Mars graduate JJ Wetherholt of West Virginia named 1 of 5 finalists for Dick Howser Trophy

Mars graduate JJ Wetherholt needed only two seasons at West Virginia to establish himself as one of the top college baseball players in the nation. Proof of his worthiness for that honor is his nomination Thursday as one of five finalists for the 36th Dick Howser Trophy, the Heisman Trophy of baseball.

He is the second Mountaineer named a finalist, joining Alek Manoah from 2019.

The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association made the announcement.

A sophomore second baseman, Wetherholt won’t be eligible for the MLB draft until 2024, but he made a strong case this season if rules were different.

He put together the greatest offensive season in WVU history, with a nation-leading .449 batting average, plus 16 home runs, 24 doubles, two triples, 60 RBIs, 67 runs and 36 stolen bases. He was also named the Big 12 Player of the Year, a Collegiate Baseball first-team All-American and a first-team Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators.

Wetherholt helped lead the Mountaineers to a share of their first Big 12 championship and a 40-victory season that tied a program record.

At Mars, Wetherholt was a standout football, basketball and baseball player through middle school before quitting those other sports to focus on baseball.

“He’s just a freak athlete,” said his brother, Brandon Wetherholt, an outfielder at Gannon.

“In football, he was getting 30 carries a game as a running back, and he was making 15 tackles as a safety,” Brandon told USABaseball.com. “In basketball, by the time he was in the third grade, his team had plays drawn up for him in which he would pull up and hit 3-pointers.

“And in baseball, he always had better contact skills than I did, although I had more power because I’m older. But by the time I got to college, I saw video of his power. Now I don’t have anything on the kid.”

As a freshman at Mars, Wetherholt was the starting shortstop and leadoff batter on a team that included future No. 1 draft choice Will Bednar and Pitt’s Jack Anderson.

Former Mars coach Andy Bednar said he knew Wetherholt was special — even as a 5-foot-7, 155-pound freshman on a team that reached the PIAA quarterfinals.

“JJ’s hands and bat speed were unbelievable,” Bednar said. “He belonged.”

Following that season, Wetherholt committed to West Virginia.

“I had talked to the coaches at Pitt and Kent State, but they didn’t offer me in time,” Wetherholt said. “I jumped the gun and signed with West Virginia.”

Other Howser finalists include outfielder Dylan Crews and pitcher Paul Skenes of LSU, pitcher Rhett Lowder of Wake Forest and two-way player Jac Caglianone of Florida. The winner will be announced during the 10 a.m. hour Thursday on MLB Network.

The Howser Trophy is given in memory of the former Florida State All-America shortstop and major league player and manager, who died of brain cancer in 1987. Criteria for consideration of the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage.