Kentucky catcher transfer Alex Duffey returns to Elon

Some moving and shaking is still going on in college baseball free agency. Kentucky is still adding to the roster. Former Kentucky players are looking for new college homes. A UK catcher is going back to where it all started. Alex Duffey is headed back to Elon after spending the 2025-26 academic year with the Kentucky baseball program. Duffey spent four years with the Phoenix before committing to UK last summer. Now he is returning home. Duffey slashed .349/.463/.479 with a .942 OPS while earning second-team All-CAA honors for the Phoenix in 2025. The New Jersey native played in 55 games and earned 54 starts as a redshirt junior. The left-handed hitter recorded 13 doubles, four home runs, and 54 RBI across 243 plate appearances. The veteran showed solid discipline at the plate with a 18.9 percent strikeout rate and a 16.9 percent walk rate. That did not translate to Kentucky. Duffey only appeared in six games with 15 plate appearances during his time in the Bluegrass. That led to another portal entry. The catcher and designated hitter took a redshirt at Elon in 2023 and spent his fifth season of college baseball at Kentucky. The transfer could need a waiver to play in 2027 before the final 5-for-5 eligibility model is established for the 2027-28 academic year. The Bat Cats lost three catchers to the transfer portal this offseason and replaced them with Riley Jackson (Houston transfer), Brayden Ricketts (Indiana transfer), and Carson May (high school signee). Kentucky baseball transfer tracker Eleven Kentucky baseball players entered the transfer portal to a new home this offseason. This is where they have landed. RHP Oliver Boone (RSo.) — Committed to Arizona State RHP Tommy Skelding (RSo.) — Committed to Appalachian State RHP Bryson Treichel (So.) — Committed to Grand Canyon RHP Tristan Hunter (So.) — Committed to Missouri State LHP Toby Peterson (So.) C Tagger Tyson (Jr.) — Committed to Grand Canyon C Owen Jenkins (Fr.) — Committed to Texas Tech OF Ryan Schwartz (So.) — Committed to Michigan C Alex Duffey (Sr.) — Committed to Elon RHP Lucas Hail (Fr.) INF Michael Gardner (Fr.) — Committed to Villanova INF Maxime Boies (Fr.)