Checking in on former Mountaineers in MLB organizations
Over the past couple of years, West Virginia has become a factory for producing major league talent. Currently, there are two former Mountaineers in the big leagues, with 24 grinding away in the minor leagues.
Here is a look at how they are performing at their current level as of April 29.
Active in the MLB
JJ Wetherholt, 23, INF
The biggest name in the league right now is JJ Wetherholt, who plays for the St. Louis Cardinals. He went into Spring Training this season as the MLB’s No. 5 overall prospect and was No. 1 in the Cardinals organization. He broke camp on the Opening Day roster, being penciled in as St. Louis’s leadoff hitter, playing second base.
Wetherholt immediately made an impact in his major league debut, recording his first career hit with a home run in his second at-bat. Since then, he has displayed his tremendous talent with six more long balls for a total of 7 HR (tied for around 13th in the NL). He has scored 27 runs and has been hit by pitches 7 times (2nd in the NL).
While hitting at the major league level may be one of the hardest adjustments a professional athlete can make, Wetherholt is adjusting well with a .256 batting average on 30 hits through 31 games. What keeps him at the leadoff spot is his .378 on-base percentage.
Most recently, Wetherholt made his return to his hometown area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the Cardinals took on the Pirates. He crushed a game-tying home run (his 6th) on April 27, had multi-hit games on April 28-29, and launched a leadoff home run off Paul Skenes (his 7th) on April 30 to help set the tone in another Cardinals win.
Victor Scott II, 25, OF
The other current big leaguer actually takes center field for the Cardinals, Victor Scott II. Last season, Scott held an everyday spot in St. Louis’s lineup after making his debut in 2024. Scott has never been a highly touted bat, but his high-level fielding makes him an everyday necessity.
This season, Scott has struggled at the plate with a .192 batting average and a .278 OBP. He’s mashed one home run and has brought in five RBIs, scoring eight runs. But that’s not what he is there to do. Going back to last season, Scott has saved 13 runs with his glove, per Baseball Savant. Last season, he had 16 outs above average and has two more to start 2026.
Triple-A
Ryan Bergert, 26, RHP
Now, looking at the minor leagues, starting with right-hander Ryan Bergert with the Kansas City Royals Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis City Redbirds. Bergert has made three starts, working 9.2 innings. He has 10 strikeouts and has allowed three earned runs for a 2.79 ERA. He is currently on the 10-day injured list, trying to get back to the major league level for the first time since Sept. 13, 2025.
Kade Strowd, 28, RHP
Right-hander Kade Strowd is with the Arizona Diamondbacks, currently performing very well with its Triple-A affiliate, the Reno Aces. He has appeared in nine games out of the bullpen, posting a .91 ERA with 10 strikeouts, allowing just five hits in 9.1 innings. The last time he was at the major league level, he was with the Orioles and had a 1.71 ERA IN 26.1 innings.
Jackson Wolf, 27, LHP
Left-hander Jackson Wolf has made one major league start in 2023 for the San Diego Padres. He has been in the minors ever since, now with the Pirates. Wolf is in Triple-A and has made three starts in eight appearances. He possesses a 1-2 record with a 4.66 ERA in 19.1 innings.
Paul McIntosh, 28, C
Catcher Paul McIntosh is in Triple-A with the Philadelphia Phillies with the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs. He has had a long career in the minors, totaling 1,373 at-bats for a .250 batting average with 56 homers and 220 RBIs. This season, McIntosh has 35 at-bats with seven hits for a .200 average, driving one home run with four RBIs.
Dayne Leonard, 25, C
After an arm injury held catcher Dayne Leonard out of the draft, he found a home with the Cincinnati Reds, landing in Triple-A with the Louisville Bats. He has 15 at-bats for a .400 average and .967 OPS this season.
Everyone should remember the heroics of southpaw Derek Clark, who helped push the Mountaineers to their first Super Regional appearance in school history. Now he plays with the Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. He has appeared in four games, starting three with a 7.20 ERA in 20 innings.
Right-hander David Hagaman is situated at the High-A level in the Diamondbacks system with the Hillsboro Hops. Once a reliever with the Mountaineers, he has transitioned into a starter, filling that role twice this season, punching out 11 with a 3.60 ERA in five innings.
Double-A
Jack Kartsonas, 25, RHP
One of the more recent Mountaineers, right-hander Jack Kartsonas, who left the program last season, made his Double-A debut at the beginning of April. He plays for the Montgomery Biscuits for the Tampa Bay Rays. Kartsonas has pitched in four games, starting three with a 2.12 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 17 innings.
Single/High-A
Skylar King, 22, OF
Getting drafted in last summer’s draft was outfielder Skylar King to the Boston Red Sox, where he plays for Salem RidgeYaks in Single-A. King has had 64 at-bats for 11 hits, averaging .172 at the plate. He has crushed three home runs with 12 RBIs.
Griffin Kirn, 24, LHP
The ace of last year’s team, left-hander Griffin Kirn, was drafted to the Oakland Athletics and is in Single-A with the Stockton Ports. There, he has turned into a successful bullpen piece with nine appearances with a .96 ERA and eight strikeouts in 9.1 innings.
Robby Porco, 22, RHP
The big right-hander Robby Porco, who was with the program last season, was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Playing in Single-A with the Ontario Tower Buzzers, Porco is pitching really well with a .60 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 15 innings scattered around seven games out of the bullpen.
Carlson Reed, 25, RHP
Right-hander Carlson Reed was selected right up the road by the Pirates and plays for the Greensboro Grasshoppers in Single-A. He’s had success in the past at the minor league level with a career 3.25 ERA in 196.2 innings, but is currently struggling. Now he has an 11.32 ERA in four starts in 10.1 innings.
Logan Sauve, 22, C
The longtime catcher Logan Sauve was selected by the Athletics last summer and joins Kirn with the Ports. He has 19 at-bats with five hits for a .263 average and .300 on-base clip.
Tyler Switalski, 22, LHP
Southpaw Tyler Switalski is in the San Francisco Giants organization with the Eugene Emeralds in Single-A. He is pitching at a high-level with a 1.00 ERA and 25 strikeouts across 18 innings in four appearances, three of which are starts.
Tevin Tucker, 26, INF
An all-time Mountaineer, infielder Tevin Tucker, is with the High-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, the Spokane Indians. The career .199 minor league hitting Tucker has improved to .233 this season.
Kyle West, 23, 1B
The big bat of first baseman Kyle West was selected by the New York Yankees last summer. He plays for the High-A squad, the Hudson Valley Renegades, and is hitting .192 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 78 at-bats.
Aidan Major, 22, RHP
After an arm injury after being selected by the Cleveland Guardians in 2024, right-hander Aidan Major has made his professional debut with the Hill City Howlers in Single-A. Major has started four games and struck out 16 in 14.1 innings with a 4.40 ERA.
Injured List
Michael Grove, 29, RHP
Right-hander Michael Grove signed with the Tampa Bay Rays on April 14, with his last pitch thrown at the major league level in 2024 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 29-year-old has yet to throw at any level this season as he is on the 60-day injured list.
Alek Manoah, 28, RHP
WVU’s highest pitcher selected in the MLB Draft, right-hander Alek Manoah, signed with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim this offseason. He started his career hot with the Toronto Bluejays finishing third in Cy Young voting in 2022, but since then has struggled. He was designated for assignment in September 2025 and was claimed by the Atlanta Braves three days later. Manoah entered Spring Training in a fight for a starting rotation spot, but struggled with a 9.39 ERA while opponents hit .371 against him across 15.1 innings. He was placed on the 15-day injured list on March 23, where he’s been placed as of now.
John Means, 33, LHP
Southpaw John Means is one of the many Mountaineers fighting to get back to the MLB with the Cleveland Guardians, but he is on the 60-day injured list. He last pitched in the big leagues in 2024 with the Baltimore Orioles, posting a 2.61 ERA in 20.2 innings. His credible seven-year stint with Baltimore was ended with injuries, most recently Tommy John surgery. He has yet to pitch this season, as he threw 26.2 innings at the High-A and Triple-A level in 2025.
Jacob Watters, 25, RHP
Right-hander Jacob Watters is with the Rays and was assigned to its Double-A squad, the Biscuits, but landed on the 60-day injured list. He has a career 5.74 ERA and 176 strikeouts in 172.1 innings after being drafted in 2022.
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