Nebraska’s TJ Coats Becomes Latest Name in Transfer Portal

The college baseball offseason is warming up, and Nebraska just felt the heat. On June 21, right-handed pitcher T.J. Coats formally entered the NCAA transfer portal. He became the newest Husker to look for greener pastures after a single year in Lincoln.

On the surface, Coats may not have appeared to be a huge loss. His 2024 line of eight games, three starts, 11.1 innings pitched, 7.15 ERA, and 15 strikeouts wasn't mind-blowing. But beyond the numbers, you notice something different. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 220 pounds, Coats had physicality and a live arm on the mound. He moved on to Nebraska after refining his craft at Cloud County Community College, and his upside always overshadowed his innings total.

Nebraska's TJ Coats Is The Latest Name in Transfer Portal

His use, or non-use, could be precisely why he is departing. Opportunity is all that matters in college baseball. With only a few starts to his name for 2024, Coats might have discovered that his way into an important spot in the rotation for Nebraska was not as certain as he'd envisioned. And so he's dipping his toes in again.

Coats has already gone the JUCO way and transitioned to a Power Five. And now he sits pondering his next move. On some level, the timing of this decision is revealing. It's in the middle of summer ball season, when players tend to put their work on display for scouts and reassess their future.
Coats did exactly that in the highly touted Cape Cod League, dressing for the Falmouth Commodores and making headlines with a five-inning, seven-strikeout shutout effort.

He went to Twitter with a brief but powerful message: "After some careful consideration, I'm going to be entering the transfer portal. Thank you to Nebraska for the last year, and I'm ready for the next chapter." Translation? He's putting his money on himself and making it clear he's ready to be more than a depth piece.