Former WVU Highly Touted Freshman Zahir Barjam Commits to Big 12 School

Well, that didn't take too long. Just a handful of days after entering the transfer portal, former West Virginia freshman infielder Zahir Barjam announced on Instagram that he will be staying within the Big 12 Conference, committing to Houston.

Because West Virginia's offense was so deep and consistent all year long, opportunities for the promising true freshman were limited. Barjam appeared in 25 games this season, 21 of which came in a reserve role. He went 9/33 with four doubles and three RBI, notching one of his doubles in a pinch-hit at-bat against Arizona State in the Big 12 Conference tournament. He saw some action at the College World Series as well, where he went 1/2 with a hard base knock back up the middle against Troy.

While he was widely considered to be West Virginia's top player in last year's recruiting class, finding a spot for him in 2027 would have been a chore, particularly positionally. He doesn't run exceptionally well, and although he played shortstop in high school, he doesn't have the range or the quickness to play there at a high level in the Big 12. Tyrus Hall will be back next season, manning the hot corner, and WVU also has plenty of options at first base/designated hitter.

Coming out of P27 Academy in South Carolina, the Dominican Republic product was rated as the No. 1 shortstop in the state in his class and No. 2 player overall, according to Perfect Game. Nationally, he ranked 49th for his position and 154th overall.

West Virginia will certainly miss the bat and all of the potential it holds, but they've done a great job of development and recruiting that they'll be just fine.

Barjam will be playing for first-year head coach Will Davis, who comes to the program after being the skipper at Lamar since 2017. In 10 seasons there, he went 289-233 and took the team to the NCAA Tournament this spring. It will be a bit of an uphill battle to get that program turned around, but landing a young, talented bat like Barjam will go a long way.

Per the NCAA's new eligibility rules, Barjam will have four years of eligibility remaining.

Where other WVU departures have landed

LHP Andrew Middleton — undecided
LHP Wyatt Mosley — undecided
LHP Bryson Thacker — Florida International
RHP Luke Lyman — South Alabama
RHP Chase Meyer — undecided
RHP Mac Stiffler — undecided
1B Ryan Maggy — undecided

Add us as a preferred source on Google