There is an old adage in baseball that you can never have enough pitching. University of Maine baseball coach Nick Derba has three pitchers among the six players who signed National Letters of Intent to attend UMaine beginning next fall.
They will all be scholarship players.
Hard-throwing righthander Colin Fitzgerald from Lititz, Pennsylvania, and lefties Andrew Chevarie from Leominster, Massachusetts, and Caleb Leys from Middletown, Rhode Island, will be joined in the class by first baseman-outfielder Sebastian Holt from Woodbridge, Connecticut, infielder Myles Sargent from Greenland, New Hampshire, and catcher-first baseman-third baseman Joshua Zambito from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Derba said he is excited about this incoming class and its potential.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Fitzgerald, according to Derba, was one of the most heavily recruited pitchers from the Northeast and could well “make an impact right away.”
Fitzgerald has a live arm and his fastball has already been clocked at 92 miles per hour, Derba said. He also has a good breaking ball and change-up.
He feels Fitzgerald has the ability to be a Major League draft choice.
The 6-foot, 180-pound Leys features a fastball in the mid-80s and also has a breaking ball. Derba said he throws a lot of strikes which makes him a good candidate for the bullpen in 2022.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Chevarie can also throw his fastball in the mid-80s and he has a quality change-up to go with it according to Derba, who said he will help him develop an effective breaking pitch.
The 6-4, 240-pound Zambito and 6-3, 225-pound Holt are each power hitters who will provide the Black Bears with home run threats.
Sargent is a versatile player who can play a number of different positions and can play them all well, Derba said.
Sargent is also a good contact hitter who will work counts and he can run.
The players will join a youthful Black Bear team that will have 15 freshmen in uniform next spring.