The Big 12 baseball regular season has officially come to an end, and with that comes the announcement of the All-Big 12 honors.
As the No. 1 seed in the Big 12 tournament, West Virginia was bound to have a number of players receive these honors. The overall list wasn’t a surprise to most baseball fans.
Read more: Mountaineers receive All-Big 12 baseball honors below.
The Big 12 committee awarded nine Mountaineers this distinction and placed five on the league’s first and second teams, highlighting the excellence they showed on the field all season.
Standing On Top of the Mountain
Among the five selected, two Mountaineers received first team All-Big 12 honors—catcher Logan Sauve and starting pitcher Griffin Kern.
Sauve, a junior, earned his right to be a part of the upper echelon of players in the Big 12 in large part to his steady play behind the plate and inside the batter’s box. For the season, Sauve hit .287 alongside seven home runs and 33 RBIs.
Kern, a senior, earned first team All-Big 12 honors in just his first season in a West Virginia jersey. From the beginning of the season, Kern proved that he was the clear number one starter for the Mountaineers.
For the season, Kern has a 4-2 record with 83 strikeouts in a total of 77.2 innings, which leads the team. His 3.36 ERA is good for fifth among Big 12 pitchers.
West, Kartsonas Earn Second Team Spots
Sauve and Kern weren’t the only ones that received All-Big 12 Honors. Left fielder Kyle West and pitcher Jack Kartsonas both earned recognition on the All-Big 12 Second Team.
West, a West Virginia native, had his most productive year as a Mountaineer to date. With a more consistent approach to the plate this year, West hit .352 to go along with nine home runs and 33 RBIs.
Related: Big 12 Conference Baseball Tournament to Move to Surprise Stadium in 2026.
In his first year with the Mountaineers, Kartsonas fulfilled several different roles. At the start of the season, he was primarily used as a middle relief pitcher. As the season went on, Kartsonas was moved to a starting role.
Once Kartsonas became a full-time starting pitcher, he quickly proved that he was one of the best in that category in the Big 12. In his seven starts, Kartsonas went at least six innings all but once. He finished the regular season on top of the Big 12 in ERA with a 2.29.
Mountaineers Show Overall Depth
In addition to these five players, the Mountaineers also had four players earn All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. Pitchers Chase Meyer and Reese Bassinger, outfielder Jace Rinehart and utility player Sam White all received recognition on the conference’s third team.
Related: Cincinnati and Texas Tech Set for First Round of Big 12 Baseball Tournament.
Gavin Kelly also earned a spot on the All-Freshman team, giving the Mountaineers 10 players who earned league honors. His efforts at second base and behind the plate showcased his potential to become a key contributor in future seasons.
West Virginia will open the Big 12 tournament Thursday against Cincinnati, as the Bearcats defeated Texas Tech in round one.
