No. 21 West Virginia Baseball 2026 Preview: Strengths, Weaknesses & Projected Lineup
Image credit: West Virginia RHP Chase Meyer (Photo by David Buono/Getty Images via Icon Sportswire)
The 2026 college baseball season is almost here. As such, we’re breaking down every preseason Top 25 team in greater detail. Check out West Virginia’s 2026 season preview below.
Quick Hits
- Last Season: 44-16 (19-9 Big 12); Eliminated in Baton Rouge Super Regional
- Final 2025 Ranking: No. 13
- Coach (Record at school): Steve Sabins (44-16, 2nd season)
College Baseball Top 25 Skinny
West Virginia’s first season under Steve Sabins set a promising baseline. The Mountaineers retained several contributors from that group, but the real transformation came through the transfer portal, where they assembled one of the more intriguing classes in the country without much national noise. The result is a roster that looks materially different from a year ago and far more ambitious in construction. Sabins leaned heavily into upside, targeting players whose production curves are still forming. That approach gives West Virginia a chance to jump a tier quickly, even as it introduces volatility.
West Virginia Baseball Strengths
On the offensive side, returning hitters like Armani Guzman provide contact quality and on-base skill, establishing a baseline of offensive competence even if power remains limited. From there, West Virginia layered in a diverse group of portal additions designed to stretch the lineup in multiple directions. Ohio transfer Matt Ineich, junior college bat Tyrus Hall, Georgia Southern transfer Sean Smith, Ohio State transfer Matthew Graveline and UNCW transfer Brock Wills all arrive with distinct profiles. Some bring bat speed, others physicality, others positional flexibility. Collectively, they give West Virginia options rather than prescriptions and create internal competition across the order.
The pitching staff mirrors that construction. Andrew Middleton, Dawson Montesa and Bryce Thacker headline a group that offers raw traits more than established certainty. Montesa arrives from Division II Adelphi, Thacker brings length and projection and Middleton stands out as one of the most analytically intriguing arms to change uniforms this offseason after coming over from UMass. There is real swing-and-miss potential here, even if polish lags behind. Taken together, the Mountaineers are not short on ingredients. They are short on proof.
West Virginia Baseball Weaknesses
The risk profile is substantial for the Mountaineers and their ranking is based almost entirely on upside. Several pitchers are transitioning either from lower levels or limited roles, and early inconsistency would not be surprising. Without proven inning-eaters, West Virginia may need to manage workloads carefully while roles settle. Offensively, the lack of established power narrows margins. If contact quality slips or portal bats take longer to adjust, run production could lag against higher-end arms. Multiple newcomers will need to translate simultaneously for the lineup and rotation to maintain pressure.
West Virginia Baseball Player To Know
Middleton is the most consequential variable on the roster. A 6-foot-2, 215-pound lefthander, he carries elite movement data but little sustained collegiate history due to injuries, including a torn UCL that required internal brace surgery. When available, the performance indicators stand out. His 89-92 mph fastball regularly produces more than 20 inches of induced vertical break and generated a 50% whiff rate in 2025. A mid-70s, top-down curveball flashes plus and tunnels effectively off the fastball. Middleton has struck out 54 batters in just 35 career innings, including 29 in 11.2 frames last spring. Command remains the separator. He has issued 27 walks, and his delivery still wavers.
West Virginia Baseball 2026 Projected Lineup, Rotation
| Pos | Player | Year | AVG | OBP | SLG | AB | HR | RBI | Note/previous school |
| C | Matthew Graveline | Sr. | .282 | .371 | .513 | 195 | 10 | 53 | Ohio State |
| 1B | Tyrus Hall | Jr. | Bossier Parish JC (Bossier City, LA) | ||||||
| 2B | Matt Ineich | So. | .387 | .467 | .514 | 142 | 3 | 25 | Ohio |
| 3B | Brodie Kresser | G-Sr. | .278 | .373 | .378 | 209 | 3 | 41 | |
| SS | Gavin Kelly | So. | .299 | .402 | .395 | 167 | 2 | 37 | |
| OF | Brock Wills | Sr. | .351 | .450 | .545 | 134 | 6 | 22 | UNC Wilmington |
| OF | Sean Smith | G-Sr. | .352 | .458 | .599 | 162 | 9 | 36 | Georgia Southerm |
| OF | Armani Guzman | Jr. | .327 | .403 | .449 | 107 | 2 | 22 | |
| DH | Paul Schoenfeld | Sr. | Colorado Mesa (DII) | ||||||
| Pos | GS | IP | ERA | WHIP | SO% | BB% | |||
| SP | Chase Meyer | Jr. | 3 | 48.0 | 3.94 | 1.46 | 28.9 | 17.4 | |
| SP | Dawson Montesa | Jr. | Adelphi (DII) | ||||||
| SP | Reese Bassinger | G-Sr. | 0 | 61.2 | 4.23 | 1.22 | 16.0 | 4.5 | |
| RP | Carson Estridge | Sr. | 3 | 48.1 | 6.14 | 1.49 | 21.8 | 8.2 | |
| RP | Ben McDougal | Sr. | 0 | 22.1 | 3.63 | 0.99 | 18.5 | 8.7 | |
| RP | Andrew Middleton | Jr. | 1 | 11.2 | 0.00 | 1.03 | 63.0 | 23.9 | UMass |
