The recruiting trail for West Virginia baseball is red hot right now. Head Coach Steve Sabins is attacking the transfer portal hard after a disappointing battle in the Super Regional against LSU.
The latest commit for WVU is Matt Ineich, who played at Ohio University this past season. Ineich is a great addition to the infield as the Mountaineers face some question marks around the diamond regarding which players might declare for the MLB Draft or enter the transfer portal.
BREAKING: Per @64Analytics, Ohio INF Matt Ineich has committed to West Virginia in the transfer portal. He slashed .387/.467/.514 with 9 2B, 3 HR, & 25 RBI in 36 games. Has three years of eligibility and was All-MAC Second Team as a Freshman. Solid get for the Mountaineers. pic.twitter.com/1YCVuORCFA
— On The Clock | College Baseball and MLB Draft (@OnTheClock_1) June 9, 2025
In his true freshman season, Ineich boasted a .387/.467/.514 slash line with nine doubles, three home runs, and 25 RBIs in his first season, and was named Second Team All-MAC for his efforts. He will have three years of eligibility remaining, and now has an opportunity to grow and develop within a top-tier program and state-of-the-art facilities.
Ineich is the fourth portal transfer to commit to WVU, and the second talented hitter to join the 2026 Mountaineers. A left-handed infielder, Ineich fits the style of player similar to a Sam White or a Spencer Barnett. Seeing most of his time at second base for the Ohio Bobcats, Ineich also got several reps at shortstop.
Some shuffling could be happening for the WVU infield next season. Brodie Kresser has one more season of eligibility and could return. If Kresser does not return, there can be some sort of expectation to see Ineich take over the shortstop position. And on the flip side, if Kresser does return, there is a high possibility of Ineich being the everyday second baseman, and rising sophomore Gavin Kelly could move behind the plate if Logan Suave declares for the draft.
Whatever the case may be, Ineich will find a spot on the infield to play and should be a serious contributor next season. One of the most impressive attributes outside of Ineich’s slash line is his ability to make contact and limit strikeouts. The South Lyon, Michigan, native limited his strikeouts to 11 over 142 at-bats, good for a stunningly low 7.18% strikeout percentage.
Sabins is doing a lot of work early in the portal season, and seems to be rebuilding his roster to compete in the Super Regional for the third season in a row in 2026.