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Oklahoma catcher Sam Christiansen commits to Alabama out of NCAA transfer portal

Danby: Daniel Hager06/26/25DanielHagerOn3
Oklahoma-catcher-Sam-Christiansen-commits-to-Alabama-out-of-NCAA-transfer-portal
via @samchristianse5 (Twitter)

Oklahoma catcher Sam Christiansen has committed to Alabama via the NCAA Transfer Portal. Christiansen announced the decision on Twitter Wednesday night.

The Mesa, Ariz., native started 41 games for Oklahoma this season. He hit for a .263 batting average with nine doubles, five home runs, 30 RBI, a .489 SLG% and a .463 OBP%.

Christiansen was the starting catcher for a Sooner squad that finished with a 38-22 (14-16) record and advanced to the Chapel Hill Regional Final against North Carolina. His best performance of the year came in the Chapel Hill Regional against Nebraska, when he totaled three hits (two doubles and a triple) and scored three runs in a 7-4 win over the Cornhuskers.

Alabama Transfer Portal departures:

  • LHP Connor Ball
  • OF Ahmaad Duff (Saint Louis)
  • INF Sean Griggs
  • LHP Jansen Kenty
  • RHP Egan Lowery
  • RHP Zach Kittrell
  • RHP Sam Mitchell
  • INF Andre Modugno (California)
  • RHP Jonathan Stevens
  • RHP Ariston Veasey (Clemson)
  • RHP Nash Wagner

Alabama Transfer Portal additions:

  • C Sam Christiansen (Oklahoma)
  • OF Logen Devenport (Northern Kentucky)
  • INF Brennan Holt (South Alabama)
  • RHP Kaden Humphrey (North Florida)
  • 2B Justin Osterhouse (Purdue Fort Wayne)
  • RHP Owen Sarna (Winthrop)
  • LHP Evan Steckmesser (Samford)
  • RHP Matthew Tippie (Texas State)

Christiansen will now be headed to an Alabama program that put up a 41-18 (16-14) record and made the NCAA Tournament. He’ll be replacing senior Brennen Norton at second base, teaming up with shortstop Justin Lebron in the middle infield. Osterhouse seems to be an upgrade at the position, as Norton hit for just a .232 average with seven home runs and 22 RBIs this season.

Although they headed into the Hattiesburg Regional with a 41-16 record, the Crimson Tide were eliminated in just two games. Head coach Rob Vaughn, who just wrapped up his second season as head coach, claimed that they just weren’t good enough following the end of their season.

“We’ve got a tough group of kids,” Vaughn continued. “We weren’t good enough, and ultimately, that is my responsibility to make sure we get better. That we prepare them better. That we coach them better. We have to do all of that stuff. But what I can tell you is they gave me every tiny thing of what they had.”

Alabama certainly got better with the addition of Christiansen on Wednesday, their fourth position player out of the portal. You can keep up with On3’s 2025 live transfer portal tracker here.