Gather around, folks—time for some good old baseball talk. We’re diving into the epic journey of Jace Rinehart, WVU’s college baseball star who’s swung his way up, from the quiet fields of Mannington, West Virginia, to leading West Virginia University’s Mountaineers like a force of nature. So if you’re a baseball fanatic or just love a good underdog story, kick back and enjoy.
Starting with the roots, Jace’s story is pretty close to a fairy tale for any Mountaineer. Imagine growing up in a house with college spirit woven into your DNA. Jace’s parents, Mary and Scott, both WVU alumni, probably had more blue and gold paraphernalia than most fans. Mary rocked the sidelines as a cheerleader while Scott grappled on the wrestling mats. When Jace made the move to WVU, you can bet there were some wild cheers at the Rinehart household.
But let’s rewind a bit. Out of high school, Jace wasn’t exactly blowing up recruiting boards. North Marion High School saw him emerge as a solid player, leading his team to the AA State Championship game in 2021 and snagging First Team All-State honors. Still, it wasn’t like the big schools were banging down his door.
He rolled with the punches and took his talents to the University of South Carolina Upstate. There, as a freshman Spartan, he saw 25 games and carved out a little niche with 13 starts. How’d he do? Oh, just a casual .333 batting average, no big deal. He knocked in 22 hits, tossed in some doubles and triples, and notched eight runs. Big South even said, “Hey, we see you”—granted him the Freshman of the Week badge.
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Then came Jace’s sophomore year, where he took things up a notch with a .310 batting average and ripped 40 hits out of the park, including eight doubles and seven home runs. Just when he was settling in, the winds of change blew through—because head coach Mike McGuire packed his bags for Winthrop. Jace figured, why not see what opportunities are out there? And man, did that gamble pay off.
Enter West Virginia again. This time, Jace got the call from Coach Sabins, a familiar face from the high school days, and decided it was time to take a homecoming tour back to WVU. But before making the leap, Jace took a pit stop in the Cape Cod League with the Wareham Gatemen, where he quickly meshed with future Mountaineer teammate, Sam White. It was a pro pitcher’s playground and the perfect proving ground for Jace. In nine games, he batted .300, showing he was ready for any fastball hurled his way.
Now, as the Mountaineers dominate the 2025 season with a stellar 34-4 record, Jace is running the bases and covers like a boss, leading the team in home runs and proving that labels and rankings can’t always measure potential. Rinehart is that slugger every team fears and wishes they had—turning doubters into believers one swing at a time.
From being an overlooked high school player to becoming the heart of WVU baseball, Jace is living a sports dream. It’s incredible how perseverance and a bit of hometown pride can fuel someone to surpass expectations and even rewrite their own narrative. Jace Rinehart didn’t just find a spot on the team—he created one. Keep swinging, Jace. We see you, and we like what we see.
