Rising Stars of West Virginia Baseball
Morgantown senior Slade Barton has been crowned West Virginia’s High School Baseball Player of the Year after capturing 36.73% of the fan vote in the latest High School On SI poll. His dominant season featured an 8‑0 record, a 1.50 earned‑run average, 50 strikeouts and just 12 walks over 37.1 innings, while he also batted .368 with seven hits, three RBIs and a double‑triple combo.
Close behind, Wyatt Pence of St. Joseph Central finished second with 31.7% of the vote, boasting a .443 average, 57 RBIs, 10 home runs and a .631 on‑base percentage. Luke Tagliente from Sherman took third place with 6.3% and helped lead his team to a Class A state championship, earning All‑Tournament and MVP honors.
The top five also included Cooper Floyd of Robert C. Byrd, who was named the WV Big 10 Conference Player of the Year after hitting .445 with 57 hits, 11 homers and 62 runs, and Isaac Byrd from Lincoln County, who posted a .430 average and 38 RBIs. Lanson Orndorf of Frankfort, the sixth‑place vote‑getter, guided the Falcons to a Class AA title and collected a 0.58 ERA with 112 strikeouts.
Rounding out the top seven, Kolten Holbert of Gilmer County hit .450 with 50 hits, 53 RBIs and seven triples, steering his Titans to the Class A finals. Collectively, these athletes illustrate a deep well of talent across the state, highlighting the growing competitiveness of high school baseball in West Virginia.