft is set for July 11 to July 12 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
Other Oregon Ducks to Enter Transfer Portal
Laya is the third Duck to enter the transfer portal this offseason, which closes on June 30.
- Junior right-handed pitcher Collin Clarke
- Redshirt sophomore infielder Tyler Holley
One positive coming out of the portal mayhem, Vanderbilt Commodores sophomore infielder Carter Johnstone will be taking his talents to the Pacific Northwest in Eugene, Oregon.
Incoming High School Recruit Has Life-Altering Decision to Make
The 2026 outfielder/first baseman Isaiah Hearn is verbally committed to the Ducks program. The Chaminade alum in Los Angeles, California, was named to the 2025 Perfect Game All-American Classic.
The 18-year-old leftie masher has a decision to make if he does end up being taken in the 2026 MLB Draft. Hearn may not end up playing college ball at all.
Three Ducks to Compete for USA Baseball This Summer
Oregon’s sophomore relief pitcher Tanner Bradley, sophomore starting pitcher Will Sanford, and freshman catcher Brayden Jaksa have all been invited to USA Baseball’s collegiate training camp this summer.
Perfect Game named Bradley as well as Sanford to its All-American Third Team. They also listed Jaksa on the Freshman All-American Second Team.
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AUSTIN, Texas – The Austin Police Department is looking for a person who attempted to break into a South Austin collectibles store with a paintball gun and a BB gun last week.
What they’re saying:
APD says that just before 3 a.m. on June 11, a person attempted to burglarize Space Goblins Collectibles on W. William Cannon Drive.
The suspect shot one of the store’s exterior cameras with a paintball gun, then shot out the store’s front windows with a BB gun.
The suspect then entered and tried to break through a wall to gain entry to the retail side of the store.
No injuries were reported.
What you can do:
Anyone with information is encouraged to talk to the APD Commercial Burglary Unit at 512-974-6941 or by email.
The Source: Information in this report comes from the Austin Police Department
AUSTIN, Texas — Overnight storms that dumped 2 to 6 inches of rain across Central Texas resulted in the closure of more than 90 low-water crossings Monday morning.
Closures were heavily concentrated along Brushy Creek and its tributaries in Round Rock, Cedar Park and the Hutto area, with multiple crossings shut down on Spicewood Springs Road in northwest Austin.
Hays County roads also saw widespread closures, particularly along York Creek Road, Satterwhite Road and Bunton Lane south of Goforth Road. Additional closures were reported in Williamson County near Jarrell and Thrall, and in San Marcos near the San Marcos River.
CBS Austin crews observed flooding firsthand at Bunton Lane and Twin Estates in Kyle, where multiple sections of the road were impassable, as well as at the intersection of Parmer Lane and Cameron Road in northeast Travis County, where several crossings remained closed through the morning hours.
ALSO | Driver rescued after trying to cross flooded road in Travis County
Barton Creek near Lost Creek Trail also experienced elevated water levels. (Photo: CBS Austin)
In all, 93 low-water crossings were listed as closed on ATXFloods.com as of Monday morning, spanning Travis, Williamson, Hays, Burnet and Bastrop counties.
Meteorologist Avery Tomasco said dozens of crossings were likely to remain closed for most of the day as creeks, streams and rivers continued moving overnight rainfall downstream.
Officials urged drivers not to attempt to go around flood barricades or travel through flowing water.
“Turn around, don’t drown,” authorities said.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas freshman closer Sam Cozart is the best reliever in the country.
Cozart was named the Stopper of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association on Friday, becoming the fourth Longhorn to win it and the second freshman in the award’s 21-year history. The other freshman to win it was former Longhorn Corey Knebel in 2011.
Going into play at the Men’s College World Series, Cozart racked up nine saves with a 6-0 record and 1.65 ERA in 22 appearances. He has struck out 71 batters with 12 walks in 49 innings.
Cozart joins J. Brent Cox, Chance Ruffin and Knebel as Longhorns to win the award. Cox won it in 2005, and Ruffin won in 2010. Texas has more Stopper of the Year award winners than any program.
Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson was named the Dick Howser trophy winner for national player of the year, and West Virginia’s Steve Sabins was named the Mike Martin National Coach of the Year. Cozart was also named the National Freshman Pitcher of the Year by the NCBWA.
Texas is on the ropes in Omaha at the Men’s College World Series after a 7-1 loss Saturday to Georgia. The Longhorns face Alabama at 1 p.m. Monday in an elimination game, and to make the championship series, Texas will have to win five games in four days.
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