Four WVU Baseball Players Poised for a Breakout Season in 2027

The Mountaineers will have several key players back from this College World Series team next season, such as Gavin Kelly, Matt Ineich, Tyrus Hall, and possibly Armani Guzman and Dawson Montesa, but there are a handful of guys who are flying under the radar right now that could play a big role in the team's success in 2027.

My four candidates to have a breakout season:

RHP JJ Glasscock

Glasscock, in my opinion, was going to be a big piece of West Virginia's pitching staff this season. Unfortunately, he saw his season come to an abrupt end after noticing some tightness in his shoulder, and after further evaluation at the hospital, he was diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Assuming he can get back to 100% by next season, he should be a factor out of the bullpen to begin the year. Perhaps he can work his way into the rotation, but I'd imagine Steve Sabins is going to be extremely cautious with his workload at the start, even though it was his left arm and he's right-handed.

IF Zahir Barjam

Where Barjam plays in the field is beyond me. He came to WVU as a shortstop, but he could play just about anywhere. What I do know is the bat plays, and one way or another, Sabins is going to find a way to get him in the lineup on a regular basis. In 33 at-bats this season, he reached safely nine times, four of which went for doubles. A full offseason at WVU will help him gear up for what should be a breakout year for him. There's a ton of pop in there, and it wouldn't be surprising at all to see him go yard 10+ times in 2027.

OF Maxwell Molessa

Molessa has pretty good speed, which is why he was used as a pinch runner on several occasions this season. He can cover a lot of ground in the outfield, giving him the potential to be a plus defender. I'm interested in seeing what he can do with more opportunities at the plate next season after seeing a mixed bag of results as a freshman. In 15 at-bats, he recorded four hits (one double) and two RBI, yet struck out seven times. I would expect him to remain in a bench role in 2027, but he will certainly have more of a role.

IF Matthew Robaugh

His numbers this season aren't a true indication of how talented he is. Robaugh hit .194, going just 7-for-36 on the year, but he has the tools to hit over .300 with some power. In his final three years of high school ball, he hit a home run every 12.9 at-bats, while hitting over .400. Like Molessa, I'm not sure he'll be in the starting lineup, but there will be spots for him to earn at-bats, particularly early in the year.

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