On Sunday, March 29 the Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout tour rolled through Pittsburgh, with a stop at the Burkett Sports Complex.

2016 RHP Jacob Pilarski

The best fastball of the day was turned in by 2016 Jacob Pilarski (Fox Chapel Area HS – Pittsburgh, PA) at 88 mph. A 6-foot-1 190 pound right-hander, Pilarski threw a high volume of strikes with all three of his pitches during his bullpen session. His breaking ball had 11-to-5 shape with some depth into the low 70s, while his change was thrown with fastball arm speed and had some tailing arm side life in the low-to-mid 70s. He stayed on top of all of his pitches to generate downward plane, and did a good job of finishing his pitches out front.

2017 RHP/SS Cade Negley

2017 RHP/SS Cade Negley (Butler HS – Butler, PA) posted an 85 mph fastball, along with 85 mph bat exit velocity. His fastball was consistently in the zone at 82-85 mph, and had some arm side run. He also showed good feel for his upper 60s breaking ball and his low 70s change, giving him a usable three-pitch mix.

Negley stands 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds with an athletic build, and has two-way potential. His defensive actions were good in the infield, and he hit from a balanced approach and showed the ability to make hard contact to all fields. His 85 mph bat exit velocity was easily the best of the day.

Other top fastballs included 2016 RHP Matthew Monko (Chestnut Ridge HS – New Paris, PA) and 2016 RHP Robert Hernandez (Bedford HS – Bedford, PA) at 81 mph, along with 2016 RHP/2B Michael Boswell (Riverside Beaver County HS – Beaver Falls, PA) at 82 mph.

At 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds with a strong build, Michael Boswell has potential for a left-handed hit/power combination. He maintained a strong connection to the ground, and applied it through contact. He appears destined for a corner position, but he has the offensive upside necessary to fit a corner profile.

At 85 mph in the raw velocity category was 2019 C Vince Mastrangelo (Beaver HS – Beaver, PA). One of the youngest players in attendance, Mastrangelo also showed among the better pop times, with a low of 2.19.

Other top raw velocities were posted by 2017 OF/C Joshua Kieffer (Fox Chapel Area HS – Cheswick, PA) at 83 mph, and 2016 3B Corey Fogle (Connellsville Area HS – Connellsville, PA) at 82 mph — who also posted 89 mph bat exit velocity.

The lowest pop time of the day came from 2017 C Jake Cherry (Northern Bedford HS – New Enterprise, PA). Cherry posted a low time of 2.06, a full tenth of a second ahead of his nearest competitor. 2017 C Michael Haley — a left-handed hitter from Franklin Regional HS and Murrysville, PA — posted 2.16 and showed the makings of a solid hit tool.

Matt Gibson

The most impressive numbers we saw came in the form of bat exit velocity. Two players touched 89 mph, just one tick short of 2017 SS Matt Gibson (New Castle HS – New Castle, PA) at 90 mph. Not surprisngly, Gibson received high marks for raw power — but he also showed a quick first step with an accurate arm in the infield, giving him a chance to develop into an interesting all around player as he matures.

Though he’s only a 2018 graduate, 3B/OF Riley Fisher (Highland HS – Hinckley, OH) stands at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds. He generated 89 mph bat exit velocity, and showed versatile defensive ability — earning solid marks for defensive ability at both 3B and in the OF. Fisher was joined at 89 mph bat exit velocity by the aforementioned 2016 3B Corey Fogle.

2017 SS Anthony Ruggieri (North Hills HS – Pittsburgh, PA) has a chance to develop into a fine left-handed hitting middle infielder. He hit from a balanced approach, and generated bat speed from a coordinated move through the ball. He stands 6-foot and 160, posted respectable run times, and showed solid fielding ability and arm strength — giving him a well-rounded set of tools to build on.

The Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout Tour is rolling through all 50 states. Tryouts are held for players ages 12-14 and 14-18. Don’t miss your opportunity to Be Discovered.

Find an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout near you and register online or call (800) 641-4487.