Zayac Enters Portal as Pirate Pitching Staff Faces Major Reshuffling

Photo Credit: ECU Sports Information)

East Carolina freshman right-hander Bradley Zayac has officially entered the NCAA transfer portal, becoming the latest arm to depart a Pirates pitching staff in transition.

A Chesapeake, Va. native and product of Grassfield High School, Zayac (1-4, 5.40 ERA) had an up-and-down freshman campaign but ended his year with one of the most promising outings of regional weekend. In ECU’s elimination game at Coastal Carolina, the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder delivered a career-best 7.1 innings, taking a shutout into the eighth before allowing a lone run in a 1-0 loss. He scattered four hits, walked one, and struck out four — flashing the potential many hoped would develop over time.

He made 14 appearances, including nine starts, and logged 36.2 innings with 26 strikeouts and a .273 opponent batting average.

Zayac joins fellow right-handers Brad Pruett and Lance Williams in exiting the program. Pruett has since transferred to Georgia, while Williams another freshman who delivered a strong postseason start against Florida signed with Maryland. The trio combined for 72 appearances, 22 starts, and 143.1 innings in 2025.

Adding to the turnover, veteran Jake Hunter graduated after making 28 appearances and posting a 4.27 ERA over 59 innings.

That’s 202.2 innings now off the books heading into the 2026 season.

Help Wanted, But Core Remains Intact

Despite the rotation shakeup, ECU has retained essentially all of its position player core to this point. Even better, the Pirates have announced the return of ace Ethan Norby (8-5, 3.80 ERA) and freshman starter Sean Jenkins (4-4, 5.12 ERA), two key pieces for the 2026 weekend rotation.

The Pirates are expected to be active in the transfer portal this summer, particularly in the pitching market. With multiple roster spots and innings to fill, adding experienced arms will be a top priority alongside the incoming freshman class.