Oregon’s pitching staff is taking another hit, but the Ducks have already started patching the holes.
After a program-record seven players were selected in the 2026 MLB Draft - including pitchers Cal Scolari, Miles Gosztola and Devin Bell - Oregon is back in familiar territory. Mark Wasikowski’s group is once again staring at a bullpen rebuild, much like it did heading into the 2025 season.
Help arrived Monday in the form of Grand Canyon transfer Chase Frey, who announced on Instagram and X that he is headed to Eugene for his final collegiate season.
“Excited to announce my commitment to Oregon for the upcoming season. Thank you to the family, friends and programs that were part of this process along the way.@LionsBB8100 @PhinSCCBaseball @CSN_Baseball @GCU_Baseball @OregonBaseball pic.twitter.com/mgduy3o8DC”
Frey was eligible for the 2026 MLB Draft and still got selected in the 15th round, No. 454 overall, by the Boston Red Sox. His move to Oregon means he worked out a deal with Boston to return to college for one more year.
That matters for the Ducks because Scolari and Gosztola are expected to move on from their roles as key relief arms, and Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline reported Monday that Scolari has signed with the White Sox. Reports have not yet confirmed Bell and Gosztola signing with the Dodgers.
Frey brings a long and winding college baseball path with him. The Las Vegas native started at Shoreline Community College, moved on to College of Southern Nevada, then transferred to Grand Canyon before landing at Oregon.
At Grand Canyon, he appeared in 13 games and posted a 4.79 ERA. He struck out 69 batters, allowed 60 hits, and worked 67.2 innings.
His best outing of the season came in his only complete game, when he punched out eight and gave up just two hits. He also reached a career-high 14 strikeouts against UNLV that year.
He’s also been sharp this summer with the Orleans Firebirds in the Cape Cod League. Through five games, Frey has a 1.66 ERA with 25 strikeouts and five runs allowed.
The addition fits the tone of Oregon’s 2026 recruiting work so far: players with proven track records who may not always be the loudest names on the board. The Ducks have also seen some younger talent leave for other programs, reportedly tied to NIL offers, but the staff’s latest hire suggests a different path forward.
Ryan Fineman was announced Monday as Oregon’s new assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He spent two seasons at Troy and helped build that program into a College World Series contender last season.
So while the Ducks are losing arms, they’re also clearly trying to restock with purpose. And in Eugene, the chase for another College World Series bid is already underway.
In Other News...
Will Stein Admits One Oregon Player Made Leaving Even Harder
Will Steins first months as Kentuckys head coach have been a crash course in building a program while still finishing his old job, and the former Oregon offensive coordinator has leaned on the same offensive ideas that helped define his time in Eugene. He talked about quarterback accuracy, offensive-line play and balance as the kind of foundation he wants in Lexington, a familiar blueprint for Ducks fans who watched Oregons offense under his watch.
Stein also made clear that the move was about returning to his home state and taking a deeply personal opportunity, not about walking away from Oregon in frustration. Even as he settles into a new role, he has continued to speak highly of Dan Lanning and the environment he left behind, which only adds to the sense that this was one of those rare departures shaped more by life than by football. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Just Entered A Huge Recruiting Battle For Elite Safety
Dan Lannings push to keep stocking the back end of Oregons defense picked up another notable name this week, as four-star safety CJ Craig-James included the Ducks among his finalists for the 2028 class. Oregon has been active on the safety trail for both 2027 and 2028, and the interest fits the broader effort to keep the room deep with blue-chip talent as the Ducks continue to build around the secondary.
The recruitment also comes at a time when Oregon is still working to establish its footing in the 2028 cycle, even while it sits with the No. 4 class for 2027 in Rivals rankings. Craig-James is not the only high-end defensive back on the board, either, with the Ducks also in the mix for four-star Jordan Hicks after he narrowed his list to eight, giving Lanning multiple chances to land another cornerstone piece for the future. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Refuses To Fade In Another Massive California Recruiting Battle
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For Oregon, the pitch is familiar but still powerful: player development, recent success and a defense that has shown it can help defensive backs grow into bigger roles. Lang has relationships on both sides, which is why this one has not gone away, and why the Ducks are still working to make the final decision less about where he started and more about where he fits best before signing day arrives. [Read more 🡒]