West Virginia baseball 2025 season preview: 3 biggest games, key players, predictions and more
West Virginia baseball enjoyed one of the most successful seasons in program history this year. They finished fourth in the Big 12 regular season with a 19-11 conference record, four games behind the table-toppers, Oklahoma.
Although they suffered a first-round exit (NCAA Super Regional) in the Big 12 Championship, the Mountaineers made the NCAA Tournament for the second time in a row. They won an NCAA Regional for the first time in their history, breezing through their competition in Tucson.
Their season ended in the Chapel Hill Super Regional, where the North Carolina Tar Heels overcame the Mountaineers' fighting spirit to sweep them and make the College World Series.
Last year, Mountaineers coach Randy Mazey announced he would retire at the end of the 2024 season. This prompted the program to promote associate head coach Steve Sabins to head coach from the 2025 season.
The Mountaineers also lost five players in the 2024 MLB draft, the most notable being superstar JJ Wetherholt. The St. Louis Cardinals selected him with the seventh overall pick, the highest in Mountaineers history.
With some players also taking to the transfer portal, Sabins and his staff have a lot of work to do in the off-season.
Let's preview the Mountaineers ahead of the 2025 NCAA baseball season.
3 key games for West Virginia baseball in the 2025 season
1. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Although the Red Raiders had a disappointing regular season last year, they swept the Mountaineers in a three-game home series. With the Red Raiders expected to strengthen their roster in the off-season, the Mountaineers hope to overcome their challenge in 2025.
2. Kansas State Wildcats
The Wildcats could be another threat to the Mountaineers in 2025. Following their 2024 season, in which they pulled off an upset win in the Fayetteville Regional, the Wildcats will look to challenge the frontrunners in 2025 and have made some clever additions in the off-season to try and do so.
3. Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Cowboys earned the No. 11 seed in the postseason by finishing second in the Big 12 regular season with a 19-9 conference record and winning the Big 12 championship.
With the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns headed to the Southeastern Conference, the battle between the Cowboys and the Mountaineers could go a long way in deciding who wins the Big 12 regular season title next year.
Key players for the West Virginia Mountaineers in 2025
1. Chase Swain, OF/INF
The Mountaineers picked up Manhattan Jaspers standout Swain from the transfer portal in June. He was consistent at the plate for the Jaspers this year, hitting five home runs and 41 RBIs with an average of .392 in 40 games. He also put his nimble feet to good use, stealing 15 bases.
Swain serves as an able replacement for Wetherholt and could be key to the Mountaineers' success in 2025.
2. JD Costanzo, LHP
Costanzo is part of a list of players recruited for the Class of 2025 by Randy Mazey last year. The North Allegheny High School star is the No. 9 pitcher in the state of Pennsylvania and the No. 67 prospect in the state, as per Perfect Game.
With a fastball nearing 90 mph, Costanzo could be one of the top freshmen in the Mountaineers' bullpen in 2025.
3. Kyle West, INF
West was one of the top hitters for the Mountaineers this year. He hit 14 runs and 43 RBIs with an average of .260 in 56 games. With Wetherholt gone, West will be keen to make an impression and raise his stock for the MLB draft next year.
Predicting West Virginia Mountaineers' 2025 season
The Mountaineers' solid off-season work thus far, coupled with Sabins' immense experience under Mazey, suggest they have a roster to compete for the Big 12 regular season title next year. It should help them make the postseason for the third season in a row.
However, the competition from SEC and ACC teams could be too fierce for the Mountaineers to handle in the postseason, which may prolong their wait to make the College World Series for the first time in program history.