As West Virginia baseball gears up for the start of its 2026 campaign, second-year head coach Steve Sabins finds himself caught in a classic coaching conundrum: versatility versus stability.
On paper, the Mountaineers are built like a Swiss Army knife. They’ve recruited and developed a roster loaded with flexibility-players who can slide between positions, adapt on the fly, and give Sabins plenty of options as the season unfolds.
That’s a manager’s dream, especially in a long, grind-it-out college baseball season. But here’s the rub: Sabins, like many coaches, has a soft spot for consistency right up the middle.
We’re talking catcher, shortstop, second base, and center field-the spine of any baseball team. That core group sets the tone defensively, anchors communication, and often carries the heartbeat of a team.
Sabins admits he’s a “sucker” for that kind of steadiness, and it’s easy to see why. When you’ve got reliable, everyday guys in those spots, it simplifies the equation.
Pitchers trust their defense. The lineup has rhythm.
The game slows down.
But this 2026 West Virginia team wasn’t built to be conventional. It was built to be dynamic.
And that’s where Sabins’ internal tug-of-war begins. Lean into the versatility, and you unlock a roster that can adjust to matchups, weather injuries, and keep opponents guessing.
Stick with the same names up the middle every day, and you might sacrifice some of that adaptability for the comfort of consistency.
It’s not a bad problem to have-especially for a program chasing its third straight Super Regional appearance. But it is a challenge. Sabins will have to strike a delicate balance between trusting what he knows and embracing what this team could become if he lets it evolve.
The Mountaineers open their season with a three-game set at Georgia Southern starting Friday. And while the lineup card may still be a work in progress, one thing’s clear: this is a team built with options. Now it’s up to Sabins to decide how-and when-to use them.