Jesse Tuozzo, ambidextrous pitcher

Jesse Tuozzo
Born: 05/13/1994
Hometown: Wantagh, NY
High School: MacArthur HS 2012
Team: MacArthur Generals, Levittown, NY

Height/Weight: 5' 8", 175 lb.
Positions: P, IF
Bats: Right
Throws: Both (ambidextrous); right hand dominant

Pitches: fastball, changeup, knuckle drop
Velocity: 90+ mph right-handed
Glove: six-finger ambidextrous glove by Louisville Slugger

Reason for switch pitching
It's not stated why Jesse Tuozzo started throwing with his left hand, but it might be due to injury to his dominant throwing arm. A news story says that "Tuozzo missed a year of baseball because of elbow tendinitis in his right arm." Around that time, there were news stories featuring Pat Venditte, the minor league switch pitcher, which might have inspired him to start pitching with both arms. In 2008, Tuozzo posted a few YouTube videos when he was learning to throw left-handed.

Following rehab with his right arm, Tuozzo was able to throw the ball with more velocity. In 2011, Perfect Game USA recorded Jesse Tuozzo's velocity at 89 mph, right-handed, which is amazing for a 5'8" high school pitcher. His wind up looks a lot like Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.

On the DL in 2012
In 2012, senior Jesse Tuozzo, last year's Diamond Award winner as Nassau's top pitcher, was sidelined with a shoulder injury. Tuozzo had surgery in March to repair his labrum and according to coach Steve Costello is on the mend. (source: msgvarsity.com)

Tuozoo fans 18 for MacArthur
MacArthur junior Jesse Tuozzo struck out a career-high and school-record 18 batters while giving up just one hit in a 4-1 win over Port Washington in a Nassau Conference AA-II baseball game Friday.

MacArthur Generals Player of the Week (2011)

Jesse Tuozzo had a monster week for the Generals both at the plate and on the mound. Jesse batted .556 with 5 RBI'S, 1 run scored and an .636 on base percentage. On the mound Tuozzo was spectacular recording a MacArthur record 18 K's in a win against Port Washington including 4 K's in the first innings and 10 consecutive K's to end the game improving his season record to 3-0.

MacArthur's Tuozzo wins pitcher award
By Laura Albanese, Newsday.com June 16, 2011

Now a junior, Tuozzo, pitched to a 7-1 record. In 47 innings, he allowed 11 runs, only five earned. He gave up 22 hits and struck out 94 batters – that's exactly two an inning, for those keeping track. His fastball has climbed up to the low 90s; he tops out at 93. It's not even his best pitch.

He has a changeup, which he uses to set up his fastball, and a knuckle drop. That one's the ticket. "It's my strikeout pitch," Tuozzo said. "I'm comfortable with it. I can throw it first pitch, I can throw it 3-2."

Or, as Costello put it: "It's pretty much impossible to hit for a high schooler. It's almost unfair."

Jesse Tuozzo Switch Pitching Videos

Learning to throw lefty in 2008

Practicing switch pitching - June 2008

Jesse Tuozzo working on lefty - July 2008

Bullpen pitching right-handed - looks like Mariano Rivera, Jan 2009

Pitching lefty to lefty in a scrimmage - March 2012

Jesse Tuozzo Baseball Profile | Perfect Game USA

Jesse Tuozzo - MacArthur Baseball Stats 2011

7-1 record; 0.74 ERA, 94 K, 28 BB in 47 innings

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 ...

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 recor...

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 smal...

Switch Pitching 101

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