Elite company: Waynesburg alum Switalski competes with College National Team
Tyler Switalski, a Waynesburg Central graduate, recently competed for USA Baseball蘑菇视频 Collegiate National Team. Switalski will be entering his junior year at Gardner-Webb. (Photo courtesy of Garner-Webb University)
Gardner-Webb University
Gardner-Webb University
Tyler Switalski, a Waynesburg Central graduate, recently competed for USA Baseball蘑菇视频 Collegiate National Team. Switalski will be entering his junior year at Gardner-Webb.
Tyler Switalski
Former Waynesburg Central and current Gardner-Webb University pitcher Tyler Switalski was selected to compete with USA Baseball蘑菇视频 Collegiate National Team.
Switalski was in Cary, N.C., June 25-28 for a four-game intrasquad series. He was one of only 56 non-draft-eligible college baseball players to be selected to compete and the first Gardner-Webb player to ever be selected.
Switalski noted his excitement for the opportunity and thankfulness towards his college coaches who helped him get there.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 an amazing honor to be invited to Cary. Coach (Jim) Chester has been a major help in getting me this opportunity and I could never thank him enough for it,鈥� said Switalski. 鈥淕ardner-Webb has produced a lot of great baseball players and it is so surreal to be the first one to get the opportunity.鈥�
Gardner-Webb immediately checked all of Switalski蘑菇视频 boxes going into his freshman year in 2022.
鈥淲hen going through the recruitment process I had a couple things that were priorities to me and they were going south, getting playing time early in my career, and having a good academic program in my major,鈥� he said.
The wish of getting playing time early in his career held true when Switalski earned the No. 2 starter position as a freshman. He posted a 5-5 record paired with a 4.13 ERA, which was low enough to be ranked in the top 10 among Big South Conference starters.
During his 2023 sophomore season, Switalski broke out in a big way. The southpaw again served as the No. 2 starter for the Runnin鈥� Bulldogs and posted an 8-5 record with a 5.60 ERA through 80 1/3 innings.
For his efforts, he was named the Big South Starting Pitcher of the Week twice and made second team All-Big South. His 80 strikeouts were enough to rank within the top 150 of all Division I baseball pitchers.
Switalski was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school, as he was named one of the top 500 high school players by Perfect Game. He had an impressive 0.00 ERA and a .364 batting average during his sophomore year of high school.
鈥淭he transition from high school baseball to college has been great. It蘑菇视频 cool being able to play with guys that have the same aspirations as me that push me every day,鈥� said Switalski.
Gardner-Webb finished its 2023 season fourth place in the Big South at 31-25.
When asked about his goals at Gardner-Webb and beyond, Switalski put emphasis on the difference between his short-term and long-term goals.
鈥淢y ultimate goal moving forward is, short term, to play at my best and be a good teammate while achieving in the classroom to get a degree in marketing with a minor in sports management. My long-term goal is, and always has been, to be drafted and play professionally.鈥�
Switalski noted that his hard work and emphasis on his craft is the driving factor in his continued growth.
鈥淚 truly believe that the best has always been in front of me and I look forward to battling the obstacles in the way. I will continue to focus on the games ahead.鈥�