Switch Pitching 101

Has there ever been a switch pitcher in college baseball? Yes, a few switch pitchers have thrown in college. The best know switch pitcher is Pat Venditte , who was a walk-on pitcher at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. After a successful college career, Venditte was drafted as a pitcher by the New York Yankees. Now, he is a relief switch pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. In 1990, Lou Pavolich, editor of Collegiate Baseball News , said he could remember only two players in the last 20 years who have pitched from both sides in college. `` It's so unusual, it's virtually unheard of .'' In the last decade, there have been about ten college pitchers who could throw well from both sides. A few switch pitchers played for Division I colleges. Two successful ambidextrous pitchers played for Harvard University. Switch pitchers are smart and do well in school. The best ambidextrous pitchers where drafted out of high school and are fielding positions in the mino...