University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt Baseball Announces Fall Roster, 2024 Recruiting Class
9/12/2024 10:00:00 AM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH – The Pitt baseball program and head coach Mike Bell announced their 2024 fall roster and recruiting class on Thursday morning.
The program welcomed 22 newcomers to campus this past month, consisting of 16 transfers and six freshmen. 64Analytics ranked Pitt's transfer portal recruiting class as top 20 in the entire country.
"As we continue to graduate student athletes at a high succession rate and provide opportunities for professional baseball, we have continued to maximize our recruiting efforts not only in the high school ranks, but also maximizing the junior college and transfer portal ranks as well." head coach Mike Bell said. "It allows us to continue to compete for championships at the highest level."
Pitt's 22 newcomers listed alphabetically are: Sam Bryan, Lorenzo Carrier, Jackson Cooke, Noah Czajkowski,Antonio Doganiero, Logan Duffy, Caden Dulin, Andrew Gaines, Patrick Gardner, Julian Irizarry, Drew Lafferty,Daniel McAuliff, Gavin Miller, AJ Nessler, David Pedanou, Andy Perez, Antonio "TJ" Socarras, Derrick Tarpley Jr., Isaac Terhune, Drew Turner, Isaac Upole, and Dylan Venturini.
The Panthers are also returning 16 student-athletes from last year's ACC Tournament squad. Pitt is returning 3/4's of their starting infield in 1B Luke Cantwell, SS Jake Kendro and 3B Ryan Zuckerman, their starting catcher Jayden Melendez, their Sunday starting pitcher Ryan Reed, and their main midweek starting pitcher, Aidan Coleman.
"We couldn't be prouder of the efforts from our entire staff to put together a top 20 transfer portal recruiting class, as well as retaining some of our current student-athletes, allowing them to continue to build on their successes on the diamond." Bell finished. "We are extremely excited about this group, and we are looking forward to a challenging 2025 season."
Fall Roster by the Numbers
16 Returners
16 Transfers
6 Freshmen
Newcomer Profiles:
Sam Bryan
Position: RHP
B/T: R/R
Class: R-Junior
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
High School (Previous School): Kirkwood (Parkland Community College)
The Bryan File: Spent the past two seasons at Division II Parkland College … Made five starts over 13 appearances and earned eight wins as a redshirt sophomore last year … Struck out 83 batters over 59.0 innings in 2024 while he maintained a 4.12 ERA … Appeared in nine games and made six starts in 2023 … Was 4-1 and collected 41 strikeouts in 24.0 innings … Was a three-year letter winner at Kirkwood High School … Ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 5 RHP and No. 12 overall player in Missouri coming out of high school.
Lorenzo Carrier
Position: OF
B/T: R/R
Class: R-Junior
Hometown: Bear, DE
High School (Previous School): Appoquinimink (Miami)
The Carrier File: Spent his last three seasons at Miami where he played in 95 games and made 75 starts for the Hurricanes … Made 43 starts as a redshirt sophomore in 2024 where he set career highs for total bases (62), hits (34), doubles (13), home runs (5) and on-base percentage (.376) in a season … Started in 19 of his 32 games played in 2023, hitting .253 with a .846 OPS, 20 RBI, 14 runs scored, four home runs and four doubles … Had a .941 OPS while batting .250 (9-36) with two home runs and nine RBI as a true freshman in 2022 … Was a two-time Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year in high school … Led Appoquinimink to a state title as a sophomore in 2019.
Jackson Cooke
Position: C/1B
B/T: R/R
Class: Junior
Hometown: Edina, MN
High School (Previous School): Edina (UT Martin)
The Cooke File: Appeared in 32 games and made 21 starts over his two years at UT Martin … Collected 16 hits, 11 runs scored, nine RBI, two home runs and two doubles as a Skyhawk … Hit .289 as a sophomore with a .821 OPS in 45 at bats … Attended Edina High School where he played for head coach Tom Nevers…Was ranked as the fifth-best catcher and 36th overall prospect in the state of Minnesota by Perfect Game for his class…Hailed as a Perfect Game Preseason All-American heading into his senior campaign.
Noah Czajkowski
Position: RHP
B/T: R/R
Class: Junior
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
High School (Previous School): Norwin (St. Bonaventure)
The Czajkowski File: Spent his last two seasons at St. Bonaventure … Made 10 starts, appeared in 15 games and led the team in wins (4) as a sophomore in 2024 … Threw 53.1 innings last year and was second on the team in strikeouts with 48 … Appeared in 12 games and threw 17.1 innings as a true freshman in 2023 … Earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team and A-10 All-Academic Team honors in 2024 … Attended local Norwin High School where he was teammates with Jake Kendro.
Antonio Doganiero
Position: LHP
B/T: L/L
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Conyngham, PA
High School: Hazelton Area
The Doganiero File: Pitched three years at the varsity level for Hazelton Area High School … Won the District 2-4 Class 6A Title as a senior, tossed 5.2 shutout innings and earned the win in the championship game … threw a six-strikeout complete game shutout in the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinal round … Was 2-1 in eight appearances and a 1.80 ERA as a junior … Earned three wins with 17 strikeouts over three scoreless appearances during his sophomore season.
Logan Duffy
Position: OF
B/T: L/R
Class: R-Sophomore
Hometown: Manchester, NJ
High School (Previous School): Manchester Township (McLennan CC)
The Duffy File: Played in four games for McLennan Community College prior to a season-ending injury in 2024 … Went 2-6 with a double, an RBI and a walk for the Highlanders … Spent his freshman year at Old Dominion where he tallied 24 total bases, two doubles, one home run and five RBI in 26 games … Played at Manchester Township High School where he earned second team all-state honors and won state championships in both baseball and soccer … Was named to the Shore Conference all-conference baseball team and helped Manchester Township win a sectional title.
Caden Dulin
Position: INF
B/T: R/R
Class: Junior
Hometown: Williamstown, NJ
High School (Previous School): Williamstown (Rowan College South Jersey CC)
The Dulin File: Named World Series Tournament MVP as he led the Rowan College South Jersey Roadrunners to a 2024 Division III National Championship … Hit .496 with 98 RBI and a 1.317 OPS last season … Collected 111 hits, 30 doubles, eight home runs, one triple and 97 runs scored … Started and played in 23 games as a true freshman at Bryant University in 2023 … Hit .280 with seven doubles, two home runs, 11 RBI and 14 runs scored … Played three years at Williamstown High School where he had nine doubles, two triples, four home runs and 30 RBI during his junior year and had two home runs and 17 RBI as a senior.
Andrew Gaines
Position: RHP
B/T: R/R
Class: Junior
Hometown: Marlton, NJ
High School (Previous School): St. Augustine Prep (Iona)
The Gaines File: Made 23 appearances over 31.1 innings in his two years at Iona … Earned two wins and struck out 27 batters on 13 appearances as a sophomore and was a MAAC All-Academic Team selection in 2024 … Played high school ball at St. Augustine Prep in New Jersey … Was the 10th ranked RHP and 39th overall in the state of New Jersey.
Patrick Gardner
Position: LHP
B/T: L/L
Class: Senior
Hometown: Staten Island, NY
High School (Previous School): Monsignor Farrell (FDU)
The Gardner File: Earned first team All-NEC and first team ABCA/Rawlings All-Region honors at FDU in 2024 … Spent the past two seasons at FDU after transferring from the College of Staten Island … Had a 11-3 record with a 3.47 ERA over 35 appearances and 15 starts in his two years at Fairleigh Dickinson … Earned a career high eight wins in 14 starts over 86 innings pitched in 2024, striking out 93 batters while maintaining a 3.14 ERA … Finished with a 3-1 record in 36 innings pitched over 19 appearances as a sophomore at FDU in 2023 … Started in six of his eight appearances on the mound for the Staten Island Dolphins in 2022, striking out 31 batters in 29.1 innings.
Julian Irizarry
Position: OF
B/T: L/R
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Pembroke Pines, FL
High School: Westminster Academy
The Irizarry File: Played four years at the varsity level for Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale, FL … Became Westminster Academy's all-time leader in hits, tallying 125 career hits throughout his high school career … Named to the Sun Sentinel Broward All-County First Team three years in a row … Two consecutive HSBN 2A-15 All-District Player of the Year honors … Hit .385 with a 1.102 OPS, three home runs and 23 RBI as a senior.
Drew Lafferty
Position: RHP
B/T: R/R
Class: R-Sophomore
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
High School (Previous School): South Park (Kentucky)
The Lafferty File: Made eight midweek starts as a redshirt freshman at Kentucky in 2024 … Owned a 1-1 record and struck out 17 batters over 21.0 innings pitched … Starred in baseball and football at local South Park High School for two years after spending his first two years of high school at Seton La Salle … Was a three-time First Team All-WPIAL honoree and was the WPIAL Player of the Year as a senior in 2022 … Helped his team win WPIAL titles in 2019, 2020 and 2022, were runners up in 2021 … Rated as the No. 183 overall player in his class by Prep Baseball Report … Named the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Class 3A Player of the Year in 2022 … Had a 1.57 ERA with 103 strikeouts in 62.1 innings while also batting .492 in his two years at South Park.
Daniel McAuliff
Position: RHP
B/T: R/R
Class: R-Junior
Hometown: Miami, FL
High School (Previous School): Gulliver Prep (FIU)
The McAuliff File: Spent two years at FIU … Appeared in 20 games and made three starts as a redshirt freshman in 2023 … Threw 36.1 innings while striking out 30 batters … Was named to the 2023 CSC Academic All-District Team with a 3.77 GPA … Freshman teammates with Jayden Melendez at FIU in 2022 … Played high school ball at Gulliver Prep in Miami.
Gavin Miller
Position: INF
B/T: R/R
Class: Junior
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
High School (Previous School): West Allegheny (Auburn)
The Miller File: Spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Auburn … Hit .279 and made 19 starts in 40 games played in his time as a Tiger where he collected 24 hits, 17 runs scored, 11 RBI, 7 doubles and three home runs … attended local West Allegheny High School … was rated the No. 6 player in Pennsylvania and No. 1 third baseman in the state …Hit .300 in parts of his five seasons on the Perfect Game circuit … Helped West Allegheny win a WPIAL championship as a senior in 2022 … Named to Beaver County Times All-Decade Team.
Position: OF
B/T: L/R
Class: Junior
Hometown: Tampa, FL
High School (Previous School): Tampa Jesuit (UCF)
The Nessler File: Returns to Pitt after spending his sophomore season at UCF
2024 (UCF): Played in 36 games and made 19 starts … Slashed .276/.375/.408 with 17 runs scored, 12 RBI and seven extra-base hits … Collected five multiple-hit games and three multiple-RBI games … Recorded both a nine-game reached base streak and an eight-game hitting streak.
2023 (Pitt): Played and started in 27 games as a true freshman prior to a season-ending injury … Hit .293, with 28 RBI, four doubles, three triples, two home runs, and scored 11 runs … Hit his first collegiate home run, a two-run shot vs Maine (2/18), in his second collegiate game … Went 2-3 with a two-run single at Stetson (3/5) … Launched a three-run home run in win vs Kent State (3/22) … Went 3-5 with a double and an RBI triple at Duke (4/1).
Prior to Pitt: Finished his prep career at Tampa Jesuit as a .433 hitter with a .320 OBP, 56 hits, 49 RBI, seven home runs and 41 runs scored … Served as team captain as a senior in 2022, guiding team to a state title after hitting .420 with a .333 OBP, 33 hits, 31 RBI and five home runs … High school team was ranked No. 1 in the country by Max Preps in 2021 and Perfect Game in '20 … Member of 2019 Tampa Jesuit squad that won a state title … Florida Region Second Team selection by Perfect Game … Perfect Game Preseason All-American.
David Pedanou
Position: OF/INF
B/T: R/R
Class: Senior
Hometown: Worcester, MA
High School (Previous School): Doherty Memorial (Dayton)
The Pedanou File: Spent the previous three years at Dayton where he played in over 100 games and made 74 starts, splitting time between the infield and outfield … Hit .310 and slugged .472 with 94 hits, 81 runs scored, 43 RBI and 19 doubles in his three seasons with the Flyers … Started in all 50 games he played in last year and was a first team all-conference honoree … Led the Atlantic 10 in stolen bases last year with 33 and became just the second Flyer ever to steal 30 or more bases in a season … Was the No. 27 ranked shortstop in Massachusetts coming out of high school (Doherty Memorial).
Andy Perez
Position: INF/C
B/T: R/R
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Orange City, FL
High School: Lake Mary
The Perez File: Played three years at the varsity level at Lake Mary High School in Seminole County, FL … Hit .425 with 34 hits, 16 RBI, 12 doubles and 36 runs scored while also swiping 30 bags during his senior season … Was named to the Orlando Sentinel all-area baseball team … Helped win the Class 7A-2 baseball title his junior year … Hit .357 with 25 hits, 13 RBI, seven doubles, one triple and one home run as a junior.
Antonio "TJ" Socarras
Position: INF/RHP
B/T: R/R
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, FL
High School: Doral Academy
The Socarras File: Attended Doral Academy High School in Miami, FL … Ranked by Perfect game as the No. 15 overall shortstop and No. 64 overall player in the state of Florida … Also rated as the No. 81 overall shortstop in the country by Perfect Game.
Derrick Tarpley Jr.
Position: OF
B/T: R/R
Class: R-Freshman
Hometown: Brownsville, PA
High School (Previous School): Brownsville Area (YSU)
The Tarpley Jr. File: Was the 2024 Preseason Horizon League Freshman of the Year at Youngstown State … Started in all 16 of the games he played in as a freshman prior to injury … Hit .328 with 19 hits, five doubles, two home runs and 11 RBI in 2024 … Was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 18th round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of high school … Was a three-sport athlete at Brownsville Area High School where he also played basketball and soccer… Three-time All-County and three-time All-Section honoree … Played travel ball for Pittsburgh Hardball Academy.
Isaac Terhune
Position: C
B/T: R/R
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Georgetown, DE
High School (Previous School): Cape Henlopen
The Terhune File: Attended Cape Henlopen High School in Delaware … Helped the Vikings win a DIAA State Championship as a sophomore in 2022 … Played for the Richmond Braves National Baseball Club which is seen as one of the most storied and successful college baseball development programs in the country.
Drew Turner
Position: RHP
B/T: R/R
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Downingtown, PA
High School: Downingtown West Campus
The Turner File: Was named the Downingtown West High School Pitcher of the Year in back-to-back seasons to end his high school career … Struck out 72 batters in 38.2 innings pitched with a 1.09 ERA during the regular season of his senior year … Earned three wins and struck out 73 hitters over 11 appearances as a junior.
Isaac Upole
Position: LHP
B/T: L/L
Class: R-Sophomore
Hometown: Oakland, MD
High School (Previous School): Southern Garrett (Florida SouthWestern State College)
The Upole File: Appeared in four games last season and made two starts at Florida SouthWestern State College … Struck out eight batters over 7.2 innings pitched and earned a save in 2024 …Made 11 starts over 16 appearances as a true freshman in 2023 … Logged 44.2 innings and went 4-1 with a 5.04 ERA … Earned NJCAA All-Academic Third Team, FCSAA Academic All-State and Southern Conference All-Academic Team honors in 2023 … Was a three-time all-area honoree and four-year starter at Southern Garrett High School in Oakland, MD … Was the area Player of the Year in basketball as a senior.
Dylan Venturini
Position: RHP
B/T: R/R
Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
High School (Previous School): Cimarron-Memorial (College of Southern Nevada)
The Venturini File: Was a two-way player as a freshman at Southern Nevada in 2024, helping the Coyotes secure a trip to the JUCO World Series … Earned four saves and three wins in 24 appearances on the mound … Hit .405 and slugged .676 with 15 hits, four doubles, two home runs and 16 RBI at the plate … Ranked as the No. 7 shortstop and No. 29 overall player in the state of Nevada by Perfect Game in high school.
