Thomas Ellisen and Aidan Dougherty headline those opting to leave the program
UConn baseball has its first transfer portal entries of the offseason, with four players exploring a transfer to new programs.
Right-handed pitchers Thomas Ellisen, Jude Abbadessa and Cole Taylor, as well as utility-man Aidan Dougherty, have all entered the portal.
Ellisen announced his intent to transfer in a post to his X account on May 28. He made 14 starts across 16 appearances with UConn this past season, playing a key role as a weekend starter after beginning his career in the bullpen. The righty began the season strong, holding a 1.50 ERA through his first three starts — including six scoreless innings against RPI No. 1 team Vanderbilt. He stumbled after that, ending the season with a 6.43 ERA.
In three years with UConn, Ellisen made 51 appearances, including 17 starts, tossing 126 innings with a 111/62 K/BB ratio. He holds a career 5.93 ERA with a .287 batting average against, entering the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining.
Abbadessa spent three seasons in Storrs but missed all of 2024 with an injury. The soon-to-be redshirt junior threw just 22 1⁄3 innings in his Husky tenure, carrying a career 6.85 ERA. After making 17 appearances in 2025, Abbadessa joined the Trenton Thunder of the MLB Draft League with hopes to improve his transfer stock. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Dougherty entered the transfer portal May 31 before announcing on his X account June 9 that he will join the University of Washington baseball program in his home state. The utility man spent his first two seasons of collegiate baseball with Linn-Benton Community College and was named a JUCO All-American in 2024.
Last year with UConn, Dougherty saw playing time in 46 games, starting 39, and played mostly corner outfield or designated hitter. He slashed .333/.417/.447 with an OPS of .864, recording 50 hits (11 doubles, two home runs). His 11 stolen bases ranked the fourth-most on the team last year, though he was also caught six times.
Taylor did not pitch at all for UConn this season, opting to redshirt. He enters the transfer portal with all four years of eligibility remaining.
Though the Huskies are saying goodbye to four players from their 2025 roster, head coach Jim Penders has already begun bringing in new talent. Two position players have committed to UConn out of the portal — infielder Evan Menzel from Maine and outfielder AJ Soldra from Seton Hall.
Soldra joins his third school in three years with UConn after beginning his career at NJIT. He slashed .333/.429/.505 and started 47 games, showcasing game-changing speed by stealing 13 bases for the Pirates last season. Of his 64 hits, 20 went for extra bases, with a breakdown of 10 doubles, seven triples and three home runs.
Menzel makes his way down to Storrs from Maine, whom UConn swept in a mid-May series. Menzel clearly made a lasting impression on the coaching staff in the three game series when he went 4-11 with a walk, double, home run and two RBI. The Coventry, Connecticut native primarily played third base last year, hitting .342 and knocking in 18 RBI. He now returns to his home state with three years of eligibility remaining.