The transfer portal and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) have made annual roster turnover more common than ever in this new era of college athletics.
This is no different for WVU Baseball, as there have already been a number of players put their names in the portal. Read more: A look at who’s leaving West Virginia Baseball.
Here is everyone choosing to go elsewhere for next season, as well as the players who have run out of college eligibility and will not be able to return to WVU for another season.
Into the portal
First off, here is every player who has put their name into the portal at the time of publication. The list has yet to be finalized, as players will have until June 30 to submit their transfer paperwork, as well as a short time in December.
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LHP Andrew Middleton
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LHP Wyatt Mosley
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LHP Bryson Thacker
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RHP Chase Meyer
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RHP Luke Lyman
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RHP Mac Stiffler
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1B Ryan Maggy
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SS Zahir Barjam
There are a lot of pitchers going out the door as of right now. However, that is still no reason to panic. The Mountaineers lost seven pitchers from their 2025 roster, and we saw how well they bounced back in 2026.
Because teams carry so many pitchers on their rosters, most of their transfers typically come from the bullpen. Simply put, there are not enough innings to go around for everyone’s liking.
Related: WVU Baseball’s season for the ages
Just take into account that WVU’s top two options out of the bullpen, Reese Bassinger and Carson Estridge, combined for 95 innings this season. And if you include Ian Korn who made 24 appearances and only three of them starts, that’s another 79.2 innings.
In comparison, the six pitchers on that list combined for 20.1 innings. As for the two position players, neither could find consistent roles on the team, starting just five games between the two of them.
Out of eligibility
Pending NCAA approval of the proposed five-year eligibility rule for the 2026–27 academic year, here is a list of players who have exhausted their college eligibility.
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RHP Ian Korn
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RHP Carson Estridge
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RHP Reese Bassinger
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LHP Ben McDougal
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C Matthew Graveline
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2B Brodie Kresser
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OF Paul Schoenfeld
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OF Sean Smith
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OF Brock Wills
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OF Ben Lumsden
Certainly, an extensive list that is filled with marquee players from the 2026 season and years before that. Notably, Korn, Estridge, and Bassinger are all coming off great seasons in the bullpen.
Estridge and Bassinger will especially be missed given the amount of years they put into the West Virginia program. Unlike Korn, those two spent multiple years at Morgantown. However, Korn still etched his name in WVU’s lore after his widely successful year.
Related: West Virginia Day: built, not given
Kresser is another one who has been at the program a long time and has had a major role in turning it into what it is now.
And even the first-year guys like Schoenfeld, Smith, and Graveline all had plenty of contributions in their lone year at WVU. Schoenfeld in particular quickly became one of WVU’s most consistent players, both in the field and at the plate.
All of these players will be hard to replace—there’s no doubt about that. However, just as the Mountaineers landed many of these players through the transfer portal, they have the opportunity to work that same magic again.
Portal additions
In fact, WVU has already managed to add 11 players through the transfer portal at the time of publication. WV Sports Nation will have a more extensive analysis of these players after the initial portal window closes.
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RHP Austin Zance (Marietta College)
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RHP Drew Becker (Ashland University)
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RHP Zac Whitney (SNHU)
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C Cash Williams (Tennessee)
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SS Owen Henne (Seton Hill)
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OF Jack Cannon (Le Moyne College)
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OF Chase Ecker (William & Mary)
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RHP Korey Alston (JUCO)
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OF Colin Coonradt (JUCO)
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OF Seth Williams (JUCO)
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3B/1B Ryan Plekutoski (JUCO)
Plenty more to come
As you can see, West Virginia is quickly on its way to rebuilding its roster for the next season. And there is still plenty of time to bolster it even further.
WV Sports Nation will continue to update you on future additions and losses that WVU Baseball suffers this summer. Make sure to get our app for immediate access to every new article.
