West Virginia baseball fans are likely asking themselves a question following the team's season-opening series last weekend: where in the world is Ellis Garcia?
Garcia started in 42 games in 2024 as a sophomore, and 45 games in 2023 as a freshman -- but the junior infielder has not stepped on the field for WVU’s first three games so far in this young season.
WVU (3-0) just finished up their three-game series sweep against Jacksonville (0-3) on Saturday. Game Four scheduled for Sunday was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Garcia saw a considerable amount of game action last season with injuries to Mountaineer infielders. The Mountaineers saw 2024 starting shortstop JJ Wetherholt, who the St. Louis Cardinals selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, miss about half of his junior season.
WVU also had to deal with this season's starting shortstop, Brodie Kresser, missing 13 games due to various injuries last season.
Garcia filled in amidst the injury struggles and stepped up big -- the junior posted a .241 batting average at the plate while driving in 16 RBIs, 12 doubles and one home run during 116 at-bats in 2024.
Garcia also made significant improvements from his freshman season on the defensive side of the ball. In 2023 Garcia made 10 errors with a .915 fielding percentage. In 2024, Garcia cut that down to just one error with a .985 fielding percentage.
A good problem for WVU this season seems to be their surplus of quality infielders. A program staple, Grant Hussey, is a fixture in this lineup at first. Hussey is the all-time home run leader in WVU program history.
Spencer Barnett appeared in 46 games with 29 starts a season ago, and looks to get a lot of playing time at both second base and third base. Kresser, as previously mentioned, is the projected starter game in and game out at shortstop this season.
Sam White, who saw time at multiple positions last season, including catcher, boasted a .305 average while being the only Mountaineer to appear in every game last season. White is primary expected to see time at second base and third base along with Barnett.
Some of the depth pieces on the infield are names like Chase Swain and Kyle West. For West, he will most likely see opportunities designated hitting for the Mountaineers, as well as some time in the outfield. West might get some appearances at first base as well, giving Hussey an opportunity for some rest.
Swain saw two at-bats during the weekend series against Jacksonville. Swain made an appearance as a pinch-runner for designated hitter West in Game One, and had one at-bat but was unsuccessful in recording a hit. Swain made an appearance in Game Two pinch-running for designated hitter Jace Rinehart, and got one at-bat in which he struck out.
But Garcia was one of the few returning players that did not see any action in the three-game series in Jacksonville. We will have to see if Garcia gets his first opportunities in the upcoming three-game series against Lipscomb University, and exactly what his role is on this new-look team.
Game One against Lipscomb University is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday in Nashville, Tennessee.