WVU baseball already flying under-the-radar in 2027 College World Series projections

You couldn't have asked for a much better performance during the 2026 season from the West Virginia Mountaineers, short of them winning the national championship. But only one team can capture that prize each season, and the Mountaineers came about as close as they can get, advancing to the College World Series semifinals.

And with starting pitcher Chansen Cole, All-American infielder Gavin Kelly, and star utility player Armani Guzman all set to return next year, it's hard to imagine there being too much of a drop-off, especially with plenty of proof that head coach Steve Sabins knows how to reload a roster in the portal. So it's not hard to imagine them making another run to Omaha next season.

But despite every indication that Sabins is an elite coach and the core group of standout starters set to return, it appears not everyone is convinced that things will click for the Mountaineers again – or at least not well enough to spur another College World Series run.

West Virginia Mountaineers left out of several 2027 College World Series projections

D1Baseball recently asked 11 of their analysts to share their Way-Too-Early 2027 Omaha Eight selections, and just two people selected the Mountaineers to make a return trip to the College Worlds Series.

Now, we get it. These are called the way-too-early predictions for a reason, and it is extremely hard to make it to Omaha. And it's not like the Mountaineers have a history of earning that trip, given that last year was their first appearance at the event.

But given the early success from Sabins as a head coach (two Super Regional appearances, one NCAA Regional host seed, and one CWS appearance in two years) and the key pieces returning from last season's squad (which also includes starters such as Matt Ineich and Tyrus Hall), it's hard to imagine the Mountaineers won't be a serious contender.

But it's nothing new for West Virginia programs to be overlooked, and the Mountaineers often play better as an underdog regardless of the sport. So perhaps it is better for people to be overlooking WVU baseball entering the upcoming season – it just offers up some extra motivation for success.

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