Cole Named to Pitcher of the Year Watch List
March 11, 2026 04:06 PM | Baseball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Sophomore Chansen Cole has been named to the Pitcher of the Year Watch List, released Wednesday by the College Baseball Foundation.
A total of 142 of the nation's best hurlers are listed on the Pitcher of the Year watch list, released on Wednesday. The pitchers on the watch list represent 26 different conferences and reflect the top mound performers to this point of the 2026 season.
"There is an old adage in baseball that pitchers are usually ahead of the hitters early in the season," National Pitcher of the Year Award co-chair Brian Melakian said. "The number of early season dominant pitching performances this year proves that adage to be true."
In four starts on the mound this season, Cole is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA. He has 18 strikeouts to just eight walks in 18.0 innings and opponents are hitting just .194 against him. In two of his four starts this season, Cole has gone at least five innings without giving up a run.
Cole is the first Mountaineer on the watch list since Blaine Traxel in 2023. Former WVU pitchers Harrison Musgrave and Alek Manoah were both named finalists for the award in 2013 and 2019, respectively.
2026 NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD WATCH LIST
Name, Position, Classification, School, Conference
• Ben Alekson, RHP, Junior, Fairfield, MAAC
• Cooper Allen, RHP, Junior, UNCW, CAA
• Colby Allen, RHP, Senior, Southern Miss, Sun Belt
• Jeremiah Arnett, RHP, Junior, Rice, American
• Brady Bendik, RHP, Junior, Navy, Patriot
• Seth Benes, RHP, Junior, Lindenwood, OVC
• Reid Bertram, LHP, RS-Senior, Gardner Webb, Big South
• Brady Bickett, LHP, Junior, Charleston Southern, Big South
• Gavin Blachowicz, RHP, Sophomore, Nebraska, Big 10
• Ben Blair, RHP, Junior, Liberty, CUSA
• Ryder Brooks, LHP, RS-Junior, UC Irvine, Big West
• Ty Brooks, RHP, Sophomore, Indiana St, MVC
• Landen Burch, RHP, Senior, MTSU, CUSA
• Zach Busick, RHP, Junior, Little Rock, OVC
• Kyle Calzadiaz, RHP, Senior, San Jose St, MWC
• Cole Carlon, LHP, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12
• Ryan Castillo, RHP, Junior, New Mexico, MWC
• Ciaran Caughey, RHP, Senior, Kent St, MAC
• Tyler Charlton, LHP, RS-Junior, Missouri St, CUSA
• AJ Ciscar, RHP, Sophomore, Miami, ACC
• Collin Clarke, RHP, Junior, Oregon, Big 10
• A.J. Colarusso, LHP, Senior, Boston College, ACC
• Chansen Cole, RHP, Sophomore, West Virginia, Big 12
• Christian Coppola, RHP, Senior, St Joseph's, A10
• Marty Coyne, LHP, Junior, Penn, Ivy
• Matthew Cuccias, RHP, Junior, Wichita St, American
• Ben Dean, RHP, Sophomore, Duke, ACC
• Jason DeCaro, RHP, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
• Evan Dempsey, LHP, Junior, FGCU, ASun
• Gavin DeVooght, RHP, Junior, Michigan, Big 10
• Liam Diehl, RHP, Junior, Towson, CAA
• Felix Digiacomo, RHP, Graduate, VCU, A10
• Kendall Dove, RHP, Junior, UTSA, American
• Jacob Dudan, RHP, Junior, NC State, ACC
• Luke Earnhardt, LHP, Junior, Winthrop, Big South
• Mason Edwards, LHP, Junior, USC, Big 10
• Tommy Egan, RHP, Senior, Troy, Sun Belt
• Ryan Featherston, RHP, Junior, Oregon, Big 10
• Colin Fisher, LHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
• Jackson Flora, RHP, Junior, UC Santa Barbara, Big West
• Cameron Flukey, RHP, Junior, Coastal Carolina, Sun Belt
• Jack Frankel, RHP, Sophomore, Tulane, American
• Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
• Braden Gebhardt, LHP, Senior, Youngstown St, Horizon
• Brayden Gilley, RHP, Junior, Winthrop, Big South
• Grant Govel, RHP, Sophomore, USC, Big 10
• Tyler Grenn, RHP, Senior, Navy, Patriot
• Ed Hall, RHP, Senior, Davidson, A10
• Trevor Hansen, RHP, Junior, UC Irvine, Big West
• Logan Hastings, RHP, Sophomore, Maryland, Big 10
• Hekili Robello, RHP, Junior, Hawaii, Big West
• Landon Hood, RHP, Freshman, Gonzaga, WCC
• Ty Horn, RHP, Junior, Nebraska, Big 10
• Drew Horn, RHP, RS-Senior, MTSU, CUSA
• Will Howell, RHP, RS-Sophomore, Memphis, American
• Jaxon Jelkin, RHP, Junior, Kentucky, SEC
• Sean Jenkins, RHP, Sophomore, East Carolina, American
• Andrew Johnson, RHP, Sophomore, USC, Big 10
• Cameron Johnson, LHP, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
• Noah Kenney, RHP, Junior, Washington, Big 10
• Aidan King, RHP, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
• Kole Klecker, RHP, Senior, Arizona State, Big 12
• Aidan Knaak, RHP, Junior, Clemson, ACC
• Reese Kortum, LHP, Junior, Wichita St, American
• Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
• Will Labonte, RHP, Freshman, Portland, WCC
• Tommy LaPour, RHP, Junior, TCU, Big 12
• Ethan Lay, RHP, Senior, Sacramento St, WAC
• Justin LeGuernic, LHP, Junior, Clemson, ACC
• Rohan Lettow, RHP, Junior, SDSU, MWC
• Chris Levonas, RHP, Sophomore, Wake Forest, ACC
• Carson Liggett, RHP, RS-Senior, Kansas St, Big 12
• Dylan Loy, LHP, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
• Landon Mack, RHP, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
• Micheal Malki, RHP, Sophomore, Cal Baptist, WAC
• Jake Marciano, LHP, Sophomore, Auburn, SEC
• Ryan Marohn, LHP, Junior, NC State, ACC
• Duncan Marsten, RHP, Sophomore, Wake Forest, ACC
• Kurt Marton, RHP, Junior, Sacramento St, WAC
• Wes Mendes, LHP, Junior, Florida State, ACC
• LJ Mercurius, RHP, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
• Maddox Meyer, RHP, Sophomore, Omaha, Summitt
• Ryland Morin, LHP, Junior, UAPB, SWAC
• Wylan Moss, RHP, Sophomore, UCLA, Big 10
• Eric Nachtsheim, RHP, Senior, McNeese, Southland
• Griffin Naess, RHP, Junior, Cal Poly, Big West
• Jackson Nash, RHP, Junior, Longwood, Big South
• Mathis Nayral, RHP, Junior, Kansas, Big 12
• Mikiah Negrete, LHP, Senior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
• Josh Newell, RHP, Senior, Lindenwood, OVC
• Jake Nobles, RHP, Freshman, St. Mary's, WCC
• Jack Ohman, RHP, Sophomore, Yale, Ivy
• Chris Olivier, RHP, Senior, Lamar, Southland
• Alex Overbay, RHP, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12
• Brigden Parker, LHP, RS-Senior, Little Rock, OVC
• Bryan Peck, RHP, Graduate, Cal Baptist, WAC
• Gage Peterson, RHP, Junior, Appalachian St, Sun Belt
• Garret Plata, LHP, RS-Junior, Pacific, WCC
• Jalen Porter, RHP, Graduate, UAPB, SWAC
• Daniel Powell, RHP, Junior, Kennesaw St, CUSA
• Sawyer Pruitt, RHP, Senior, Louisiana, Sun Belt
• Walter Quinn, RHP, Senior, TCU, Big 12
• Daniel Quintana, RHP, RS-Junior, Radford, Big South
• Jack Radel, RHP, Junior, Notre Dame, ACC
• Cord Rager, LHP, Freshman, Oklahoma, SEC
• Kaysen Raineri, RHP, Sophomore, Texas Tech, Big 12
• Kyle Remington, RHP, Junior, Illinois, Big 10
• Bryce Riggs, RHP, Junior, Eastern Illinois, OVC
• Ruger Riojas, RHP, Senior, Texas, SEC
• Richie Roman, RHP, Junior, Houston, Big 12
• Aidan Russell, RHP, Senior, SDSU, MWC
• Edwin Sanchez, LHP, Senior, Bethune Cookman, SWAC
• Will Sanford, RHP, Sophomore, Oregon, Big 10
• Paul Schmitz, RHP, Senior, Houston, Big 12
• Nic Schutte, RHP, Senior, Murray St, MVC
• Matt Scott, RHP, Senior, Georgia, SEC
• Spencer Seid, LHP, Graduate, Georgetown, Big East
• Michael Senay, RHP, Freshman, USF, American
• Michael Sharman, LHP, Senior, Clemson, ACC
• Kade Shatwell, RHP, Senior, Austin Peay, ASun
• Sam Simmons, RHP, Senior, UTSA, American
• Aiden Sims, RHP, Sophomore, Texas A&M, SEC
• Braden Smith, RHP, Junior, UCF, Big 12
• William Soignier, RHP, Junior, Bradley, MVC
• Alex Solis, RHP, Junior, Houston, Big 12
• Patrick Steitz, RHP, RS-Senior, VCU, A10
• Cayden Suchy, LHP, Sophomore, UConn, Big East
• Camden Sunstrom, RHP, Sophomore, Southern Miss, Sun Belt
• Joseph Taylor, RHP, Junior, Charlotte, American
• Zach Todd, RHP, RS-Junior, Pacific, WCC
• Cade Townsend, RHP, Sophomore, Mississippi, SEC
• Adam Troy, RHP, RS-Junior, USC, Big 10
• Easton Tumis, RHP, RS-Sophomore, Kent St, MAC
• Tomas Valincius, LHP, Sophomore, Miss St, SEC
• Dylan Volantis, LHP, Sophomore, Texas, SEC
• Joey Volchko, RHP, Junior, Georgia, SEC
• Parker Warner, RHP, Sophomore, Stanford, ACC
• Brannon Westmoreland, RHP, Junior, Little Rock, OVC
• Dax Whitney, RHP, Sophomore, Oregon St, Independent
• Lance Williams, RHP, Sophomore, Maryland, Big 10
• Bradley Zayac, RHP, Sophomore, Liberty, CUSA
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUBaseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
A total of 142 of the nation's best hurlers are listed on the Pitcher of the Year watch list, released on Wednesday. The pitchers on the watch list represent 26 different conferences and reflect the top mound performers to this point of the 2026 season.
"There is an old adage in baseball that pitchers are usually ahead of the hitters early in the season," National Pitcher of the Year Award co-chair Brian Melakian said. "The number of early season dominant pitching performances this year proves that adage to be true."
In four starts on the mound this season, Cole is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA. He has 18 strikeouts to just eight walks in 18.0 innings and opponents are hitting just .194 against him. In two of his four starts this season, Cole has gone at least five innings without giving up a run.
Cole is the first Mountaineer on the watch list since Blaine Traxel in 2023. Former WVU pitchers Harrison Musgrave and Alek Manoah were both named finalists for the award in 2013 and 2019, respectively.
2026 NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD WATCH LIST
Name, Position, Classification, School, Conference
• Ben Alekson, RHP, Junior, Fairfield, MAAC
• Cooper Allen, RHP, Junior, UNCW, CAA
• Colby Allen, RHP, Senior, Southern Miss, Sun Belt
• Jeremiah Arnett, RHP, Junior, Rice, American
• Brady Bendik, RHP, Junior, Navy, Patriot
• Seth Benes, RHP, Junior, Lindenwood, OVC
• Reid Bertram, LHP, RS-Senior, Gardner Webb, Big South
• Brady Bickett, LHP, Junior, Charleston Southern, Big South
• Gavin Blachowicz, RHP, Sophomore, Nebraska, Big 10
• Ben Blair, RHP, Junior, Liberty, CUSA
• Ryder Brooks, LHP, RS-Junior, UC Irvine, Big West
• Ty Brooks, RHP, Sophomore, Indiana St, MVC
• Landen Burch, RHP, Senior, MTSU, CUSA
• Zach Busick, RHP, Junior, Little Rock, OVC
• Kyle Calzadiaz, RHP, Senior, San Jose St, MWC
• Cole Carlon, LHP, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12
• Ryan Castillo, RHP, Junior, New Mexico, MWC
• Ciaran Caughey, RHP, Senior, Kent St, MAC
• Tyler Charlton, LHP, RS-Junior, Missouri St, CUSA
• AJ Ciscar, RHP, Sophomore, Miami, ACC
• Collin Clarke, RHP, Junior, Oregon, Big 10
• A.J. Colarusso, LHP, Senior, Boston College, ACC
• Chansen Cole, RHP, Sophomore, West Virginia, Big 12
• Christian Coppola, RHP, Senior, St Joseph's, A10
• Marty Coyne, LHP, Junior, Penn, Ivy
• Matthew Cuccias, RHP, Junior, Wichita St, American
• Ben Dean, RHP, Sophomore, Duke, ACC
• Jason DeCaro, RHP, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
• Evan Dempsey, LHP, Junior, FGCU, ASun
• Gavin DeVooght, RHP, Junior, Michigan, Big 10
• Liam Diehl, RHP, Junior, Towson, CAA
• Felix Digiacomo, RHP, Graduate, VCU, A10
• Kendall Dove, RHP, Junior, UTSA, American
• Jacob Dudan, RHP, Junior, NC State, ACC
• Luke Earnhardt, LHP, Junior, Winthrop, Big South
• Mason Edwards, LHP, Junior, USC, Big 10
• Tommy Egan, RHP, Senior, Troy, Sun Belt
• Ryan Featherston, RHP, Junior, Oregon, Big 10
• Colin Fisher, LHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
• Jackson Flora, RHP, Junior, UC Santa Barbara, Big West
• Cameron Flukey, RHP, Junior, Coastal Carolina, Sun Belt
• Jack Frankel, RHP, Sophomore, Tulane, American
• Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
• Braden Gebhardt, LHP, Senior, Youngstown St, Horizon
• Brayden Gilley, RHP, Junior, Winthrop, Big South
• Grant Govel, RHP, Sophomore, USC, Big 10
• Tyler Grenn, RHP, Senior, Navy, Patriot
• Ed Hall, RHP, Senior, Davidson, A10
• Trevor Hansen, RHP, Junior, UC Irvine, Big West
• Logan Hastings, RHP, Sophomore, Maryland, Big 10
• Hekili Robello, RHP, Junior, Hawaii, Big West
• Landon Hood, RHP, Freshman, Gonzaga, WCC
• Ty Horn, RHP, Junior, Nebraska, Big 10
• Drew Horn, RHP, RS-Senior, MTSU, CUSA
• Will Howell, RHP, RS-Sophomore, Memphis, American
• Jaxon Jelkin, RHP, Junior, Kentucky, SEC
• Sean Jenkins, RHP, Sophomore, East Carolina, American
• Andrew Johnson, RHP, Sophomore, USC, Big 10
• Cameron Johnson, LHP, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
• Noah Kenney, RHP, Junior, Washington, Big 10
• Aidan King, RHP, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
• Kole Klecker, RHP, Senior, Arizona State, Big 12
• Aidan Knaak, RHP, Junior, Clemson, ACC
• Reese Kortum, LHP, Junior, Wichita St, American
• Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
• Will Labonte, RHP, Freshman, Portland, WCC
• Tommy LaPour, RHP, Junior, TCU, Big 12
• Ethan Lay, RHP, Senior, Sacramento St, WAC
• Justin LeGuernic, LHP, Junior, Clemson, ACC
• Rohan Lettow, RHP, Junior, SDSU, MWC
• Chris Levonas, RHP, Sophomore, Wake Forest, ACC
• Carson Liggett, RHP, RS-Senior, Kansas St, Big 12
• Dylan Loy, LHP, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
• Landon Mack, RHP, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
• Micheal Malki, RHP, Sophomore, Cal Baptist, WAC
• Jake Marciano, LHP, Sophomore, Auburn, SEC
• Ryan Marohn, LHP, Junior, NC State, ACC
• Duncan Marsten, RHP, Sophomore, Wake Forest, ACC
• Kurt Marton, RHP, Junior, Sacramento St, WAC
• Wes Mendes, LHP, Junior, Florida State, ACC
• LJ Mercurius, RHP, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
• Maddox Meyer, RHP, Sophomore, Omaha, Summitt
• Ryland Morin, LHP, Junior, UAPB, SWAC
• Wylan Moss, RHP, Sophomore, UCLA, Big 10
• Eric Nachtsheim, RHP, Senior, McNeese, Southland
• Griffin Naess, RHP, Junior, Cal Poly, Big West
• Jackson Nash, RHP, Junior, Longwood, Big South
• Mathis Nayral, RHP, Junior, Kansas, Big 12
• Mikiah Negrete, LHP, Senior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
• Josh Newell, RHP, Senior, Lindenwood, OVC
• Jake Nobles, RHP, Freshman, St. Mary's, WCC
• Jack Ohman, RHP, Sophomore, Yale, Ivy
• Chris Olivier, RHP, Senior, Lamar, Southland
• Alex Overbay, RHP, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12
• Brigden Parker, LHP, RS-Senior, Little Rock, OVC
• Bryan Peck, RHP, Graduate, Cal Baptist, WAC
• Gage Peterson, RHP, Junior, Appalachian St, Sun Belt
• Garret Plata, LHP, RS-Junior, Pacific, WCC
• Jalen Porter, RHP, Graduate, UAPB, SWAC
• Daniel Powell, RHP, Junior, Kennesaw St, CUSA
• Sawyer Pruitt, RHP, Senior, Louisiana, Sun Belt
• Walter Quinn, RHP, Senior, TCU, Big 12
• Daniel Quintana, RHP, RS-Junior, Radford, Big South
• Jack Radel, RHP, Junior, Notre Dame, ACC
• Cord Rager, LHP, Freshman, Oklahoma, SEC
• Kaysen Raineri, RHP, Sophomore, Texas Tech, Big 12
• Kyle Remington, RHP, Junior, Illinois, Big 10
• Bryce Riggs, RHP, Junior, Eastern Illinois, OVC
• Ruger Riojas, RHP, Senior, Texas, SEC
• Richie Roman, RHP, Junior, Houston, Big 12
• Aidan Russell, RHP, Senior, SDSU, MWC
• Edwin Sanchez, LHP, Senior, Bethune Cookman, SWAC
• Will Sanford, RHP, Sophomore, Oregon, Big 10
• Paul Schmitz, RHP, Senior, Houston, Big 12
• Nic Schutte, RHP, Senior, Murray St, MVC
• Matt Scott, RHP, Senior, Georgia, SEC
• Spencer Seid, LHP, Graduate, Georgetown, Big East
• Michael Senay, RHP, Freshman, USF, American
• Michael Sharman, LHP, Senior, Clemson, ACC
• Kade Shatwell, RHP, Senior, Austin Peay, ASun
• Sam Simmons, RHP, Senior, UTSA, American
• Aiden Sims, RHP, Sophomore, Texas A&M, SEC
• Braden Smith, RHP, Junior, UCF, Big 12
• William Soignier, RHP, Junior, Bradley, MVC
• Alex Solis, RHP, Junior, Houston, Big 12
• Patrick Steitz, RHP, RS-Senior, VCU, A10
• Cayden Suchy, LHP, Sophomore, UConn, Big East
• Camden Sunstrom, RHP, Sophomore, Southern Miss, Sun Belt
• Joseph Taylor, RHP, Junior, Charlotte, American
• Zach Todd, RHP, RS-Junior, Pacific, WCC
• Cade Townsend, RHP, Sophomore, Mississippi, SEC
• Adam Troy, RHP, RS-Junior, USC, Big 10
• Easton Tumis, RHP, RS-Sophomore, Kent St, MAC
• Tomas Valincius, LHP, Sophomore, Miss St, SEC
• Dylan Volantis, LHP, Sophomore, Texas, SEC
• Joey Volchko, RHP, Junior, Georgia, SEC
• Parker Warner, RHP, Sophomore, Stanford, ACC
• Brannon Westmoreland, RHP, Junior, Little Rock, OVC
• Dax Whitney, RHP, Sophomore, Oregon St, Independent
• Lance Williams, RHP, Sophomore, Maryland, Big 10
• Bradley Zayac, RHP, Sophomore, Liberty, CUSA
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUBaseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballCoal Rush Baseball Uniform Reveal
Wednesday, March 11
Steve Sabins | Feb. 16
Monday, February 16
Matthew Graveline | Feb. 16
Monday, February 16
Reese Bassinger | Feb. 9
Monday, February 09
