WVU Baseball

WVU’s JJ Wetherholt Collects Two More Offseason Honors

Published

10 months ago

June 29, 2023

After being “snubbed” as Mountaineer fans believe from the finalist list for the Golden Spikes Award earlier this year, WVU Baseball’s JJ Wetherholt continues to receive national recognition for his 2023 season in the Old Gold and Blue.

On Thursday, Wetherholt earned Unanimous All-America Status with D1Baseball Honor and was named to the 31-man roster for the USA Collegiate National Team Roster.

With the D1 Baseball Honor, Wetherholt becomes the first Mountaineer to be named a 1st-Team All-American by seven different publications — BCA, NCBWA, Perfect Game, College Baseball Foundation, Collegiate Baseball News and D1Baseball.

He joins Alek Manoah as the only WVU players to be named All-Americans by all seven publications.

𝐔𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐒@jj_wetherholt becomes the first Mountaineer to be named a 1️⃣st-Team All-American by seven different publications, with the final one coming from D1Baseball!
📰https://t.co/0UpV8gM252 #HailWV pic.twitter.com/K045mCYZha
— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) June 29, 2023

For the 2023 season, the second baseman led the NCAA with a .449 batting average. He also tallied 16 home runs, 24 doubles, two triples, 60 RBI, 67 runs scored and 37 stolen bases.

He is just one of two players this season to have at least 15 home runs and 35 stolen bases. Wetherholt is also the first Division I player since 2002 to have 35 stolen bases and 40 extra-base hits, according to a WVU Athletics press release on the honor.

Less than an hour before the announcement of this honor, Wetherholt was named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National 31-man roster after completing the 2023 Collegiate National Team Training Camp, a four game intrasquad series.

Wetherholt is the first ever Mountaineer to ever represent team USA.

𝙍𝙚𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙙, 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚!@jj_wetherholt has been named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team roster!
📰https://t.co/vfAwkWoJ9Y #HailWV pic.twitter.com/wk1geJZxyA
— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) June 29, 2023

During the series, Wetherholt tallied a two-run home run and an RBI single, hitting in three of the four games. His three RBI series was the third-most among the players competing.

𝓤-𝓢-𝓐, 𝓤-𝓢-𝓐, 𝓤-𝓢-𝓐 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ykxaBX8rPn
— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) June 26, 2023

The 20th USA versus Chinese Taipei International Friendship Series is set for June 30 through July 4, with games across the Carolinas. The National Training Complex will host the opening three games of the 44th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Championship Series July 7-9, while games four and five of the series will be played at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Ballpark in Charleston, South Carolina, on July 11 and 12.

In addition, Whetherholt was crowned the Big 12 Player of the Year and placed as a semifinalist for both the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy during the 2023 campaign.

The Mountaineers will get to see Wetherholt with WVU across his chest next season, announcing “I’m not going anywhere,” on 3 Guys Before the Game earlier this year.