There were several different players that contributed to West Virginia's run this season to the College World Series, and among them was freshman infielder Zahir Barjam.
Barjam was mainly used as a pinch hitter this season for the Mountaineers, but he was effective in the role. Barjam stepped to the plate 33 times over the course of the season and posted a .273 batting average, and he tallied three RBIs and four doubles during the campaign.
He also made four NCAA Tournament appearances, including two in the College World Series – even recording a hit against Troy. Ranked the top shortstop in South Carolina out of high school, he's clearly a player who Sabins viewed as a future starter, and was being groomed for future success. But now, Sabins won't get the chance to continue to develop the future star.
Zahir Barjam enters the transfer portal: what's it mean for the West Virginia Mountaineers?
The news that Barjam will be leaving the program broke on Monday afternoon, and it's not extactly good news for Steve Sabins and the program.
Sources: Zahir Barjam to enter the portal from #WVU https://t.co/ROR1kuAbr6
— James (@mountaineerjdub) June 22, 2026
West Virginia will lose six non-pitchers to graduation who have started this past season, including Brodie Kresser, whose role feels like a natural fit for Barjam. And there's a possibility a seventh starter will be gone in Armani Guzman, who will test the MLB Draft waters but is still eligible to return.
That means that Barjam certainly could have found a starting role on next season's team. And based on how Sabins repeatedly found ways to insert him into the batting lineup as a true freshman, including getting him some critical postseason experience, it's likely that plans were in place for him to inherit a significant role next season.
However, while the portal loss of Barjam is a significant loss, West Virginia fans probably ought not fret too much. Sabins is already proving to be quite the talented recruiter and very effective at poaching underrated, top-tier talent from the portal. And while one talented player is a tough loss, they also do not make or break a season. And with Gavin Kelly, Chansen Cole, and other stars still set to return, the talent is still plentiful for the Mountaineers.
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