Belpre senior Chris Copen signed his National Letter of Intent Wednesday to play baseball at West Virginia Wesleyan. Pictured in the front row, from left to right, are AJ Copen (brother), Lauren Copen (mother), Chris Copen and Curt Copen (father). In the back row, from left to right, are Nate Watson (Belpre head baseball coach), Pat Copen (grandfather), Becky Copen (grandmother), James Vondenhuevel (Belpre assistant baseball coach) and Zac Carte (Blennerhassett Bears coach). (Photo by Jordan Holland)

BELPRE — Chris Copen is following in the footsteps of his older brother.

Wednesday inside Belpre High School, the Belpre senior signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball at West Virginia Wesleyan. Copen will go from a Golden Eagle to a Bobcat.

“I visited twice,” he said. “The first time I visited the campus was super nice. I liked everything about it. Everything was close in proximity. I could walk to all my classes. Second time, I got to see the baseball field a little bit more and I got to hang out with some of the kids on the team and the coach. I really just felt at home there, and that was a big part. I really wanted to feel at home at the place I chose.”

Wesleyan is an NCAA Division II program that competes in the Mountain East Conference. The Bobcats are led by head coach Lee Bradley.

Copen was inspired to play college ball when his big brother, Patrick, became a standout pitcher at Marshall and was eventually selected in the MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“It’s really special,” Copen said. “Ever since I saw my older brother go to Marshall and eventually get drafted, it’s always been a really big dream for me.”

Copen was recruited as a pitcher. He throws a four-seam fastball, slider, curveball and changeup. His heater tops out in the mid-80s.

Copen had a breakout season as a sophomore at Belpre, compiling a 4-2 record and a 2.13 earned-run average in 46 innings pitched.

Though his record took a dip due to some tough luck, Copen had an even better junior season last spring. Despite going 1-6, Copen had a 1.59 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 44 innings.

Copen, who plays shortstop and first base when he’s not pitching, also batted .262 with five doubles, a triple, a home run and 12 runs-batted-in as a junior.

“I try my hardest in everything I do, no matter what it is — school, sports, being a brother,” Copen said. “I’ve always got to look out for everybody. I’m a great teammate. I just put everything out there when I can.”

Last spring, Copen went toe-to-toe with Warren ace Trent Taylor, who now pitches at Glenville State. Copen allowed just two hits and fanned 11 batters in that game, which Belpre ended up dropping 1-0.

He credits all his coaches growing up for helping him achieve his dream of playing college ball.

“My dad (Curt Copen) was a big one,” he said. “Ever since I was little he’s been coaching me. He’s really played a big part. Zac Carte also helped me a lot. Coach Chad Porter was a really, really big help in getting me noticed and also coaching me through the majority of my high school and middle school career. A lot of people have contributed.”

Contact Jordan Holland at jholland@mariettatimes.com.