Mountaineers in the Pros
WV Native, WVU Product Michael Grove Becomes World Series Champion with Dodgers
A West Virginia kid and WVU product is a World Series champion. Even though he did not pitch in the World Series, Michael Grove will now forever be called a World Series champion for being a member of the 2024 champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Dodgers rallied back from a five-run deficit to beat the New York Yankees on Wednesday night and capture the franchise’s eighth World Series title in five games. Grove did not pitch in either the World Series or National League Championship Series, but did take the mound briefly in the Division Series. He allowed a home run in his only inning pitched.
.@WVUBaseball ⭐️ Michael Grove is a World Series Champion! #HailWV #ProMountaineers https://t.co/KXQ4quVPgW
— WVU Baseball Recruiting & Camps (@WVUbaseballcamp) October 31, 2024
But despite not contributing much to Los Angeles’ postseason run, Grove did post a 4-4 record with 54 strikeouts during the regular season.
Grove, a Wheeling, W.Va. native, attended Wheeling Park High School before joining the Mountaineers to play college baseball at WVU. As a sophomore in 2027, Grove struck out 61 batters in 41.0 innings pitched and registered a 2.87 ERA.
The Dodgers drafted Grove in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He then made his MLB debut in 2022.
According to Seth Starkey, the director of athletics of Wheeling Central Catholic, Grove now becomes the third Ohio Valley product to earn a World Series ring as a player, joining Bill Mazeroski (1960 & 1971 with the Pirates) & Joe Niekro (1987 with the Twins). Rich Donnelly also won a ring as a coach (1997 with the Marlins) and Joe Pettini won two as a coach (2006 & 11 with the Cardinals).