Transfer portal continues to shake up Rider rosters as nine Broncs enter

By Samantha Clark

In the 2026 season, Rider baseball earned the top seed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, became the first team in program history to win both regular season and conference tournament titles and competed against some of the nation’s top teams after punching their ticket to the NCAA tournament.

However, with a senior-laden roster and anticipated coaching staff changes, nine Broncs have entered the transfer portal, which remains open from June 1 through June 30.

Immediate declarations 

After the portal opened on June 1, four Broncs declared their entrance, the first being pitcher PJ Craig. Following his senior season, Craig looked to transfer for his final year of eligibility. 

“I just want to be able to throw and throw against really good competition,” Craig said.

Repping the cranberry and white all four years of his college career thus far, Craig started in 10 out of 13 games played during his rookie season in 2023. In 2024, he earned All-MAAC First Team honors and MAAC Pitcher of the Week. In 2025, Craig started in five games before facing a season-ending injury.

Not letting anything stop him, Craig showed out in his senior-season return, where he served as Rider’s ace, leading the staff with 102.2 innings pitched and 90 strikeouts. He pitched two complete games and a shutout, leading Rider to their appearance at regionals and earning him another All-MAAC First Team honor.

“I’m really gonna miss all the times I’ve gotten to spend with these guys, all the cool experiences we’ve done together,” Craig said.

The next to post his declaration on June 1 was rising senior outfielder Kyle Neri. After transferring to Rider from Bryant University for the 2024 season, Neri became an immediate standout player for the Broncs. 

In his first year, he earned MAAC All-Rookie Team honors, was named MAAC Rookie of the Week and started in 44 out of 46 games played. In 2025, he built on this performance, earning All-MAAC First Team honors and starting in all 52 games. 

In his most recent season, Neri posted a .345 batting average, a 33-point improvement from his first year as a Bronc, earning him First Team All-MAAC honors and recognition as The Rider News Male Player of the Year.

Rising senior catcher Nick Shuhet was next, who has also competed for the Broncs since his freshman campaign. In 2024, he started in six out of his 14 game appearances, but quickly rose up the lineup, as he played in all 52 games in his sophomore year. In 2025, he also earned a spot on the MAAC All-Championship and MAAC All-Academic Teams.

“I learned so much about the sport itself here,” Shuhet said. “We learned how to win and play baseball the right way. Fundamentals were so important each and every day at practice, which is what I believe made us successful.”

In the 2026 season, Shuhet started in 51 games, but appeared in all 53, earning him All-MAAC First Team honors. He also led the team with 17 doubles, five triples and 49 strikeouts.

The last to post on opening day was rising junior infielder Peter Crespo. As a two-time MAAC Rookie of the Week player, Crespo showed impressive performance in his debut season, starting in 38 out of 44 games. 

In 2026, he continued this effort, recording four assists and two putouts after registering none during his rookie season, demonstrating significant improvements on both the defensive and offensive ends of the field.

Later additions 

On the second day of the 30-day window, five more Broncs entered the transfer portal.

Similar to Craig, after wrapping up his senior season in Lawrenceville, pitcher Christian Aiello aimed to transfer for his final year of eligibility. 

“I’m just overall looking to get better. … I just want a chance to play at the next level and give it all I got for one more year to make something happen,” Aiello said.

With a spot on Rider’s roster for four years, Aiello played in 23 games as a rookie and 21 games in his sophomore year.

In 2025, he earned MAAC All-Academic Team honors, and in his senior year, Aiello showed immense performances on the mound, earning a spot on the All-MAAC Second Team and becoming a two-time Pitcher of the Week.

Rising senior shortstop Matt Leahy was next to enter the portal after spending his entire collegiate career at Rider.

Leahy appeared in 50 games and made 45 starts in his rookie season, where he later earned a starting role in all 50 games played as a sophomore. In the 2026 season, Leahy led the team with six sacrifice hits.

“This place will definitely hold a special place in my heart for the rest of my life,” Leahy said. “The memories I made with the guys, not just on the field, but throughout the campus, will definitely be something I look back on in the future.” 

Rising junior pitcher Kyle Batt entered the portal on June 2, who earned a spot on the MAAC All-Rookie Team after receiving MAAC Pitcher of the Week and starting in eight out of his 14 games played.

In his sophomore season, he started in 15 games, where he logged 74 total innings pitched.

Next was rising junior infielder Eliot Medlock, who transferred to Rider from Bryant University ahead of the 2026 season. 

“This group of guys … we’re very close. I ended up being here for one year, and they all took me in like a brother,” Medlock said. 

In his first year as a Bronc, he made an immediate impact, appearing in 51 games and earning 49 starts. Medlock hit a career high of 4 RBIs in the May 14 matchup against Saint Peter’s University.

The final Bronc to declare entrance into the transfer portal on the second day was rising senior pitcher Jack Ruditzky, who transferred from Ithaca College for his sophomore year.

“Rider gave me a shot when not many other programs did. I came from a D3 school where I never played in a game in my first year of college baseball,” Ruditzky said. “Coach Casey and Coach Lee saw something in me and believed I could compete at the D1 level and make an impact with the Broncs. That belief changed everything for me, and I wasn’t going to waste it.”

 In 2025, he played in 17 games, and in 2026, he pitched 18.2 total innings and recorded 12 strikeouts.

“With so many unknowns heading into next year, I felt like I owed it to myself to see what was out there. That said, Rider means the world to me. This program took a chance on me when others didn’t, gave me relationships I’ll carry for life and put me in a position to compete and win championships,” Ruditzky said. “That’s not something I take lightly and returning is absolutely on the table … and honestly that’s where my heart is.” 

While the Broncs celebrate arguably their most successful season in program history, the roster that captured titles and broke records is beginning to be reshaped by the NCAA transfer portal. 

With the portal remaining open until June 30, Rider baseball will face an offseason full of change, with players on the move and questions surrounding the future of the coaching staff as the team looks to build on its historic 2026 campaign and defend the conference crown.