Skip to main content

Top High School Switch Pitchers 2015

Switch Pitcher Henry Knight, 12:1 strike-to-walk ratio

Ambidextrous Pitchers - Class of 2015

The Class of 2015 has only a handful of switch pitchers, but they are very talented – with the skills to play multiple positions. One ambidextrous fielder has played every position for the varsity team. 

Most of these pitchers are naturally left-handed, but wanted to field other positions when they were young, so they started throwing right-handed. Plus, most ambidextrous players are solid hitters, which is becoming a trademark of this unique group.

Four switch pitchers have signed to play in college. 


One ambidextrous pitcher caught the attention of coaches around the country, but he decided to study computer science at a college without a baseball team. 

Another multi-sport athlete was called to serve on a mission in Cambodia. 

This list highlights the top ambidextrous high school baseball players from the class of 2015. Sorted by last name.

-------------------------------------

Cole Critchfield (2015) - Star Valley High School, Afton, Wyoming

Cole Critchfield is a 6'2" athlete who plays basketball and baseball. In the summer, he plays P, 1B, and OF for the Jackson Giants of the American Legion.  As a natural lefty, he hits left-handed and his primary position is first base. Velocity is 81-85 mph left-handed. 

Critchfield was called to serve in the Cambodia Phnom Penh mission.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tyler Hopman (2015) - Old Bridge, New Jersey


Tyler Hopman
Tyler Hopman is a 6'5" switch pitcher who plays for Old Bridge High School Knights in New Jersey. In an interview, he said that he feels a lot stronger throwing lefty. Velocity is 82 mph left-handed. 

When not pitching, Hopman plays center field right-handed. He bats exclusively from the left side.


College: Kean University, NJ

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kurt Johnson (2015) - Royal High School, Simi Valley, California

Kurt Johnson
Simi Valley, California
Kurt Johnson is a 6'1" ambidextrous thrower who plays 1B and Pitcher. Johnson is listed as a BHP on Perfect Game, with an 80 mph fastball (2013). Threw a no-hitter as a freshman pitching five innings left-handed and the last two right-handed.


College: Sacramento State as a LHP.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Henry Knight (2015) - Franklin High School, Seattle, Washington

Henry Knight is a switch hitter and ambidextrous pitcher who played every position in high school. At 5'8", Knight is a quick infielder with an excellent glove – no errors in two years - who was a starter on varsity for four year.

Knight also serves as a relief pitcher and closer – recording the best strikeout-to-walk ratio (12:1) in the Seattle Metro league. As a student of the game, he combines a mental approach to pitching with Perry Husband's theory of Effective Velocity to throw off the hitter's approach and timing.

As a switch hitter, he posted a 10-game hitting streak with a .640 OBP. In the past 4 years, he hit over .500 in summer ball – swinging a wood bat.

Henry Knight warming up to switch pitch in a summer game
During the summer, Knight played shortstop, second base, catcher and pitcher for the Columbia City Reds in Seattle. He posted a 0.875 ERA as a closer - helping the Reds team to a 3rd place finish in the Mickey Mantle state tournament.

Knight threw 94 strikes over 11 innings in a summer game as the starting switch pitcher. He held the hard-hitting Seattle Select team scoreless over the final nine innings in 90 degree heat.

College: Western Washington University, Computer Science


----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brett Kolacki (2015) - Bremen High School, Midlothian, Illinois

Brett Kolacki
Kolacki is a 6'5" ambidextrous pitcher at Bremen High School.  As a junior, he posted 46 strikeouts in 46.2 IP. He plays OF/INF and bats right-handed. Kolacki is naturally left-handed, but throws about the same speed with both arms. Velocity is 80-83 mph left-handed.

College: Concordia University in Wisconsin



----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zack Santora (2015) - Suffield Academy, Shrewsbury, MA 

Santora is 6'2" right-handed pitcher, who has the ability to throw left-handed. Santora taught himself to throw left-handed after he broke his pitching hand. He uses a custom Mizuno ambidextrous glove for switch pitching.

College: Florida Tech



----------------------------------------------------------------------------

High School Switch Pitchers >>


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

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

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

Angel Macias pitched a perfect game in the 1957 Little League World Series

Angel Macias, ambidextrous pitcher - threw a perfect game in the 1957 Little League World Series Angel Macias, an ambidextrous pitcher from Mexico, threw a perfect game in the 1957 Little League World Series. Macias set down all 18 batters, in six innings, from the  Northern La Mesa Little League to win the  Little League World Series. 1957 Little League World Series Newsreel Stock Footage The Perfect Game Movie   TIME Magazine, Monday, Sept. 02, 1957 Ambidextrous Angel By the time they got to Williamsport, Pa. last week, the barnstorming little ballplayers from Monterrey, Mexico were just about worn out. They had beaten their way across country for a month, had played and won eleven games from Texas to Kentucky. Coach  César  Faz  called on his best pitcher, ambidextrous Angel Macias, a twelve-year-old 88-pounder with a fine assortment of curves and sliders, plus a plain, old-fashioned fast ball under disciplined control. Against Bridgeport, Ang