Black Bears announce Fairmont native as new manager

ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 04: David Carpenter #48 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game Two of the…

ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 04: David Carpenter #48 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game Two of the National League Division Series at Turner Field on October 4, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

by: Joey Rather

Posted: Feb 7, 2023 / 02:09 PM EST

Updated: Feb 7, 2023 / 02:09 PM EST

GRANVILLE, W.Va. (WBOY) — The West Virginia Black Bears announced on Tuesday that David Carpenter will be their new manager for the 2023 season, according to a release.

Carpenter, a known West Virginia University alum and Fairmont native, will be the sixth manager in Black Bears history and will lead reigning MLB Draft League champions on June 1 against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

“We’re excited to have Carpenter as our new manager. Being able to continue the tradition of having a West Virginia native as manager is a great experience for our organization and our fans,” said General Manager Leighann Sainato. “Carp had a long professional career, and he played for WVU, so he understands the culture of Morgantown. I know he’ll bring a lot of experience and knowledge to our young squad this season.”

Carpenter played 14 years at the professional level, two as a catcher and 12 as a pitcher. The WVU alum was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals 12th round of the 2006 MLB Draft and pitched for over 200 games between 2011-2019. He made his MLB debut during his 2011 season with the Houston Astros, finishing with a 1-3 record and a 2.93 ERA.

Carpenter pitched for several MLB teams during his career including the Toronto Blue Jays, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, and the Washington Nationals. He joined the front office in his hometown at Fairmont State in 2021 as the pitching coach.

“There is nothing more exciting than being around people from this state. There’s a different passion we grew up with. I’m really looking forward to people coming to the ballpark and enjoying their experience and getting to provide a good atmosphere not only for the players but the fanbase,” said Carpenter.

Carpenter takes the reigns of the Black Bears from another WVU graduate, Jedd Gyorko. Gyorko led the Black Bears to two winning seasons and a league championship with a 79-49-6 overall record.

The Black Bears’ home opener is set to take place on June 6 at Wagener Field against the Williamsport Crosscutters. More information can be found at www.westvirginiablackbears.com