On Tuesday, the Big 12 Conference handed out end of the year awards for the standout players in the league this season, and one West Virginia star was recognized for his exceptional efforts on the mound by being named Big 12 Pitcher of the Year.
Maxx Yehl earned the accolade after an impressive regular season for the Mountaineers after missing last year to recover from Tommy John surgery. He has been red-hot on the mound for the Mountaineers so far this season, posting a 7-2 win-loss record and leading the league with a 2.10 ERA over 73 innings pitched.
Yehl, a redshirt junior, also recorded 88 strikeouts this season while facing 261 at-bats, and has held opposing batters to just a .222 batting average. A massive contributor to a West Virginia team that finished second in the Big 12 and is currently ranked ninth in the nation, Yehl earned some significant praise from head coach Steve Sabins after the award was announced.
The best pitcher in the @Big12Conference and arguably in the country is a Mountaineer. Congrats @maxx_yehl. He bet on himself and has worked to become his best version. Just getting started. ☠️ Poison alert ☠️ https://t.co/yAp5B6tpkz
— Steve Sabins (@stevesabins) May 19, 2026
"The best pitcher in the Big 12 Conference and arguably in the country is a Mountaineer," Sabins wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. He bet on himself and has worked to become his best version."
Yehl could have left for the MLB Draft after last season but opted to remain with the Mountaineers, despite the fact that players returning after they're draft-eligible often see their stock drop to age. That gamble seems to have paid off, as Yehl has put forth an incredible effort and will now walk away with some serious recognition for his improvement.
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