Get to Know the 2020 Pitt Baseball Roster

The 2020 Pitt baseball roster is filled with young and talented athletes. Get to know the players that make up this year’s team.

Introduction

Get to know the 2020 Pitt baseball roster with this quick introduction to each player!

Pitching Staff

The 2020 Pitt baseball team has a strong pitching staff, led by senior right-hander Jared Horn. The staff also includes left-hander Sam Mervis, who was named ACC Pitcher of the Year in 2019, and right-hander Toby Bleich, who was named a third-team All-American by Baseball America

Infielders

The 2020 Pitt Baseball roster is loaded with talent, especially in the infield. The Panthers have a mix of experience and youth at every position, and each player brings something special to the team. Here’s a closer look at the infielders:

First baseman Nico Popa is a senior who has been with the team for four years. He’s a power hitter who can also lay down a bunt when necessary. Second baseman Matt Hanley is a junior who is known for his speed and his ability to hit for average. Shortstop Frank Maldonado is a sophomore who has great range and a strong arm. Third baseman Connor Bright is a freshman who is still adjusting to college baseball but has shown a lot of potential.

The Panthers have one of the best infields in the country and they will be looking to make some noise in the 2020 season.

Outfielders

The Pittsburgh Panthers Baseball Team will have a new look in the outfield this season with the departure of 2019 seniors Alex Moran and Jared Olben. The team will rely on a mix of experience and youth in the outfield in 2020.

The most experienced outfielder is senior Youssif Hemida who is entering his fourth season with the Panthers. hemida has played in 108 career games, starting 97 of them. He has a career batting average of .274 with 12 home runs and 62 RBIs. Hemida is expected to be one of the leaders of the team both on and off the field in 2020.

Another key contributor in the outfield will be junior Jordan Butcher who is entering his third season with the team. Butcher has played in 80 career games, starting 58 of them. He has a career batting average of .257 with four home runs and 32 RBIs. Butcher provides a good power threat in the middle of the lineup and is also solid defensively.

Sophomores Elijah Dunham and Conor Stratton are expected to see increased playing time in 2020 after limited roles as freshmen last season. Dunham played in 22 games, starting 11 of them, while Stratton played in 17 games, starting eight. Both players will be looking to build on their freshman seasons and establish themselves as key contributors for the Panthers this year.

Catchers

The Panthers have a few experienced catchers on the roster this season. Seniors Daniel Wilson and Charles Leblanc have both seen time behind the plate in their college careers, and they’ll be joined by redshirt junior Connor Perry. All three bring a different skill set to the position.

Wilson is the primary backstop for the Panthers. The local product from Hempfield Area High School is a strong defender with a good arm. He doesn’t have much power at the plate, but he hit .275 last season and has a career .360 on-base percentage

Leblanc is the power hitter of the group. The Montreal native came to Pitt as a first baseman, but he’s made the switch to catcher full-time this season. In limited duty last year, he slugged .500 in 12 at-bats.

Perry missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery but he’s back and healthy this year. He provides a nice boost to the offense with his left-handed bat. In 2017, he hit .288 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in 39 games.

Utility Players

Utility players are a staple of baseball rosters, and the 2020 Pitt baseball team is no exception. These versatile athletes are adept at playing multiple positions on the field, and they often see time at both offensive and defensive positions during the course of a game.

The 2020 Pitt Baseball Roster features several talented utility players who are sure to make an impact on the team this season. Here is a look at some of the utility players who will be donning the panther uniform this year.

Newcomers

The 2020 Pitt Baseball Roster is loaded with talent, including several newcomers who are sure to make an impact. Here’s a look at some of the top new faces on the team:

OF/1B Jared Oliva: A transfer from Oregon State Oliva is a versatile player who can contribute both offensively and defensively. He’s expected to be one of the top hitters in the lineup and will be a key player for the Panthers in 2020.

RHP Daniel Bakst: Another transfer, Bakst comes to Pitt from Temple. He’s a hard-throwing right-hander who will add depth to the pitching staff.

INF/OF Matt O’Neill: O’Neill is a local product from Shaler Area high school He’s a talented hitter with good power and should see time both in the infield and outfield in 2020.

Key Departures

-LHP Proietti (Graduated)
-RHP Kulik (Graduated)
-1B Hlavac (Transferred)
-OF Benerakis (Transferred)
-RHP Teyssier (Transferred)
Key Additions:
-INF/OF VRANOVIC (Freshman)
-RHP KEENAN (Freshman)
-C WALSH (Freshman)

2019 Season Recap

The 2020 Pitt baseball team is looking to build on the success of last season. The Panthers finished the 2019 campaign with a 29-25 overall record and a 13-11 mark in ACC play. Pitt peaked at No. 25 in the national polls and reached as high as second place in the Conference Standings The team’s success was fueled by a strong pitching staff that posted a school-record 3.22 ERA and held opponents to a .234 batting average which was also a program best. The Panthers also set school records for strikeouts (491) and fewest walks allowed (161). Offensively, Pitt was led by senior first baseman Bren Spillane, who was named ACC Player of the Year after hitting .358 with 19 Home Runs and 55 RBIs.

2020 Season Outlook

The 2020 Pitt baseball roster is loaded with talent and experience. The Panthers are coming off a successful 2019 campaign in which they went 37-20 overall and 15-9 in the ACC. They finished the season ranked No. 18 in the country and made it to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016.

This year, Pitt is looking to build on that success and make a run at an ACC Championship. The Panthers have a deep and experienced roster that should give them a chance to compete with anyone in the country. Here’s a closer look at the 2020 Pitt Baseball Team

Pitchers
The Panthers have a deep and experienced pitching staff that should be one of the best in the country. Senior right-hander T.J Zeuch is the ace of the staff and he’s coming off a First Team All-ACC campaign in which he went 9-3 with a 3.30 ERA. Zeuch will be joined in the rotation by junior right-hander Matt Eckelman, who was also First Team All-ACC last year after going 8-4 with a 3.27 ERA.

The Panthers also have a number of talented arms out of the bullpen, led by senior left-hander Sam Mersing and junior right-hander Seth Kline. Mersing was Second Team All-ACC last year after posting a 2.45 ERA in 37 relief appearances, while Kline was Third Team All-ACC after recording 12 saves and a 2.28 ERA in 27 relief appearances.

Infielders
The Panthers have an experienced infield that features three seniors and two juniors. First baseman Connor Perry is coming off a stellar 2019 season in which he hit .333/.413/.542 with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs while also being named First Team All-ACC. He’ll be joined by second baseman Dylan Wolsonovich (.284/.347/.392), third baseman Youssif Hemida (.244/.367/.397), shortstop Nico Popa (.257/.311/.420) and utility player Alex Goodman (.227/.351/.284).

Outfielders