South Rowan pitcher Haiden Leffew in 2023. Photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post

Staff report

Former South Rowan star Haiden Leffew has entered the transfer portal.

A sturdy left-hander pitcher, Leffew has done well in two seasons at Wake Forest, winning seven of his eight decisions, and has the stuff to be a MLB draft pick in 2026.

Leffew was 4-1 as a sophomore relief pitcher, throwing 34.1 innings. His ERA wasn’t ideal (4.46), but the eye-catching stat was an exceptional 15.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

As a freshman, Leffew pitched in 18 games for the Deacons, throwing 35.1 innings. He was 3-0.

As a high school junior, Leffew was a key part of South Rowan’s 2022 3A state champs as a two-way player. He was 10-2 with a 1.32 ERA on the mound, with 124 strikeouts. He batted .317 with two homers, 13 doubles and 30 RBIs.

Leffew is currently pitching in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Brewster Whitecaps. He’s pitched in four games this summer and is 1-0 with 12 strikeouts and two walks in 9.1 innings.

Corey Muscara, who was Wake Forest’s pitching coach, left to take the head job at Duke. That may have played a role in Leffew’s decision to depart.