The baseball season ended disappointingly, but they had a tremendous season. The makeup of the team has changed a lot since they were eliminated from the postseason. Six players will not return because they are no longer eligible. Pitchers Tyler Hutson, Jack Kartsonas, and Griffin Kirn, outfielders Jace Rinehart and Kyle West, and first baseman Grant Hussey finished their collegiate careers with the Mountaineers in 2025. Read more: WVU Baseball Transfer Portal: Where Did They End Up?
Several players are transferring out of the program. The list of exiting transfers includes infielder Spencer Barnett, utilities Chase Swain and Alex Marot, pitchers Gavin Van Kempen, Cole Fehrman, Joseph Fredericks, Carlos Caraballo, Aiden Cody and Aidan Smith, outfielders Jorge Valdes and Michael Perazza.
WVU Baseball Transfer Portal: Where Did They End Up?
Spencer Barnett
Barnett started 28 games for the Mountaineers in 2025 and played in 45. He primarily played third base but also played second, shortstop, and first during the season. He batted .278 with a .779 OPS while hitting four home runs. Barnett also tallied 26 RBIs with 26 strikeouts and 11 walks.
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Barnett announced via X that he committed to Penn State. He started 57 games in his career and batted .274 through two seasons at WVU. The Pittsburgh native will return to his home state for the 2026 season heading into his junior season.
Chase Swain
Swain has not announced where he will play next season, but his father announced via X that Chase will enter the transfer portal. Swain will finish his career as a redshirt senior at another program but produced several big moments during his lone year with the Mountaineers. The biggest of which was against Marshall when he stole home to score the game-winning run in the top of the ninth.
Swain produced at the plate in 2025. He batted .319 in 50 games during 2025. He hit two home runs, six doubles, and two triples. Swain also tallied 30 RBIs while striking out 36 times and walking 18. His speed flashed for most of the year, stealing 11 bases. He primarily played third base (39 games) while also playing a handful of games in right field and one at second base.
Gavin Van Kempen
Van Kempen announced via X that he will enter the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining. He pitched three years in Morgantown and posted a 4.94 career ERA. Van Kempen started 22 games in his career and finished with a record of 12-1 while also recording one save in his freshman season in 2023. He allowed a batting average of .261 to opponents in his career and allowed 14 home runs.
He pitched the most in 2025 when he made 14 appearances and started 13 games. He pitched 39.2 innings and finished with a 6.13 ERA. He allowed 27 earned runs during the season in which he finished with a 2-0 record while striking out 37 batters and walking 26.
Other Transfers
Several of the other transfers leaving the program had their impact on the team, but not many played much this season. Cole Fehrman has one year of eligibility after electing to enter the transfer portal. He pitched 6.2 innings, allowing 10 earned runs. Fehrman appeared in 26 games during his three years at WVU and finished with 19 strikeouts and 24 walks. Michael Perazza started 10 games in 2025 and 15 in 2024. He batted .248 in his career and belted one home run in each season.
Jorge Valdes has three years of eligibility remaining and announced his intention to transfer via X. He did not start a game in 2025 as a freshman but scored 10 runs, primarily as a pinch runner. Alex Marot announced he will transfer out of the program with three years of eligibility remaining. He missed the 2024 season due to injury and started six times in 2025 as a redshirt freshman. He hit .273 and recorded six RBIs. Joe Fredericks announced his intentions to transfer via X with two years of eligibility remaining. He appeared in 22 games during his two years in Morgantown and posted a 2.00 ERA through 18 innings.
