Sauve, Four more Mountaineers taken in MLB Draft

The Oakland Athletics have selected star West Virginia catcher, Logan Sauve, in the seventh round with the 200th overall pick Monday’s MLB draft. Read More: Sauve, Four more Mountaineers taken in MLB Draft

The Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania native has been a cornerstone of the Mountaineers’ recent success, earning All-Big 12 First Team honors in his junior campaign.

When asked to comment on the news, Sauve highlighted his time at West Virginia:

“I want to take a quick second to thank the coach staff and all my teammates at WVU for helping to make me better,” Sauve said. “This is truly a dream come true and I am super excited to get to work at the next level. Huge thank you to the A’s organization for believing in me and providing me with this opportunity.”

But Sauve wasn’t the only Mountaineer drafted on Monday. In a flurry of picks, West Virginia baseball saw Kyle West, Robby Porco, Griffin Kirn, and Skylar King all depart for pro ball. Jack Kartsonas would later join his teammates, signing with the Tampa Bay Rays in free agency.

Related: Oakland A’s Draft Logan Sauve

Kyle West Slugs His Way to New York

Starting off in the 13th round, the New York Yankees selected left fielder/designated hitter Kyle West. The Martinsburg, West Virginia native came to Morgantown as a junior after two years at NCAA Division II University of Charleston. West slugged his way into the draft after two stellar seasons, including a .339/.487/.601/1.088 OPS senior year that earned him a place on the All-Big 12 Second Team.

West is the eighth Mountaineer to be drafted by the Yankees, a group which includes former major leaguer Scott Seabol.

Dodgers Select Robby Porco

Just one pick later, the Los Angeles Dodgers nabbed Robby Porco. The projectable 6’8″ righty didn’t have a ton of innings pitched, but more than made up for it in potential, with a fastball touching 98 and promising secondaries.

Among the 10 WVU players taken by the Dodgers that he now joins is Michael Grove, who has pitched in 64 games for the team since 2022. The reigning World Series champions are banking on Porco’s size and potential to make an impact

A’s Take Griffin Kirn

Five picks later Griffin Kirn joined his teammate Sauve in being taken by the Athletics. The Quincy University transfer wasted no time adjusting to Division I, earning All-Big 12 First Team honors after he had an outstanding year in Morgantown, with a 3.36 ERA in 99 innings across 18 games and 17 starts.

Age kept him from going higher, but his selection points to teams still valuing dependable lefties.

Red Sox Draft Skylar King 

Later on in the 15th round, the Boston Red Sox took Skylar King with the 448th pick. The Red Sox will look to develop his tools, as his speed, eye, and ability to hit the ball hard are enticing, with the latter being one he’ll try to tap into more.

He becomes only the third WVU player to be taken by the Red Sox. During his junior year, King hit .291/.415/.398 with a .813 OPS.

Sam White Snubbed

In a big shock, Sam White was not taken despite having the sixth-best average in the Big 12.

The Canadian junior second baseman hit .361/.426/.529 with a .955 OPS, and was named to the All-Big 12 Honorable Mention team.

Jack Kartsonas Signs Free Agent Deal with Rays

Finally, West Virginia pitcher Jack Kartsonas has signed a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Rays following an impressive rehabilitation season with the Mountaineers.

The Pittsburgh native overcame injury concerns to become WVU’s second weekend starter, posting a 3.66 ERA across 66.1 innings while striking out 77 batters and walking just 20. Kartsonas’s control and experience proved invaluable for West Virginia, as he held opponents to a .245 batting average and surrendered only eight home runs in 20 appearances.

His performance earned him All-Big 12 Second Team and ABCA All-East Region Second Team honors in his lone season at WVU. The veteran hurler’s journey included three seasons at Kent State, where injuries limited him to just 35 games, and a stint at John Carroll before finding success in Morgantown.

While Kartsonas may not possess overpowering velocity, his ability to consistently get outs and provide innings made him an attractive undrafted free agent target for Tampa Bay’s development system.