Joe Santoro, Switch Pitcher - Carmel Catholic High School, Illinois

Joseph Santoro

Switch pitcher Joe Santoro
photo: Steve Lundy

Carmel Catholic HS, Class of 2016
Mundelein, Illinois

College: committed to Army

Primary Position: LHP/RHP
Secondary Position: OF (left-handed)
Height/Weight: 5-11, 175 lbs
Bats: Left
Throws: Both

Pitches: Fastball, Changeup, Curveball
Velocity: 86-88 mph (2015); 83-84 mph (2014)

Glove: ambidextrous glove that can be used with either hand

Joe Santoro is a rare talent, as he is a smooth pitcher who can pitch with either arm, similar to Ryan Perez, who pitched at Westminster Christian HS. Santoro bats left-handed, pitches and plays outfield. (source: Prep Baseball Report)

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Joe Santoro was listed on the Top Tier 15U Americans roster as playing OF/SHP (switch-handed pitcher).

Prospect Reports:

Prep Baseball Report - Joe Santoro

Dual approach suits Carmel's Santoro

Daily Herald, April 9, 2015

by Patricia Babcock McGraw

You've heard of switch hitters. Santoro is, for lack of a better term, a "switch pitcher." He is ambidextrous and can pitch from both the left and right sides with similar accuracy and velocity.

Hovering between 86 and 88 mph on both sides, the 17-year-old Santoro, a native of Mundelein who recently committed to Army, has been known to switch sides even within the same inning, from one batter to the next.
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Here's a switch: Carmel's Santoro delivers from both sides
Daily Herald, April 10, 2014
by Patricia Babcock McGraw

Most pitching staffs have some right-handers, and some left-handers.

At Carmel, one pitcher fits both descriptions.

Sophomore Joe Santoro is a righty and a lefty, and can switch back-and-forth between the two effortlessly. He is completely ambidextrous, and it's almost uncanny how he is able to replicate his form right down to the smallest detail from one side of the mound to the other.

"I've never seen anyone like Joe," Carmel coach Dann Giesey said. "He's always thrown from both sides. He grew up that way. And what's amazing is that his arm slot is identical on both sides."
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‏2.15.15
On the mound, Santoro has been noted for his unique ability to throw with both hands. He sat 86-87 mph from both sides, touching 88 from the right side. His breaking ball, which he had struggled with in the past, looked crisper, showing more of a slider look, in the 72-74 mph range right-handed, and 69-71 mph left-handed. His changeup is in the 74-76 mph range from both sides. Mechanically, Santoro looks pretty identical from both sides, though may drop-and-drive a little more from the left-side. As fun as it is to watch him throw with both hands, his ability as an outfielder should not be discounted, as he’d be a Division-I prospect regardless of whether or not he pitched.

‏@prepbaseball

IL: LHH OF/switch-pitcher '16 Joe Santoro (Carmel HS) 94 exit velo, 87 from OF; 84 from left side, 83 from right side at Underclass Invite

PBR Future Prospect Showcase Results
March 19, 2012
By Matt Yarber and Sean Duncan

3. Joe Santoro, OF/Pitcher, Sandburg Middle School, Class of 2016
Santoro is a 5-foot-8, 140-pound two-way player who impressed in all facets of the game. The switch-throwing pitcher has a high ¾ arm slot from both sides, left and right. He features a 70-74 mph fastball with run, a 62-64 mph curveball, and a 60-67 mph changeup all from both sides. Defensively, Santoro is a smooth fielding outfielder with excellent footwork and a strong, accurate arm (75 mph). At the plate, Santoro has an easy left-handed swing with a balanced setup. Read more

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Pitchers Glove Rules - Size and Color

What are the rules on a pitchers glove? According to the official baseball rules, a pitchers glove can be up to 12 inches in size , of any weight , and any color except white or gray as long as it is not distracting. The Akadema ABX-00 glove, pictured above, is 12 inches, solid black and is not distracting according to local umpires. Little League Rules Gray glove is not allowed for pitching White glove is not allowed for pitching Little League Rule 1.14: Each fielder, other than the first baseman and the catcher may wear a glove not more than 12 inches long nor more than 7 3/4 inches wide, measured from the base of the thumb crotch to the outer edge of the glove. The glove may be of any weight. Little League Rule 1.15 (a) : The pitcher's glove may not, exclusive of the piping, be white or light gray, nor, in the judgment of an umpire, distracting in any manner. (source: Little League Baseball Rules Regarding Bats and Gloves ) Off

Fastball Velocity - How fast do kids throw?

How fast does a Little League pitcher throw? The average fastball is between 50-60 mph for a pitcher in the Majors division of Little League (11-13 yo). Pitchers in the Little League World Series throw fastballs 60-70+ mph. Only a few pitchers touched 70+ mph in 2015 and 2016. One man-child hit 81 mph on the radar. This velocity is almost unhittable from 46 feet and extremely rare for a 13 year old. #18 RHP Carlos Gonzalez - Panama 79-81 mph fastball 105 mph MLB equivalent reaction time #18 RHP Jaekyeong Kim - South Korea 75-76 mph fastball #19 RHP Ryan Harlost - Mid-Atlantic, Endwell, NY 71-74 mph fastball Threw a complete game to win the 2016 Little League World Series Loreto Siniscalchi , a 6'1" pitcher from Canada, threw in the mid 70s and completely dominated the hitters from Japan. He led Team Canada to its first victory over Japan in 18 years. Big right-hander Isaiah Head from Kentucky threw 70-73 mph fastballs. His record was 3-0, 12 I

Baseball Glove Options for Switch Pitchers

Custom made Mizuno ambidextrous glove Looking for a glove for a switch pitcher? Before spending hundreds of dollars on a custom glove, please think about age of the player and how much time they will spend pitching. Here are glove options for ambidextrous pitchers, based on age: Age 3-5 Kids don't pitch at this age. They should be learning the proper way to throw. Young kids should try catching the ball with two hands. Use tennis balls or foam balls for throwing. Forget about the low quality plastic glove - it's in the landfill within a year. Gloves are awkward for young kids. If they learn two hand catch when they are young and continue with the skill, they will do well fielding balls when they are older. Learning to throw with both arms is easy at this stage. If a child can throw with either hand when they are three-years-old, it doesn't mean that they are talented or ambidextrous - it just means that they are a typical kid. Gloves: Buy a small leath

Switch Pitching 101

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