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Kristofer Armstrong - Jupiter, Florida

Kristofer Armstrong 
Born: 7-7-1999
Kristofer Armstrong, 15U USA National Team

Jupiter, Florida
The Benjamin School, North Palm Beach, Florida 
Graduates in 2018

 Teams: 
15U USA National Team (2014) 
Palm Beach Rebels 2011-2014

 Height/Weight: 6-3, 185 lbs.
Positions: SS, RHP/LHP
Bats: Both
Throws: Both
Dominant hand: Right

 Velocity: 87 MPH right-handed 
(Perfect Game USA 6/26/2014)

 Kristofer Armstrong is a natural right hander who started throwing lefty when he was nine years old. His dad, a former major leaguer, does private lessons and Kristofer found an extra lefty glove lying around, so he started throwing left-handed. It seemed natural, so he  practiced throwing the ball against the wall and to catchers to practice his ambidextrous skills.

 The Next Pat Venditte?

 Meet the switch pitcher who could be the next Pat Venditte

By Jessica Kleinschmidt

 Baseball family: His dad Jack pitched in the Major Leagues with the Reds, Indians, Marlins and Rangers. His older brother Jack Armstrong, Jr. was a RHP for Vanderbilt University.
The Florida commit and Palm Beach Gardens native says it was a bit of a freak accident how this came about.
"My dad gives private lessons, and he keeps extra gloves around," Armstrong tells MLB.com. "I threw against the wall one day [from the left side] and I don't know why I did it to be honest, maybe to preserve my arm."
The 17-year-old has even switched mid-game in high school. The first half of the game he threw lefty, then he swapped to right during the other half of the game. While some of the players on the opposing team were aware of Armstrong's abilities, the rest weren't sure what to think.

"They were speechless," Armstrong laughed.

Armstrong: Switch Pitcher
  • 08/07/14
  • 01:06
Meet Kristofer Armstrong, the switch pitching, switch hitting member of the 15U National Team.

Kristofer Armstrong Baseball Profile | Perfect Game USA (SS, RHP)
Wed August 13, 2014 

2018 Player Spotlight: Kristofer Armstrong – The Benjamin School. Armstrong has a long frame at 6-foot-3, 185 pound 1B/switch pitcher. A switch hitter, Armstrong has a relatively short swing despite long levers. Armstrong is an ambidextrous pitcher who naturally throws right-handed, but taught himself how to throw left handed. As a RHP, Armstrong sits in the low to mid 80s but can touch 87. His curveball is a good complimentary pitch and sits around 69 mph. As a LHP, his fastball is in the low 80's. Armstrong was selected on the Team USA Baseball 15U National Team. He recently defeated Venezuela pitching 6 innings and striking out 7.

Kristofer Armstrong - Prep Baseball Report (RHP, C)

7/24/14 - Armstrong has a long frame at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds and hits with a crouched stance. He has a relatively short swing despite long levers. On the mound, he sat in the low 80s and showed occasional downhill plane. His curveball had decent shape and sat around 69 mph.
August 8, 2014

 MAZATLAN, Mexico - The USA Baseball 15U National Team faced arguably its toughest test of the WBSC ‘AA' 15U World Cup Thursday night and passed with flying colors as it earned a tough 6-2 win over Venezuela to improve to 7-0. With the win, the U.S. is now the only remaining undefeated team in the tournament and controls its own destiny in its quest to play in Sunday's gold medal game.

Reliever Ryan Vilade (Frisco, Texas) came in for the final two innings to put the finishing touches on another outstanding night for Team USA pitching. Vilade only needed 20 pitches to motor through six outs as he allowed just one hit. His performance was only topped by the dandy performance that U.S. starter Kristofer Armstrong put together in front of a good crowd at Estadio Teodoro Mariscal. The Jupiter, Fla., native only threw 64 pitches in six innings of work, allowing one hit, no runs and no walks while striking out a game-high seven.


 Talented teen bats, pitches from left and right
Thursday, May 16, 2013
By Bill Meredith

Predicting the future of a 13-year-oldis a gamble. Still, to say that Kristofer Armstrong could succeed at a high level in baseball qualifies as an understatement.
Take the bloodlines of the Jupiter resident, a seventh-grader at Independence Middle School. His 48-old father and coach, Jack Armstrong, was a 6-foot-5, 220-pound Major League Baseball pitcher for seven seasons.

Northwood's Oldham hits winning RBI in USA Baseball exhibition

Jul 22, 2014
Just 12 hours after finishing the first exhibition game of trials week Monday night, 40 15U players looking to make the USA Baseball national team trotted out on the diamond at Durham Bulls Athletic Park Tuesday morning for exhibition two. 

On the red side, Kristofer Armstrong (Jupiter, Fla.) and Jordon Adell (Louisville, Ky.) each hurled two no-hit innings with Armstrong nearly matching Vilade’s pitch count with just 20 pitches thrown to record six outs.


 ....
About Kristofer Armstrong's father

A personal trainer and private pitching instructor by trade, Jack Armstrong finished 40-65 as a big-league pitcher. Armstrong had a seven-year career as a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher for the Reds, Indians, Marlins and Rangers. 

 Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1st round of the 1987 MLB amateur draft, Armstrong made his big-league debut on June 21, 1988. 

Jack Armstrong is a Red-Hot Longshot, LA Times, May 31, 1990


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