Mazey nets another Top 40 class for WVU baseball

Dec. 16—MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University baseball coach Randy Mazey has announced the addition of 15 student-athletes for the 2023 season.

This year's class is ranked No. 34 nationally by Perfect Game, marking the Mountaineers' fifth consecutive top-40 class.

Joining the program in 2023 are: Louka Daoust (Repentigny, Quebec), Jared Davis (Orlando, Florida), Carson Estridge (Haymarket, Virginia), Cole Fehrman (Doylestown, Pennsylvania), Ellis Garcia (Elmwood Park, New Jersey), Alvin "Tre" Keels (Portsmouth, Virginia), Skylar King (Columbia, South Carolina), Nick Matson (Nanticoke, Pennsylvania), Robby Porco (Warrington, Pennsylvania), Zack Ramppen (New Canaan, Connecticut), Logan Sauve (Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania), Isaac Upole (Oakland, Maryland), Gavin Van Kempen (Castleton, New York), Sam White (Aurora, Ontario) and Maxx Yehl (Portville, New York).

Louka Daoust

INF, Repentigny, Quebec (Félix-Leclerc Secondary School)

Daoust plays at Félix-Leclerc Secondary School and ABC U-18 for coaches Jean-Luc Blaquiere and Maxime Hockhoussen. A member of the U-18 Canadian Junior National Team, Daoust was rated at the No. 18 player and No. 2 second baseman in Quebec by Perfect Game. The son of Christian Daoust and Sophie Roy, Daoust plans to major in finance at WVU.

"Louka has a big frame with pull-side power and a feel to hit. He's a tough kid with very little swing-and-miss. We project him to play at second or third base at the next level," Mazey said.

Jared Davis

INF, Orlando, Fla. (Dr. Phillips HS)

Davis attends Dr. Phillips High and plays baseball for coach William King. At the club level, he's a member of Southern Squeeze and Pro Youth Foundation. The brother of current Mountaineer outfielder Austin Davis, Jared has lettered in three different sports in high school. On the baseball diamond, he helped his team to a pair of district titles in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, he is rated as the No. 118 overall player in Florida by Perfect Game. The son of Dominique and Temeka, Davis plans to major in sport management at WVU.

"Jared has a lot of juice in his bat and can go gap-to-gap. He's super athletic, can steal bases and hit for extra bases. We're excited to get another Davis on campus," Mazey said.

Carson Estridge,

RHP, Haymarket, Va. (Battlefield HS)

Estridge plays at Battlefield High for coach Jay Burkhart, as well as Chi Town Cream for Chuck Reeder. The all-district selection did not allow an earned run during his junior campaign. He also has been named to a Perfect Game all-tournament team seven times and was named the MVP pitcher at the U-18 National Championship. Rated as the No. 21 player and No. 6 right-handed pitcher in Virginia by Perfect Game, he was included in the organization's top 500 national rankings at No. 493. The son of Jon and Krista, Estridge plans to major in business or marketing at WVU.

"At 6-foot-7, Carson is a tall, imposing pitcher with swing-and-miss offerings. He's been a winner and gets outs. He'll have a chance to be a starter for the Mountaineers in his career," Mazey said.

Cole Fehrman

LHP, Doylestown, Pa. (Central Bucks-West HS)

Fehrman attends Central Bucks-West High and plays baseball for Brian Weaver. He's also a member of Derek Kraemer's CrossBridge Raiders. A high honors student and team captain, Fehrman was an all-league selection last spring after holding an ERA of 2.03 with 43 strikeouts in 27 innings of work. Fehrman is rated as the No. 6 left-handed pitcher in Pennsylvania by Prep Baseball Report. The son of Gregg and Joanna, Fehrman plans to major in business at WVU.

"Cole has a three-quarters arm slot with a plus slider that helps his fastball. He's difficult for hitters to square him up. He's developing a changeup, which will allow him to enter college with three pitches he can throw for strikes," Mazey said.

Ellis Garcia

INF, Elmwood Park, N.J. (St. Joseph's Regional School)

Garcia plays baseball at P27 Academy and the U.S. Elite National Team for coaches Corey Warner and Christian Helsel. In 2021, he was a first team all-state and all-county selection at St. Joseph's Regional School, helping his squad to a state championship. He also was named to the all-tournament team at the 2021 Perfect Game U-17 National Elite Championships, as well as the 2021 U-17 Coastal and Mid-Atlantic World Series. He is ranked as the No. 37 overall player in New Jersey by Perfect Game. The son of Luis and Edernis, Garcia plans to major in sport management at WVU.

"Ellis has a great feel for the game with good instincts. He's a plus defender who understands rhythm, pace and situations on the field. He also has a quality bat at the plate. He's a winner," Mazey said.

Alvin "Tre" Keels

INF, Portsmouth, Va. (IMG Academy)

Tre Keels plays baseball at IMG Academy, as well as the East Cobb Astros, Dirtbags and the Richmond Braves at the club level. He began his high-school career at Maury High, helping the club to the Class C Region A semifinals last spring. Following the year, he was named an All-Southeastern District and All-Tidewater selection. Keels played at the 2021 National Showcase, the 2020 Perfect Game Underclass All-American Games and the 2019 and 2020 Junior National Showcases, among other prestigious events. He also was a 2021 Preseason Underclass All-America First Team and 2020 Atlantic Region Underclass First Team honoree by Perfect Game. Ranked as the No. 66 overall prospect in the Class of 2022 by Perfect Game, Keels is the No. 1-rated shortstop and No. 2 player in Virginia. The son of Alvin Keels Jr. and Monique Boyce, Keels plans to major in business at WVU.

Mazey on Keels: "Tre is a burner with lots of juice in his hands. A great athlete, he has the ability to hit for average and power, and he has soft hands and good range in the infield. This is an elite high-school prospect."

Skylar King

OF/LHP, Columbia, S.C. (Brookland-Cayce HS)

King plays for coach Rusty Charpia at Brookland-Cayce High, as well as Bodyshop Baseball and Team Ohio Pro Select at the club level. He was an all-state selection in 2021, and has earned multiple all-region honors during his high-school career. Additionally, King is an accomplished football player. He is ranked as the No. 3 outfielder in South Carolina by Prep Baseball Report, as well as the No. 19 overall player in South Carolina by Perfect Game. The son of Kelley King and Ebony Staley, King plans to major in business at West Virginia.

"Skylar has major upside and athleticism. He's a competitor with a loose arm and an easy, left-handed swing. He can be a very aggressive baserunner as well. He's just an all-around, good ballplayer," Mazey said.

Nick Matson

LHP, Nanticoke, Pa. (Greater Nanticoke Area HS)

Matson attends Greater Nanticoke High and plays baseball for coach Eric Spencer. He also plays for Northeast Pride for coach Mike Petroski at the club level. A three-year varsity starter, Matson was named a Wyoming Valley Conference All-Star in 2021. He went 2-1 with 26 strikeouts in 23 innings last season, and he added four home runs and a team-best 19 RBI at the plate. Per Perfect Game, he is ranked as the No. 40 overall player in Pennsylvania. The son of Nicholas and Shannon, Matson is currently undecided on his major at WVU.

"Nick is a lefty with three quality pitches. He understands the game and has really nice command. He has lots of experience in the outfield over the years, so he has a position-player mentality on the mound," said Mazey.

Robby Porco

RHP, Warrington, Pa. (Central Bucks-South HS)

Porco attends Central Bucks-South High and plays baseball for coach Kevin Bray. Additionally, he plays for coach Mike O'Brien at All-In Baseball. In 2019, he helped his team to a PIAA state runner-up finish. He also is a recipient of the West Point Leadership Award, which recognizes our nation's outstanding high school juniors who have demonstrated exceptional performance in academics, athletics, community service, leadership and moral character. Porco is ranked inside Perfect Game's top 500 prospects list (No. 494), and he is listed as the No. 3 right-handed pitcher and No. 12 overall player in Pennsylvania. The son of Dave and Aimee, Porco plans to study computer science at West Virginia.

"Robby is an imposing right-hander with a 6-foot-8 frame. His fastball is electric and has unique pitch angles. He is very athletic for a kid his size and his projections are off the charts," Mazey said.

Zack Ramppen

C/INF, New Canaan, Conn. (New Canaan HS)

Ramppen plays baseball for coach Anthony Bloss at New Canaan High. Additionally, he is a member of Sarkis Ohanian's Time To Sign at the club level. Ramppen was an all-state and all-county selection as a junior, and he was featured as Bobby Valentine's Sports Academy Player of the Month earlier in the year. A team captain and three-year starter, Ramppen played in the PBR Futures Game and has been named to multiple Perfect Game all-tournament teams. He is ranked as the No. 2 catcher in Connecticut by Perfect Game. The son of Frank, who played at the University of Tampa and spent time with the Minnesota Twins organization, and Michelle, Ramppen plans to major in either business or sport management at WVU.

"Zack has good feel and understanding of the game. He has a plus arm and good presence behind the plate. He's a good teammate and is a grinder on every pitch," Mazey said.

Logan Sauve

C, Boiling Springs, Pa. (Cumberland Valley HS)

Sauve attends Cumberland Valley High and plays baseball for coach Levi Mumma. He also is a member of the CrossBidge Raiders. Last spring, Sauve hit a conference-leading .493 at the plate, earning PennLive All-Star honors. Following his junior campaign, he played at East Coast Pro, an MLB/USA Baseball Prospect Development Pipeline event, as well as the 2021 Perfect Game National Showcase. Additionally, Sauve played on the Boston Red Sox scout team in Jupiter, Florida. Ranked as the No. 1 catcher and No. 10 overall player in Pennsylvania by Perfect Game (No. 438 overall), Sauve is the son of Jeffrey, who played college football at Clemson, was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and played in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers, and Danielle. He plans to major in finance at West Virginia.

"Logan is a catcher who excels in all areas of the game. He's a leader, a winner and just a natural ballplayer. Logan was the first commit to this year's class, and we're excited to get him on campus," Mazey said.

Isaac Upole

LHP, Oakland, Md. (Southern Garrett HS)

Upole plays for coach Dan Holler at Southern Garrett High, as well as the Kentucky Mustangs Arsenal for Paul Morse. He is a two-time all-area honoree and a three-year starter. Upole, who is a 2022 MSABC Preseason All-Star, went 4-0 with a 0.32 ERA and 32 strikeouts as a member of the Garrett County Post 71/214 last summer. Perfect Game ranks him as the No. 3 left-handed pitcher and No. 7 overall player in Maryland, while Prep Baseball Report lists Upole as Maryland's No. 2 left-hander. Additionally, he is a standout basketball player at Southern Garrett. The son of Gary and Stacie, Upole plans to major in sport management at WVU.

"Isaac is a big left-hander with a clean delivery. His fastball jumps out of his hand easily, which explains his track record of success to this point. We project him as a starter at the next level," Mazey said.

Gavin Van Kempen

RHP, Castleton, N.Y. (Maple Hill HS)

Van Kempen plays for coach Americo Frese at Maple Hill High. He also is a member of coach Matt Frey's All-Stars Academy. Last spring, he tossed 65 strikeouts with just 12 walks in 30.2 innings of work, earning all-conference and all-region team honors along the way. Additionally, he was the North East WWBA MVP Pitcher and played at East Coast Pro last August. With All-Stars Academy, he helped the squad win the 2021 New England Select Championship. Rated as the No. 232 overall player by Perfect Game, Van Kempen was ranked as the No. 3 right-handed pitcher and No. 7 overall player in New York by Perfect Game, as well as Prep Baseball Report's No. 4 overall player in New York. The son of Jon and Emily, he plans to major in kinesiology at WVU.

"Gavin has great command and a unique feel for his changeup. He's another big kid on the mound at 6-foot-6. His fastball velocity is already in a great spot, and we project him to become a starter at the next level," said Mazey.

Sam White

C/INF, Aurora, Ontario (Aurora HS)

White attends Aurora High and plays baseball for the Ontario Blue Jays and coach Mike Steed. A member of the Canadian Junior National Team, White helped his club to a WWBA U-17 National Championship in 2021, and he was named to the all-tournament team at the event. Away from baseball, he is a standout hockey goaltender and was selected in the Ontario Hockey League Draft. Perfect Game ranks him as the No. 2 third baseman in Ontario, while Prep Baseball Report tagged him as the No. 1-ranked catcher, No. 2 overall player in Ontario and the No. 290 overall prospect in this year's class. The son of Todd and Audrey, White plans to enroll at WVU in general studies.

"Sam has a rare blend of hit skill with power. His arm is strong, and he always is focused on the game. He just loves to play baseball," Mazey said.

Maxx Yehl

LHP, Portville, N.Y. (Portville Central HS)

Yehl plays for coach Michael Matz at Portville Central High, as well as G Form Artillery for coach Ajay Vulimiri. The first team all-state pitcher had an 0.00 ERA last spring, as well as a .608 mark at the plate, while leading his club to the Section 6 Class C finals. Following his junior campaign, Yehl was named a Big 30 All-Star, and Co-Player of the Year by the Olean Times Herald. At the club level, he was named to the All-Tournament Team at the 2021 Perfect Game U-17 National Select Championship and the Perfect Game U-17 National Elite Championship. Away from the diamond, the 6-foot-6 lefty also is an accomplished basketball player. Ranked inside the top 500 prospects by Perfect Game.

(No. 232) and Prep Baseball Report (No. 292), Yehl is the No. 3-ranked left-handed pitcher and No. 10 overall player in New York by PG. The son of Christopher and Kristin, Yehl plans to major in business at West Virginia.

"Maxx is a really imposing lefty with great stuff. His fastball/breaking ball combo is really nasty, and he has a deceptive arm with front-line starter ability," Mazey said.