Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Several members of the West Virginia University baseball team came one step closer to their dream this weekend as their names were selected in the 2026 MLB Draft.
On Saturday, Dawson Montesa became the first Mountaineer selected when the St. Louis Cardinals chose him with the 72nd overall pick in the Competitive Balance Round B. Maxx Yehl followed in the third round, going 91st overall to the Kansas City Royals.
On Sunday, two more WVU players, Ian Korn and Paul Schoenfeld, heard their names called. Schoenfeld was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the eighth round with the 236th overall pick while Korn went in the 10th round to the San Francisco Giants with the 298th overall pick.
In his one season with the Mountaineers, Schoenfeld started all 64 games and hit .327 with four home runs and 52 RBI. His 82 hits and 26 stolen bases were both second on the team as he was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team.
Korn also spent just one season with WVU and was dominant as both a reliever and a starter. He finished with a 6-1 record while posting a 3.39 ERA in 24 appearances. He struck out 70 batters and walked just 13 in 79.2 innings. He earned All-Big 12 First Team and ABCA All-East Region Second Team honors in addition to being named a second-team Academic All-American.
Mountaineer signee Kyle Casteel was drafted in the 11th round to the Chicago White Sox.
Incoming WVU transfer Owen Henne was picked by the St. Louis Cardinals. The shortstop was taken with the 175th pick.
Reliever Reese Bassinger signed as an undrafted free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays. In 31 appearances, he had a 3.30 ERA. The senior struck out 64 batters in 60 innings while posting a 1.18 WHIP. He allowed just 12 extra-base hits and held opponents to a .251 batting average.
Former Mountaineer Chase Meyer was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the ninth round.
WVU has had an all-time total 121 players chosen in the MLB Draft. This is the third consecutive season that the Mountaineers have had at least four players drafted.
Photo credit: Shanna Rose
