After a stellar season in Orange and Green, Jackson McKenzie will likely finish his college career elsewhere.
On May 26, the designated hitter announced that he is entering the NCAA Transfer Portal two days after leading Florida A&M baseball to a Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament championship game appearance.
“I have nothing but gratitude, love, and respect for [FAMU’s head coach Jamey Shouppe], all his staff, and FAMU baseball,” McKenzie said in his transfer portal declaration on X/Twitter. “In order to continue the path of my lifelong dream, I have decided to enter the transfer portal.”
After stints at Mississippi State and Gulf Coast State, McKenzie joined the Rattlers for the 2026 season and made an immediate impact. He led the team with a .397 batting average and 12 home runs, and also contributed 50 hits.
The Pace native’s hitting prowess was on display during FAMU’s 15-6 SWAC quarterfinals win over the Southern Jaguars on May 21. He hit for the cycle, meaning he singled, doubled, tripled, and hit a home run in the Rattlers’ victory.
But at bat isn’t where McKenzie’s production ends.
He also made 14 appearances on the mound, pitching for 31 innings to compile a 2-0 record.
McKenzie was a semifinalist for the College Baseball Foundation’s 2026 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year. He was also an All-SWAC First Team member and an All-SWAC Tournament Team selection.
The junior power hitter and consistent pitcher could be on track to play Major League Baseball in the coming years.
Contingent on whether the “5-in-5” eligibility rule passes, McKenzie will have two years of eligibility, he says. The eligibility model would require student-athletes to play five full seasons within a strict five-year window.
The Division I baseball transfer portal opens for a 30-day window from June 1 to June 30.
Gerald Thomas, III, is a multi-time national award-winning reporter for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU baseball’s homerun leader Jackson McKenzie enters transfer portal
Reporting by Gerald Thomas III, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
