MORGANTOWN — This offseason, Brodie Kresser could be seen taking reps at first base, which is odd because Kresser started 59 games last season, mostly at shortstop for West Virginia baseball. But that’s changed in his final season.
Kresser had surgery on his throwing shoulder after WVU lost to LSU in the Super Regional, ending its season. While recovering from a torn labrum, it became a lot harder to make that throw across the diamond.
“The arm is not ready to step on it in the six hole and throw it across the diamond,” Steve Sabins said.
Kresser is a bat WVU wants to keep in the lineup. Last season, Kresser hit .278 with three home runs and was third on the team with 41 RBIs, leading the team with 50 runs scored. WVU needed to find a place for him somewhere.
Grant Hussey was WVU’s first baseman last year and was a sure-fire starter every game, becoming WVU’s all-time home run leader. He started 54 games in 2025 and hit seven home runs with 35 RBIs.
But Hussey’s time with the program is over, so there was a big opening at first base.
“We’ve always been like, ‘Welp, Hussey will play first,’” Sabins said. “That was taken for granted. First base was the biggest hole, learning experience, tryouts, whatever you want to call it, this fall.”
Sabins gave Kresser the first base mitt and gave him very simple advice.
“Just catch the ball,” Sabins told Kresser.
“Playing first, that was definitely not on the agenda,” Kresser said. “But the arm, it’s been good. It’s a slow recovery. It’s pushing that nine to 12 months. To be on the field, I’m down to play anywhere. It’s definitely new for me.”
There have been quite a few well-known instances where players who were hurt or were a bit older picked up the first base glove and found a home, like Scott Hatteberg on the “Moneyball” Oakland A’s, and more recently, Bryce Harper on the Philadelphia Phillies. It’s not a crazy move.
It’s definitely taken some getting used to, especially holding his foot on the bag instead of a quick swipe. Kresser used to spin the double play, but is now the final piece.
“Honestly, just the footwork,” Kresser said was the hardest part. “You can’t really be a shortstop at first base as much as you think. Just being able to know where you’re at on the field.”
After a couple of reps on his first day on the job, Kresser started to enjoy it. He picked a short throw and said, “Why does everyone say this is hard?”
“I was pretty fired up,” Kresser said. “I feel like it’s pretty exciting when you get to pick up your teammates who might not always have a great throw, but to be able to pick them up, it’s pretty cool.”
With Kresser sliding over to first, there’s a possibility that WVU runs an infield with all former starting shortstops. WVU could have Kresser at first, who played short last year, Gavin Kelly could play second, who played shortstop in high school, Ohio transfer Matt Ineich will start at short and JUCO transfer do-it-all infielder Tyrus Hall at third.
All four of those are worth starting and having on the field at the same time, too. Kelly was named to the All-Big 12 Freshman team last season, Ineich hit almost .400 and Sabins said he was “special, and Hall hit .311 and stole 43 bases over two seasons.
“I was talking with a couple of the other guys in the infield, I was telling them how we might have the most athletic infield in college baseball, if that does happen,” Kresser said. “That’d be pretty cool. It’s pretty exciting. Like I said, it’s different. I’m up for just being in the lineup, being able to play.”
Kresser hasn’t been playing first base for long, though, so there’s still work to do if that were to happen. But the most important part is that Kresser is enjoying learning and getting better at it every day.
“He’s had fun with it,” Sabins said. “Kresser is the ultimate team guy. There’s no ego. There’s nothing but winning with that kid. You could put him anywhere on the field. He’s just having fun with it.”
