Yehl takes Pitcher of the Year, 10 Mountaineers named All-Big 12
No. 9 West Virginia has 10 players selected to the All-Big 12 team, while redshirt junior Maxx Yehl was honored as the league’s pitcher of the year.
The Mountaineers hold four First-Team selections, the most since joining the Big 12. Joining Yehl from the pitching side were sophomore Chansen Cole and graduate student Ian Korn. Sophomore Gavin Kelly was selected to the team for his contributions as a catcher.
Concluding the selections, senior Paul Schoenfled was honored as a Second-Team outfielder. Five players were selected as Honorable Mentions: graduate senior Reese Bassinger, senior Carson Estridge, junior Armani Guzman, sophomore Matt Ineich and graduate senior Sean Smith.
First Team
Yehl was terrific on the mound in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. This was the first time he appeared as a starting pitcher and was 7-2 on the hill. He posted a league-best 2.10 ERA, ranking No. 7 nationally. Across 73 innings, he fanned 88 batters and walked 20, holding opponents to a .222 batting average. Yehl is the third pitcher to take home Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, joining Harrison Musgrave in 2013 and Alek Manoah in 2019.
After transferring to WVU this offseason, Cole flashed dominating stuff. He led the league with an 8-1 record behind the third-best ERA at 3.00. In 75 innings, he punched out 73 batters and held opponents to a league-best .218 batting average.
Korn was recently inserted into the starting rotation, making two starts this season. He did most of his work out of the bullpen with 17 appearances. He was 5-0 with the second-best league ERA of 2.63. Korn struck out 50 hitters and walked only eight batters in 54.2 innings.
This trio’s battery mate was Kelly, who spent 28 of his 49 games behind the plate. He hit .387, putting him third in the Big 12 and 24th nationally. He led the Mountaineers with 12 home runs, 47 RBI, 1.167 OPS, 133 total bases, .686 slugging percentage and .481 on-base percentage. On defense, he threw out 10 runners in 27 tries, good for 37%.
Second Team
Schoenfeld was an everyday presence in center field in his first year in the blue and gold. He totaled a .359 batting average with 43 RBI and 42 runs scored, recording three home runs. Making multiple outstanding plays in the field, he held a perfect fielding percentage in 105 chances.
Honorable Mention
This is the second consecutive season Bassinger was selected as an Honorable Mention. His improved numbers in his second Mountaineer season show a 3.23 ERA and 51 strikeouts in a team-high 23 appearances across 47.1 frames.
Estridge was on the mound for 17 games and threw 29.2 innings. He worked a 4-0 record with a 2.73 ERA. He limited damage, as opponents hit just .233 against him, lowering to .214 in Big 12 play.
Guzman started all 50 games for the Mountaineers, ranging between first base, right and center field. He led the league with 30 stolen bases, holding a .290 batting average. He generated 29 RBI and 47 runs scored. Guzman came alive in league play, hitting .340 with a .890 OPS.
Another transfer was Ineich, who started every game at shortstop. Manning the leadoff spot, he hit .314 with four homers and 45 RBI. Ineich led the team with 41 walks and struck out just 30 times in 194 at-bats.
Primarily in the lineup as the designated hitter, Smith was there for 47 of his 49 starts, the other two in left field. He hit .311 with the second-most team home runs and RBI at eight and 45, respectively. Seven of his long balls came in Big 12 play, while he improved his average to .328.
WVU returns to action on Thursday, May 21, for the Big 12 quarterfinals. First pitch from Surprise Stadium in Arizona is set for 7:30 p.m. against an opponent still to be determined.
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