WVU Baseball tees off the 2026 season against Georgia Southern on Friday, kickstarting a campaign with high hopes aplenty. The Mountaineers aim to make another deep postseason run, a feat which requires a consistent full-team effort. The outfield plays a major part in these plans, just like the infield and pitching departments do. Read more: Meet the 2026 WVU Baseball outfield.
The Mountaineers’ outfield offering consists of five (six, if you count Matthew Graveline) designated contributors, with several other players possessing the ability to move out to the grass.
WVU Head Coach Steve Sabins talked about flexibility during media availability on Monday, with players such as Graveline and Armani Guzman having malleable roles.
“Guzman trained at second base this fall and centerfield, so he will likely start out at centerfield for us,” Sabins said.
While there are interchangeable pieces for each part of the lineup, each “Meet the team” aims to introduce fans to designated players in the outfield, infield, and the pen.
Paul Schoenfeld
The Colorado Mesa transfer is a lefty at the plate and on the field, soon to officially don the old gold and blue for the first time. Schoenfeld spent his time at the DII level as an absolute game-wrecker, batting .400 across three seasons.
Related: Sabins reveals pitcher Chase Meyer “3-4 weeks off pace” for Mountaineers
Hailing from Wichita, Kansas, Schoenfeld makes his way to the eastern half of the U.S. with hopes of matching his previous success. In terms of fielding, he is no slouch. The 5’11 fifth-year was named a member of the 2025 ABCA South Central Region All-Defensive Team.
“Him [Guzman] and Paul Schoenfeld have been excellent in the outfield,” Sabins said. “they’re both true centerfielders and they’ll both probably get their shot to start.”
Guzman is the planned starting centerfielder, but Schoenfeld is likely to play a major factor in the outfield.
Sabins went on to mention that he has “fallen in love with the way” Schoenfeld plays. High praise from the skipper.
Maxwell Molessa
Molessa returns to the roster as the young gun of the bunch, as he enters his redshirt freshman season. What he lacks in experience, he makes up for with familiarity of the program.
The Williamstown High School graduate and Mountain State native brings another left-handed presence to the outfield.
Sean Smith
This is an interesting add, given the fact that Smith makes his WVU debut against his former team on Friday.
The Georgia Southern graduate transfer started 74 of the 83 games he played in, hitting .339 across two seasons. Smith is a slugger with added defensive prowess.
The Mississippi native started his collegiate career by playing two seasons with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Smith stands at 6’1, 205, adding size and ability to the outfield.
Brock Wills
“A tooled out, really good player,” according to Sabins.
Wills is a UNC Wilmington transfer that brings even more experience to the table. The Holly Springs, North Carolina, native joins the Mountaineers after starting 122 of 125 games he played in at UNCW.
He has tailored his craft since his high school days, when his name was featured on the Top 200 MLB prospect list from several folks at ESPN.
Wills touts a 2025 season where the senior tallied an impressive .995 OPS on his resume. Time will tell if the success carries to Morgantown.
Ben Lumsden
A returning Mountaineer entering his senior year, Lumsden brings another dose of experience and program familiarity to the table.
Standing at 6’3, Lumsden is the tallest member of the listed outfielders on the roster. He is no stranger to the bright lights of WVU Baseball, which is an invaluable asset in this era of college athletics.
As of now, the staff seems to have their sites set on Lumsden becoming more of an option at first base this season. That can all change, but the South Carolina native is another playmaker to keep an eye on no matter where he plays.
Plus, Sabins mentioned a two home-run outing in pre-season reps down in Lumsden’s home state. That is something worth noting.
Click here for Sabins’ entire session with the media (Monday, February 9)
What’s next?
As mentioned, these position assignments change quite frequently.
Do not be surprised if the daily lineup changes personnel more than most teams. That seems to be a trademark of WVU Baseball these days, anyway.
First pitch for the season opener, when you will be able to see many of the aforementioned players, is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday. WVU takes on Georgia Southern in the first round of a three-game non-conference series in Statesboro.
Stay up to date with WV Sports Nation for more WVU Athletics coverage.
