New Liberty baseball coach Bradley LeCroy will have his work cut out for him in year one as he attempts to field a roster, beginning first with trying to convince some of the Flames who are in the transfer portal to return to Lynchburg for the 2025 season.
Since the end of Liberty’s 2024 baseball season, a total of 18 players have entered the transfer portal. Eight of those have entered since the news of the coaching transition.
We have previously reported on the transfer portal additions of Todd Hudson, Three Hillier, Tanner Marsh, Kane Kepley, Ryan Butler, Brian McClellin, Nathan Keeter, David Marshall, Easton Amundson, Maddex Labuda, Graham Edwards, Trey Cooper, and Joe Waters.
On Monday, Macaddin Dye, Brayden Horton, Nick Moran, Talor Grubbs, and Bryce Dolby joined that group and also entered the portal. So far, only Hudson has announced his new destination, as he committed to Miami.
A true freshman catcher from Virginia Beach, Dye was a bright spot on Liberty’s 2024 team. He started 57 games while batting .273 with 13 doubles and 7 home runs as well as 49 RBIs.
Horton was one of the Flames’ top bats over the past two seasons. He hit .280 this past spring with 7 doubles, a triple, and 11 home runs, tying Hudson for the team lead in long balls. He also had 39 RBIs. As a freshman in 2023, Horton was named third-team all-conference while starting 44 of the 48 games he played in. He started 43 games at first base and one in left field while hitting a team-leading .341 with 40 RBIs and 39 runs scored. He also had 13 doubles, a triple, and 6 home runs while leading the team with a .471 on base percentage and .543 slugging percentage.
Moran started 14 games for the Flames this past season. He finished with a 4-3 record and 4.68 ERA while striking out 59 and walking 24 over 67.1 innings pitched. It was his third year in the program as he was a prominent member of Liberty’s bullpen his first two seasons.
Grubbs, a sophomore, made 16 appearances out of Liberty’s bullpen this past season. He had a 6.00 ERA while striking out 26 and walking 12.
Dolby made 12 appearances and 6 starts in his freshman season in 2024 with the Flames. He finished with an 0-4 record and 9.72 ERA. He pitched 25 innings while striking out 17 and walking 19.
