MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In recording a three-game sweep at Georgia Southern last weekend to start the 2026 season, West Virginia showcased a number of traits that amount to winning baseball, many of which the program has displayed consistently enough to qualify for a Super Regional series the previous two years.
That many players responsible for the success against the Eagles are new to the Mountaineers would seem to bode well for the prospects of the 2026 season.
Among them was senior Matthew Graveline, an Ohio State transfer with a surplus of experience who accounted for both West Virginia home runs in the series.
Over the three games, Graveline was 5-for-13 with a team-best seven RBI and three extra-base hits.
“Helping the team to win as many games as possible is my goal,” says Graveline.
Graveline belted a two-run home run in Game 2 of the series at Georgia Southern, at which time the Mountaineers led 10-4 in the fourth inning. WVU won that game 11-10, and later Saturday in the series finale and second game of a doubleheader, Graveline belted a solo shot in the second, drew a bases loaded walk to break a 2-all tie in the seventh and brought in a ninth-inning insurance run with a single in a 5-2 victory.
A double serving of gravy!@MGraveline09 pic.twitter.com/jyqkO6Lesi
— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) February 15, 2026
It was a welcome sight alike for the Mountaineers and Graveline, who increased his home run total over each of his three seasons with the Buckeyes and finished with 19 round-trippers at OSU, including 10 as a junior.
“To start my college career, I was pretty light and about 180 [pounds],” Graveline said. “I’m 205 now. Putting on strength and putting on good muscle weight translates to more power in the game. I feel like a strong part of my game is bat speed. I have pretty good bat speed. Those two combined equal a lot of power and it’s kind of showcased throughout the later part of my college career.”
Graveline was slotted fifth in the lineup each game. He played catcher the first two and was in right field for Game 3 when Gavin Kelly caught.
“My arm strength plays at both pretty well,” Graveline said. “My athletic ability plays at both pretty well. I’d rather catch, but obviously, I’m willing to do anything to help the team win. So if that’s playing outfield three games, I’m totally willing to do that.”
That arm strength was on display in the bottom of the sixth inning of the series finale. Before Graveline drew the all-important base-on-balls, he charged a Max Prozny single in right field and fired home to catcher Gavin Kelly to cut down Jon Davis at the plate and keep the game tied.
Dot 🎯@MGraveline09 pic.twitter.com/RUrqDJiOsN
— WVU Baseball (@WVUBaseball) February 16, 2026
Four days before the start of the regular season, WVU coach Steve Sabins remarked Graveline and Kelly would split time at catcher, and he followed through on that plan at GSU.
“Graveline has turned into such an elite catcher and so consistent offensively throughout the fall, we’re going to have to see how that plays out,” Sabins said. “If it ends up being a 50/50 split, I wouldn’t be surprised at all, or if Graveline ended up catching a little bit more, it wouldn’t be shocking, just because of Kelly’s versatility. Graveline has gotten so good behind the dish, and selfishly, as coach, you always say well Kelly could turn some double plays at second or field every bunt at third base. He’s just so good with the glove.”
Graveline has experience juggling positions as he was utilized as a catcher and corner outfielder in his time with the Buckeyes.
While behind the dish is Graveline’s preference and gives him far more responsibility, the Centerville, Ohio, native tries to keep defensive responsibilities separate from his plate appearances.
“The end goal is to play professionally and preferably as a catcher. As far as how catching impacts my offense, I like to look at it as two different parts of my game,” he said. “When I go out on defense, whether I had a good or bad at bat, just forget about it and focus on catching the pitcher and helping the defense, because as a catcher you kind of have to command the defense at all times and be pretty level-headed back there. You can’t get too high, can’t get too low.”
Because Graveline is a new addition to the program without past experience catching Mountaineer pitchers, it adds to the significance of practice and workouts.
“The coaches do a really good job of having me catch a lot of the bullpens on Monday or Tuesday just to get a feel for their pitches, but also getting to know them on a personal level, because every guy is different out there,” Graveline said. “Some guys you need to be stern with and tell them let’s go, but there’s also guys that need the opposite approach and you may have to crack a joke or something to get them to loosen up.”
After earning his way on to the Big Ten Conference All-Freshman Team in 2023, Graveline faced West Virginia four times over the next two seasons.
He was productive against WVU, bating 7-for-13 in a three-game set in Morgantown in 2024 and recording two hits in the lone meeting between the Buckeyes and Mountaineers last season.
“I remember Armani Guzman robbing a home run and doubling us up at first [last year],” Graveline said. “When I came here my sophomore year, I thought it was a very special place and a cool atmosphere to play in.”