West Virginia University's Kyle West (39) returns to the dugout during a game against Marshall on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at Jack Cook Field in Huntington.
West Virginia University's Kyle West (39) returns to the dugout during a game against Marshall on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at Jack Cook Field in Huntington.
West Virginia's baseball team had five players, plus one of the Mountaineers' incoming transfers, tabbed by big-league clubs in the first 15 rounds of the MLB Draft.
Logan Sauve went first, to the Athletics at No. 200 overall in the seventh round. West Virginia recorded back-to-back selections in the 13th round when first baseman/outfielder Kyle West (pick No. 404) and pitcher Robby Porco (No. 405) went to two of the storied franchises in the game, with West selected by the New York Yankees and Porco by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
One round later, pitcher Griffin Kirn became the second Mountaineer picked by the Athletics, joining Sauve. Kirn was just around the corner from West and Porco, slotting into overall position No. 410 near the top of the 14th round. Finally, Skylar King was taken in the 15th round with the 487th overall pick by the Boston Red Sox.
That wasn't all of the selections with WVU connections, though. Pitcher Owen Puk, who committed to the Mountaineers one month ago as a transfer from Florida National, was tabbed by the Washington Nationals in the 18th round (No. 531 overall).
WVU appeared to escape serious draft damage, though, as none of its 13 high school signees were selected, and only Puk among its committed and signed transfers was picked.
Pitcher Jack Kartsonas went undrafted but signed a free-agent deal with the Tampa Bay Rays after the draft.
WVU has now seen 117 players selected in the draft in its history. The five players picked this season are exceeded only by the 2019 squad, which had eight, and the 2024 team, which saw six players picked. Forty of those have come since 2014.
Mountaineers who appeared to have a decent chance of being picked over the 20 rounds, but did not hear their names called, included pitchers Carson Estridge and Maxx Yehl, first baseman Grant Hussey and utility Sam White.
Porco, who stands 6-foot-8, can throw really hard, while not always knowing where it’s going (8.8 walks per nine innings in his college career). The West Virginia right-hander has been up to 97-98 mph with his fastball at times, then dialed it back when given a chance to start, with minimal benefit, and he landed back in the bullpen, which should be his future home. He throws an 86-90 mph cutter and 88-89 mph changeup to back up the heater.
King is all about speed and defense. His .291 average at West Virginia in 2025 was a career high, and he walked as much as he struck out. There isn’t a ton of impact, and while he’ll show some raw power in batting practice, he focused more on shooting line drives to the gaps this spring and ended up hitting in the leadoff spot. He also can really defend in center field and has speed that could be an asset on the base paths as well.
