Two Mountaineers Named Semifinalists for Baseball's Version of the Heisman

Some things need to happen, but once again, the West Virginia Mountaineers are in the mix to win the Big 12 Conference regular season title. A big reason they are in the position they are is because of the stellar contributions of starting pitcher Maxx Yehl and catcher/second baseman Gavin Kelly.

On Thursday, both Yehl and Kelly were named semifinalists for the 2026 Dick Howser Trophy, which is essentially the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy in college football. The finalists for the award will be announced on June 4th, and the winner will be revealed on June 12th in Omaha.

What a bounce back year for Yehl

Maxx Yehl — WVU Athletics Communications

Yehl missed the entire 2025 season after having to undergo Tommy John surgery. In 12 starts this season, he has pitched to the tune of a Big 12-leading 2.04 ERA, picking up seven wins and just one loss. Over his 66.1 innings pitched, he has punched out 79 batters while walking just 19. Hitters have combined for a .228 average against him.

Yehl will be back on the mound tonight, looking to clinch the series against TCU and secure a top two seed in the Big 12 tournament. If he replicates what he did out in Lawrence last week against a dangerous Kansas offense, the Mountaineers will be in a prime position to take the series. That was, without question, his best outing of the season, tossing a complete game and allowing just one run.

Is Kelly the next WVU great?

West Virginia University utility player Gavin Kelly | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Kelly had about as strong a freshman season as one could have, batting .299 with two homers and driving in 37. This year, he raised the bar significantly, increasing his average by nearly a hundred points. The power has also come along of late, hitting six of his 12 homers on the year in his last seven games. Assuming this surge continues into next season, he will be a first-round pick and potentially a top-five selection.

The 48 semifinalists

Jarren Advincula, Georgia Tech, 2B
Drew Burress, Georgia Tech, OF
Dylan Carey, Nebraska, SS
Lorenzo Carrier, Pitt, OF
Roch Cholowsky, UCLA, SS
Quinton Coats, Cincinnati, 1B
Nu'u Contrades, Arizona State, 2B
Tague Davis, Louisville, 1B
Jason DeCaro, North Carolina, SP
Evan Dempsey, FGCU, UTIL
Hunter Dietz, Arkansas, SP
Mason Edwards, USC, SP
Jackson Flora, UCSB, SP
Will Gasparino, UCLA, OF
Joey Giordano, Richmond, SP
Caden Glauber, North Carolina, RP
Gavin Grahovac, Texas A&M, 1B
Eric Guevara, Auburn, 3B
Easton Hawk, UCLA, RP
Landon Hairston, Arizona State, OF
Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas, C
Daniel Jackson, Georgia, C
Jimmy Janicki, Troy, C
Jorsixt Jimenez, Tennessee Tech, OF
Gavin Kelly, West Virginia, 2B
Dee Kennedy, Kansas State, SS
Aidan King, Florida, SP
Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech, C
Tyson LeBlanc, Kansas, SS
Tanner Mally, Western Michigan, OF
Michael Malki, California Baptist, SP
Wes Mendes, Florida State, SP
Kyle Morrison, Southern Miss, 2B
Alex Petrovic, Auburn, SP
Tré Phelps, Georgia, 3B
Logan Reddeman, UCLA, SP
Ace Reese, Mississippi State, 3B
Kollin Ritchie, Oklahoma State, OF
Aidan Robbins, Texas, OF
Albert Roblez, Oregon State, RP
Aiden Sims, Texas A&M, SP
Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M, OF
Carson Tinney, Texas, C
Tomas Valincius, Mississippi State, SP
Dylan Volantis, Texas, SP
KJ White, Southern, SS
Dax Whitney, Oregon State, SP
Maxx Yehl, West Virginia, SP

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