UVA Second Baseman Max Cotier Transfers to West Virginia

After three seasons at Virginia, Cotier will be joining the Mountaineers in Morgantown

Max Cotier is headed to Morgantown.  :: Courtesy of Olivia Taylor/Virginia Athletics

The transfer portal gives and the transfer portal takes. The Virginia baseball program has landed three transfer commitments so far this offseason. This week, the Cavaliers lost a player to the transfer portal. Junior second baseman Max Cotier announced he is transferring to West Virginia in an Instagram post on Wednesday. 

In three seasons in Charlottesville, Cotier appeared in 123 games, including 114 starts at second base. Cotier was the team's starting second baseman in every game in his first two seasons at UVA and he started all 60 of Virginia's games in 2021 as he helped the Cavaliers reach the College World Series. 

This season, he started the majority of the games at second base, starting in 36 of UVA's 58 total games. The other 22 starts at second base went to freshman Justin Rubin, who was part of a stellar first-year class that vastly exceeded expectations. While we do not know all of the factors that led to Cotier transferring to West Virginia, Rubin pushing him for playing time may have been a consideration as Cotier enters his senior year. 

READ MORE: Coastal Carolina Pitcher Nick Parker Transfers to Virginia Baseball

Whatever the case may be, Cotier is now a Mountaineer and the Cavaliers will certainly miss his contributions. This season, Cotier appeared in 45 total games and recorded a .257 batting average, 35 hits, 24 runs, 23 RBI, and also registered a .980 fielding percentage at second base with only three errors on the season. In his three years at UVA, Cotier hit .273 and amassed 75 runs, 120 hits, and 68 RBI. 

Justin Rubin will likely take Cotier's place as Virginia's full-time starting second baseman, looking to build off of a promising freshman campaign. In 36 total appearances, Rubin logged 87 at-bats, batting .333 and recording 29 hits, 19 runs, 13 RBI and a home run. 

Roster moves like this have become the new norm in college athletics and whatever circumstances led Max Cotier to transfer to West Virginia, it is probably for the best. The Virginia baseball program is undoubtedly grateful to Cotier for the role he played in helping the Cavaliers reach the College World Series for the fifth time. 

See info on the three baseball players who have transferred to Virginia this offseason here:

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