WVU Baseball P Maxx Yehl Nominated for National Pitcher of the Year

Redshirt junior Maxx Yehl of the WVU baseball team was named a finalist for National Pitcher of the Year by the College Baseball Foundation, the organization announced on Thursday.

Yehl becomes the first Mountaineer to be named a finalist for the national award since Alek Manoah in 2019. Overall, only three West Virginia pitchers have been named to the list all-time, with Harrison Musgrave garnering the first recognition in 2013.

The other finalists include Mason Edwards (LHP, USC), Jackson Flora (RHP, UCSB), Aidan King (RHP, Florida), and Dylan Volantis (LHP, Texas). The distinguished group of pitchers include players from four different conferences.

The award is the latest national recognition for the Portville, New York native, as he was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and was named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy earlier this season. Yehl also was honored on the All-Big 12 First Team.

After missing the 2025 season with an injury, Yehl has been dominant on the mound for the Mountaineers this season, going 8-2 with a 2.12 ERA. His ERA leads the Big 12 and ranks seventh in the nation. This season, he has struck out 101 batters in 85.0 innings against just 24 walks and has held opponents to a .218 batting average.

The Mountaineers will be back in action on Friday, June 5, when they play Cal Poly in the first game of the 2026 NCAA Morgantown Super Regionals. First pitch from Kendrick Family Ballpark in Morgantown is set for Noon ET.

This story originated as a WVU press release.