Anchorage Bucs pitcher Dylan Nieto delivers to the plate during an Alaska Baseball League game against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots at Mulcahy Stadium on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (Chris Bieri / ADN)

For the past three years, the NCAA transfer portal has ushered in an era of unprecedented athlete mobility, leading to widespread instability in college athletics.

Its impact extends beyond college programs during the school year. In recent years, it has affected recruiting and retention for summer leagues like the Alaska Baseball League.

“It’s misery for us in the summertime,” Anchorage Bucs general manager Shawn Maltby said. “It makes us recruit differently because when we sign guys to come up here and play, we have no idea that they’re even in the portal half the time until they get here.”

When the transfer portal for NCAA college athletics was introduced in October 2018, it was meant to be a tool that helped streamline the process for student-athletes to find new homes and provide coaches with a digital database to pull from.

Initially, players had to sit out a season after transferring to a new school, until a one-time exemption was created in 2021. Three years later, in April 2024, chaos ensued when the NCAA authorized unlimited transfers for student-athletes.

Over the past two summers, ABL teams have had to replace players in the middle of the season because their new schools have asked them to pack up and go home.

“When they do get here, then they share with us that they’re in the portal, so now we’re trying to do everything we can to help these guys find new homes, and nine times out of 10 the teams end up making them go home, because they’ve got to report at certain times or do certain stuff,” Maltby said. “It affects us as far as the recruiting goes, and finding the players that are not in the portal, which is almost impossible. It seems like everybody’s in the portal.”

Anchorage Bucs infielder Finn Leach tries to complete a double play during an Alaska Baseball League game against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots at Mulcahy Stadium on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (Chris Bieri / ADN)

The search for the following summer’s crop of players begins in September, sometimes even right after the current season ends in August. But trying to fill roster holes that emerge midseason is a headache.

“Trying to find replacement players is crazy, because everybody’s been placed by June,” Mat-Su Miners general manager Pete Christopher said.

Where it hurts the most

ABL executives say the portal creates a particular hardship when it comes to recruiting and retaining pitchers, more so than any other position. They are essential for a summer league team to have sustained success since they play so frequently throughout the week.

“I’ve got to come up with a different philosophy in recruiting pitchers,” Christopher said. “Because pitchers that go into the portal that get picked up by another school, a lot of times they say, ‘Shut them down and send them home,’ or to the new school.”

One adjustment that Maltby has made to help mitigate this recurring issue is by over-recruiting pitchers, which includes a contingent of arms that come up later in the summer, starting in July.

“By that time, you have injuries, you have guys into the portal that get shut down, so that’s a good idea,” Christopher said. “I think I’m going to do the same thing (in the future). Maybe recruit 20 pitchers or 18 pitchers, have a 14-man staff, and have four guys ready to come up on July 1.”

Anchorage Glacier Pilots pitcher B.J. Rodriguez hurls the ball during Pilots’ 5-2 victory over the Anchorage Bucs at Mulcahy Stadium on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (Bill Roth / ADN)

This summer, the reigning ABL champion Miners have already lost right-handed pitcher Colton Ouellette, formerly of Linfield University, who is now committed to play at Utah Valley University.

“They said ‘Shut him down,’ so he’s home,” Christopher said. “We’ve been trying to find pitchers, but it’s no easy job.”

Last summer, the Bucs lost their top two pitchers in the middle of the season, and they still managed to make it to the Top of the World Series. They might have been able to top the Miners in the finals, if only they had a full complement of pitchers.

“It killed our season,” Maltby said.

The Bucs already had catcher and first baseman Luke Taylor leave this season for what was initially believed to be an injury. Taylor signed with Fresno State almost immediately after departing.

“That tells me he probably wasn’t injured; he probably had more of a mindset of, ‘Hey, I need to focus and get back to that school,’ ” Maltby said.

The Bucs have another pitcher arriving by the end of the week as a result of losing Taylor, and in anticipation, they may need a surplus of pitchers.

A rare exception

While it’s becoming more common for players in the portal to break their agreements with summer league teams once they’ve found new homes, there are still a select few who opt to honor their commitments, sometimes against the wishes of their next program.

Anchorage Bucs centerfielder Ryan Darrah prepares to drop down a bunt during an Alaska Baseball League game against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots at Mulcahy Stadium on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (Chris Bieri / ADN)

This year, Bucs outfielder Ryan Darrah is one of those exceptions as he left Arizona State, where he played with Alaska star Coen Niclai, and is taking his talents to his home state of Louisiana after committing to play for Tulane University in New Orleans.

“I signed a contract, and I love it here,” Darrah said. “I want to play, and I can get reps in here and help the team out and join my teammates, and the coaches are cool.”

The ABL offered him the playing time he felt like he didn’t get as a freshman with the Sun Devils, but he also views it as a once-in-a-lifetime chance to enjoy the state’s majestic view.

“I just want to be here,” Darrah said. “When I start something, I always want to finish it. I never want to quit anything early, and I’ve loved it here and have no reason to leave.”

This summer marked his first time ever coming to Alaska, and he has thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“There’s not many kids that can say they’ve been to Alaska, or many people in general,” Darrah said. “The fact that I get to do it at age 19 and be kind of on my own, it’s just something that most never get to experience, and I’ve enjoyed every second of it.”

Zachary Anderson, center, stands with Anchorage Glacier Pilots teammates during the Pilots’ 5-2 victory over the Anchorage Bucs at Mulcahy Stadium on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (Bill Roth / ADN)

When he’s not grinding on the baseball field, he’s been going hiking, fishing and just taking in the scenery.

“I would recommend anyone to come to Alaska and experience it at least once in their life,” Darrah said. “It’s beautiful, the scenery is beautiful. The trip down to Kenai when we went down to play the Peninsula Oilers, I think my camera (reel) has doubled in size since I’ve gotten here.”

While he enjoyed his time at Arizona State, Darrah had to think about what was best for his career in the long run and ultimately decided that it was time for a change.

“I felt like if I would stay along that path, then it would have hurt me more than helped me,” Darrah said. “Sometimes you’ve got to be a little selfish.”

Another Bucs player who recently committed to a new school but also has decided to stick with the ABL this summer is outfielder and left-handed pitcher Taylor Tracey. He signed with Texas Christian University but informed the staff that he would be finishing the season.

“He told them no, he’s staying and he’s gonna play summer ball,” Maltby said. “He needs to get at-bats and he needs to get innings.”

Fortunately for Tracey, the head coach of the Horned Frogs is a former Anchorage Buc himself, former Major League pitcher Kirk Saarloos.

Maltby commends Darrah and Tracey for honoring their commitments to remain with the team and finish the summer.

“That doesn’t happen very often, that’s for sure,” he said.