Wheeling, W. Va. - During the 2022 season, Blake Vandiver was a spark plug atop the Wheeling University Baseball team's batting order. The senior earned his first career All-MEC honors when he was named an Honorable Mention and finished with the Wheeling Baseball career record for stolen bases with 35. He now gets to follow his dreams of playing professional baseball this summer in the Pecos League, where he signed with the Bakersfield Train Robbers.
Vandiver is the second Wheeling University Baseball player to begin their professional career in the Pecos League, with teammate Chris Iazzetta signing with the Tuscon Saguaros. Before an injury halted his rookie season, Vandiver was having a strong campaign hitting .400 (32-80) with 12 RBI and 16 runs scored over 18 games. Vandiver was one of the clutches hitters for the Train Robbers this season, hitting 26 singles and stretching many of those into doubles with his legs, going 10-12 in stolen base attempts. At the time of his injury, he had the third highest batting average on the team and had the second most hits while leading the team in stolen bases.
Vandiver had a similarly successful season for the Cardinals during his senior campaign, hitting .370 with 20 RBI and a .992 On-base plus slugging (OPS) in 49 games played. He led the way with a career-high 20 stolen bases in 25 attempts and had the second highest batting average and fifth most hits on the team. In the outfield, Vandiver was one of the most surehanded defenders for the Cardinals, not committing an error in 80 chances for the Cardinals. He has continued that success into the professional ranks committing just one error while recording 29 putouts and four outfield assists over his 18 games played. Despite being injured, Vandiver was named to the Pecos League All-Star team for his efforts as he got his professional career started out strong.
Vandiver is proud to represent Wheeling in the professional ranks and thanks everyone in his life for helping him get to where he is today.
"It means everything to me to get a shot at the next level," said Vandiver. "Being a small-town kid and coming from a high school that only had two players play at the professional level means a lot to get an opportunity. Hopefully, I am one of many that make it from Wheeling. And with how well I played, even getting hurt, getting the opportunity to play at a high level and to get calls from other organizations means a lot to me. I'm grateful for my family, teammates, my coaches, and my girlfriend Marlies (Wendler). I wouldn't be able to get to the level I am at without any of them."
The Pecos League is an independent baseball league which operates in cities in desert mountain regions throughout California, New Mexico, Southern Arizona, Kansas, West Texas, and Colorado. Pecos League teams play in cities that do not have Major or Minor League teams and are not affiliated with either league.
