West Virginia Bullpen Puts Three on NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List

The West Virginia bullpen garnered attention Tuesday afternoon after three Mountaineers, Carson Estridge, Reese Bassinger and Ben McDougal, were recognized by the NCBWA and named to the 2026 Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List.

Reese Bassinger

Bassinger enters his second season with the Mountaineers, his fifth collegiate season overall. The right-hander went 7-1 and a team-best five saves with a 4.23 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 61.2 innings out of work, also led the Big 12 with 1.75 walks per nine innings. The Wylie, Texas, native set a season-high eight strikeouts in 5.1 innings of relief against Arizona to capture the win. Later in the season, he took the mound in the third and finished the final seven innings, recording four strikeouts and holding off a Red Raiders squad in the second game of a doubleheader to even the series.

Ben McDougal

McDougal transferred to WVU prior to last season from Potomac State. The senior southpaw made went 1-1 with a pair of saves in 19 appearances and finished with a 3.63 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 22.1 innings.

The Bridgeport (WV) native had several notable performances for the Mountaineers in 2025, especially down the stretch, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts while allowing just one hit to earn the win at Kansas State (May 10). Then in the postseason, struck out the go-ahead run with the bases loaded to earn the save against Clemson in the NCAA Clemson Regional to secure a spot in the regional final before striking out a season-high four batters in 2.1 hitless innings at LSU in NCAA Baton Rouge Super Regionals.

Carson Estridge

In three seasons at WVU, Estridge has made 54 appearances with 12 starts and has 116 innings under his belt. The six-foot-seven right-hander comes into the season with 131 career strikeouts. The Haymarket, Virginia, native had arguably his best stretch during the 2024 postseason. Through three games spanning through the Tucson Regional and the Super Regionals, he threw 6.2 innings in relief and registered 10 strikeouts and allowed one run.

The Mountaineers open the season with a three-game series beginning Friday, Feb. 13 through Sunday Feb. 15. Game one is set for Friday at 6:30 p.m. EST, game two is scheduled for Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and the series final is on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. All the action will stream on ESPN+.

Reese Bassinger

Ben McDougal

Carson Estridge

MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI