WVU Baseball Prepares to Compete in Talented Big 12 Conference

For years, West Virginia baseball coach Randy Mazey has been advocating for changes to be made to college baseball. Between talented young players being drafted right out of high school, good college players leaving early to turn pro, the season started when there is still snow on the ground and the MLB draft interrupting the College World Series, Mazey has long thought that college baseball is not given a chance to shine.

However, because of players receiving a free year of eligibility last season and the MLB draft being abbreviated to just five rounds last summer, Mazey thinks this college baseball season could be better than ever.

“Baseball this year is going to be way better, even from the mid-major teams that still hung on to a guy that might’ve been a 22nd-round pick,” Mazey said. “The level of baseball in general is going to be a lot better.”

On his own team, Mazey said the Mountaineers return several players who would have, or should have, been selected in last summer’s draft, had it been a typical one.

“We’ve got several guys on the team right now that wouldn’t be here if the [MLB] draft would have been a normal draft,” Mazey said. “Jackson Wolf, Tyler Doanes, Tyler Chadwich, Adam Tulloch, those guys probably would’ve signed pro in a regular draft.”

Because of this, Mazey said this season’s West Virginia team might end up being the most talented one in program history. Do not think that will give the Mountaineers an advantage this season though.

“The other part of that is, all the other Big 12 teams are in the same situation,” Mazey said. “They’ve got four or five or more kids that they weren’t expecting to have on their team. The talent level at the power five level is going to be through the roof this year. I think every team in the league is probably going to say this is the best team they’ve had in a while.”

Mazey only lost two players from the 2020 team that went 11-5 in the abbreviated season — reliever Dillon Meadows and two-way player Braden Zarbnisky, who signed a pro contract with the Phillies. And despite being ranked as high as No. 14 in some media outlets’ preseason rankings, West Virginia was picked to finish just sixth in the Big 12 preseason poll.

“That’s probably about right,” Mazey said. “The sixth-place team in our league probably should be in the top-20.”

One area that gives Mazey some concern is the young WVU pitching staff that does not have a lot of experience facing Big 12 batters.

“The only thing you don’t know about our pitching staff is that we didn’t face any Big 12 teams [last year],” Mazey said. “I wouldn’t say that we strapped it on with any teams that are considered high-powered offenses so that part has yet to be determined, which of our guys can stifle a high-powered offense…Playing in the Big 12 is a learning process. It doesn’t matter if you throw 100 [mph] or have great stuff or can hit. You’ve got to learn how to hit and how to pitch.”

West Virginia will begin the 2021 college baseball season this Friday with a four-game weekend series against the Georgia State Panthers. WUV’s home-opener will be Friday, March 5 against Kent State and Big 12 play will open on March 26 against Kansas.