The Mountaineers remain atop the Big 12 baseball standings after a 2-1 series win over the Texas Tech Red Raiders this past weekend. But their series wins were not without bumps in the road.
No one who has paid attention to WVU baseball this season will argue against the statement that true freshman Gavin Kelly has been pivotal for the success that WVU has seen this year. With starting catcher Logan Sauve missing some time behind the plate, Kelly brought stability to a position of high importance while Sauve was down with an injury. Sauve, who was named to the midseason watchlist for the Buster Posey Award, has been a staple in the Mountaineer program since stepping on the field in 2023.
While Sauve missed a few games, Kelly was more than a capable backup, even gunning down some would-be base stealers as they attempted to swipe a bag off Kelly. Backing up Sauve is far from the exhaustive list of things that Kelly brings to this 2025 season. Along with getting some reps behind the dish to spell Sauve, Kelly has played several games in the outfield and at second base.
Arguably, where Kelly has shone most has been at the plate. The true freshman star has put together a mighty impressive year with the stick. Hitting .314 this season, Kelly has the fifth most RBIs on the team with 31. Although fifth on the team does not jump off the page as impressive, the player with the second most RBIs for WVU this season (Brodie Kresser) has 35. Only four RBIs separate a true freshman and a junior shortstop who was named to an award watchlist, similar to Sauve.
The true freshman has shown some holes in his overall game
Even with the impressive year that Kelly has had so far in 2025, some concerns from WVU baseball fans have arisen about Kelly’s ability to play second base defensively. During Saturday’s doubleheader against the Red Raiders, Kelly had a ball roll right between his legs and into the outfield. In the same game, Kelly struggled to field a ground ball, resulting in not being able to turn a double play and having to settle for just one out.
There is hardly any question that Kelly is a phenomenal athlete and can learn any position on the field and be able to play at a Division One level at any position. The concern seems to be that he is not comfortable at second base at the moment. And that makes total sense, considering he was recruited to be a catcher.
He has swung the bat to the level that he forces first-year head coach Steve Sabins to find ways to get him into the lineup. With more time to learn and develop in the offseason, the next year's sophomore could be playing at almost any position on the field, he has that kind of potential and athleticism.
Once White can return to the field from his shoulder injury, that should move Kelly into an outfield or DH spot where he seems much more comfortable this year. And once White can return to the defensive lineup, it would bring another upperclassman to the starting infield that already has senior Grant Hussey, junior Kresser, and junior Chase Swain getting most of the starts at third base.
With everyone healthy and everyone playing in spots they are most comfortable in, this is a great time for hitters one through nine to find a groove and start to feel more confident. As the postseason quickly approaches, the Mountaineers, a healthy lineup-both offensive and defensive- is exactly what WVU baseball fans want to see down the stretch.