The Order of WVU's Top MLB Draft Prospects May Surprise You

This trio will hear their name called this weekend during the MLB Draft.

Jun 14, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers starting pitcher Maxx Yehl (15) throws against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the sixth inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2026 MLB First-Year Player Draft is set to begin on Saturday with the first four rounds, while day two will be rounds 5-20.

So by the end of the weekend, we'll know which former, present, and future West Virginia Mountaineers are selected. Yes, there is one high school commit that will hear his name called and has a difficult decision to make.

ESPN baseball analyst Kiley McDaniel released his final top 250 draft prospect rankings, which feature three Mountaineers. The order of the first two may surprise you.

148. RHP Dawson Montesa

WVU Athletics Communications

It's seeming more and more like Montesa has thrown his last pitch as a Mountaineer. Immediately after the season, I thought there would be a 50/50 chance that he returned for one more year, but there's a reason why WVU has landed more than a few pitchers with starting experience. They are anticipating having to replace both Yehl and Montesa. Crazier things have happened, so it wouldn't be totally surprising to see him back. It just feels unlikely at this point.

What is surprising, though, is that McDaniel has him ranked ahead of Yehl by a baker's dozen. His stuff is electrifying, but the inconsistency of finding the zone is his biggest issue. The reliability of Yehl is why I would have these two flip-flopped.

161. LHP Maxx Yehl

WVU Athletics Communications

What a year for the junior southpaw. Comes off of Tommy John, eases into his role as a starter, and then bam! Just like that, he's the best pitcher in the Big 12 Conference. Yehl only had a couple of rocky outings all year, and each time he bounced back in a big way, notably in the Morgantown Regional against Kentucky when he twirled a gem just 48 hours after getting knocked around the park, failing to make it out of the first inning.

191. RHP Kyle Casteel: Butler HS (PA), West Virginia commit

WVU Athletics Communications

Casteel could be the future of Mountaineer baseball...if he ever arrives. When you're projected as a top-200 prospect coming out of high school, there's a pretty good chance you are going to sign with the team that picks you and skips college. That said, he may be motivated by not going in the first round and decide to indeed come to Morgantown and improve his draft stock. I would lean toward him signing, but we'll have to see what round he goes in and to where. Sometimes, a prospect may not feel comfortable going to a certain organization.