Former Penn State men's basketball guard Kayden Mingo is officially out of the Transfer Portal after committing to and signing with his new team on Thursday.
Penn State adds second transfer of the offseason and hopes to fix shooting with MAC star
Baylor landed Mingo out of the portal and hours later, he signed with the squad. The combo guard was ranked 29th overall out of players in the Transfer Portal and fourth among those in his position group. He was ranked a four-star transfer, per 247Sports Transfer Rankings, as well.
BREAKING: Penn State transfer guard Kayden Mingo has committed to Baylor, @JamieShaw5 confirms. https://t.co/eT5F1el3OY pic.twitter.com/UbILQFi7NV
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) April 16, 2026
Former Penn State guard Kayden Mingo commits to Baylor out of the Transfer Portal, heading off to the Big 12
The Bears didn't initially recruit Mingo, but his performance in the Big Ten in 2025-26 made the Big 12 program take a second look.
During his first collegiate season, Mingo was the Nittany Lions' second-highest point scorer with 383, averaging 13.7 per game along with 4.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 steals on average over 28 games. He started in each contest as well. The guard shot 47.7 percent from the field, 24.4 percent behind the arc, and 70.5 percent from the free throw line. He had a total of 121 assists, 83 rebounds on defense, 58 steals, 15 rebounds on offense, and five blocks as a freshman.
Baylor finished 6-12 in the Big 12 and 17-17 overall. It ranked fourth-to-last in the conference, so it's clear that it's seeking a difference maker.
Mingo can be just that, something head coach Mike Rhoades originally intended on him being for the blue and white long-term. Now, the Bears have the advantage of restructuring their team around young talent. Mingo has three years of eligibility remaining.
Baylor was also a school that Mingo's younger brother, Dylan, had in his top four when he made his initial commitment in mid-February. Though he decided on North Carolina, the Class of 2026, five-star guard de-committed in April and reopened his recruitment.
The Bears will likely have a second Mingo on his way over, only helping their vision for the team moving forward, 2026-27 and beyond.
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