Report: Baylor star shortstop Travis Sanders enters transfer portal

All signs point to one of Baylor baseball's top players not returning next spring.

Bears shortstop Travis Sanders entered the NCAA transfer portal as a graduate transfer Friday afternoon, according to a report by D1Baseball.com's Kendall Rogers.

Sanders, an All-Big 12 second-team infielder, slashed .369 - eighth-best in the conference - and recorded 15 doubles, nine home runs, 44 RBIs and a 1.043 OPS, primarily out of Baylor's leadoff spot.

He is the first major Baylor player to enter the portal following the Bears' 29-27 season, which ended May 21 in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament. Baylor has not reached the NCAA Tournament since 2019.

Sanders, who transferred to Baylor from Texas Tech ahead of the 2025 season, is likely to either pursue professional baseball or play one more season at another program.

He was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 14th round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Copperas Cove but chose to play collegiately. He is expected to be selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, which begins July 11.

Whether he is drafted or transfers elsewhere, it appears Sanders' time in Waco is over after two seasons. The 6-foot-2, 193-pound infielder hit .335 with nine doubles, eight home runs, 25 RBIs and a .974 OPS in 2025.

If Sanders does not return, Baylor would be set to start a different primary shortstop for the third consecutive season. Tyriq Kemp held the role in 2024 and 2025 before Sanders took over this spring.

In the two games Sanders missed this season, rising redshirt sophomore Brytton Clements started at shortstop. Clements, rising junior second baseman Pearson Riebock and TJ Woodson - a former Midway standout who redshirted this spring - are among the internal options if Baylor does not add a middle infielder via the portal.

Sanders is the most notable Baylor player to enter the portal so far, but he is one of seven Bears the Tribune-Herald is aware of in the portal as of Friday afternoon.

Others include middle infielder Robert De La Garza, designated hitter Cash McDade and pitchers Luke DeVasher, Cayden Baker, Cade Waibel and Keegan Diehl. None were projected to be key pieces of the 2027 roster.

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This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 4:37 AM.