Pitt Announces Fall Roster and 2025 Recruiting Class
9/8/2025 3:20:00 PM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH – The Pitt baseball program and head coach Mike Bell announced their 2025 recruiting class and fall roster on Monday afternoon.
Pitt welcomed 21 newcomers to campus this past month. 64Analytics ranked the Panthers' recruiting class as the fifth-best in the ACC.
"I extremely excited about the depth, the balance and the variety this group brings to our program," Mike Bell said. "We addressed some needs, and in today's recruiting landscape, it allows you to address those needs immediately."
Pitt's newcomers listed alphabetically are as follows: Ryan Apaliski, Ben Asmussen, Joey Baran, Nolan Behm, Freddy Beruvides Jr., Joey Ciancimino, Carter Dierdorf, Trey Fenderson, Mikey Gray, Jordan Jacob, Chase Kriebel, David Leslie, Mason Ligenza, Andrew Luczak, Aidan Mcaskie, Brandon Reiter, Michael Savarese, Eddie Smink, Vincent Spizzuocco, Kai Wagner and Zach Walsh.
"This class has a great balance of some high-end potential talents with a combination of older, proven pieces. Continuing to see our efforts being nationally recognized, along with having the highest drafted prospect in Pitt baseball's history, provides a bright future for the program."
The Panthers return 19 student-athletes from the 2025 squad. Key Pitt outfielders AJ Nessler, Derrick Tarpley Jr., Lorenzo Carrier and Julian Irizarry are all back. The duo of Caden Dulin and Jake Kendro return up the middle, along with their backstop Sebastian Pisacreta, Sunday starting pitcher Drew Lafferty and a number of key bullpen arms.
Recruiting Class Highlights
- 2025 NJCAA Division-II Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-American – Michael Savarese
- 2025 Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Aidan Mcaskie
- 2025 Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year – Freddy Beruvides Jr.
- 2025 Division-III All-American – David Leslie
- 2025 MLB Draft 6th Round Pick – Mason Ligenza (Los Angeles Dodgers)
- 2025 Second Team All-Big South – Trey Fenderson
- 2025 All-Summit League Honorable Mention – Kai Wagner
- 2025 CAA Preseason Pitcher of the Year – Eddie Smink
- Top-Ranked Player in Canada (Perfect Game) – Jordan Jacob
Fall Roster Breakdown
- 21 newcomers
- 19 returners
- 6 graduate students
- 5 true freshmen
Newcomer Profiles
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA | Position: LHP | B/T: L/L | Class: Junior
Apaliski File: Spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Gulf Coast State College…made 18 appearances as a sophomore in 2025, maintaining a 1.48 ERA over 24.1 innings of work…Allowed just two earned runs in his nine appearances during conference play in 2025…Went to high school at local Hampton High School…as a senior, took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of one of their WPIAL Class 4A playoff games and struck out 17 batters…played travel ball for the Pittsburgh Spikes.
Hometown: Northville, MI | Position: RHP | B/T: R/R | Class: Freshman
Asmussen File: Played high school ball at Detroit Catholic Central where he was a four-year starter on varsity…had a career high school ERA of 1.71…named to the I-95 National First Team…was selected to play in the Michigan High School Coaches Association All-Star Game at Comerica Park in Detroit…ranked as a top 20 right-handed pitcher in the state of Michigan and top 300 player in the country…was named to the honor roll in all four years of high school.
Hometown: Austin, TX | Position: C | B/T: L/R | Class: Graduate
Baran File: Spent two seasons at Western Kentucky (2024-25), one season at Weatherford College (2023) and one season at Incarnate Word (2022)…medically redshirted in 2025…made 36 starts over 48 games for WKU in 2024, slashed .303/.429/.402 with 37 hits, 26 RBIs and 19 runs scored… played in 59 games at Weatherford where he batted .328 with 58 hits, 52 RBI, 12 doubles, nine home runs and two triples…played his high school ball at L.C. Anderson…was awarded the 26-6A District Newcomer of the Year and 2021 Male Athlete of the Year.
Hometown: Doylestown, PA | Position: INF | B/T: R/R | Class: Freshman
Behm File: Attended Central Bucks East High School where he played both baseball and basketball…earned six varsity letters (three in baseball and three in basketball)…earned First Team All-SOL honors, twice in baseball and once in basketball…was an All-Area baseball selection as a sophomore…ranked as the no. 2 shortstop and no. 12 overall player in Pennsylvania by Prep Baseball Report… played travel ball for Exposure Baseball out of Tennessee…attended East Coast Pro…academically, he earned a 4.2 GPA with distinguished honors all four years of high school…selected for the Kiwanis and Patriot Club Awards.
Hometown: Palm Beach Gardens, FL | Position: LHP | B/T: L/L | Class: Junior
Beruvides File: Named the 2025 Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year…transfer from Chipola…threw 47.1 innings across 14 appearances as a sophomore…earned six wins in his 10 starts while striking out 57 batters…made nine appearances and three starts in 2024 at Virginia…played high school ball at The Benjamin School where he helped them to a 2023 District 3A-11 Championship…four-time High School Baseball Network 3A-11 All-District Team selection…served as team captain as a senior… ranked as the no. 8 left-handed pitcher in Florida and no. 36 left-handed pitcher in the country by Perfect Game…played travel ball for 5 Star National.
Hometown: Staten Island, NY | Position: RHP | B/T: R/R | Class: Redshirt Sophomore
Ciancimino File: Returns to Pitt after spending his redshirt freshman year at Monmouth…appeared in 16 games and made seven starts on the mound in 2025…recorded 38 strikeouts in 41 innings of work…had five outings with four or more strikeouts…held opponents scoreless in four appearances… played at St. Joseph by the Sea High School in Staten Island, NY … was team MVP and won a Silver Slugger as a senior … Named Most Outstanding Player by Staten Island Baseball Oldtimers and helped his team win the City Championship as a junior.
Hometown: Bradenton, FL | Position: INF | B/T: L/L | Class: Senior
Dierdorf File: Transfer from the University of West Georgia…played and started in all 51 games at first base in 2025…led the team in total bases (111), RBIs (42), doubles (16), homers (13), OPS (.979) and slugging (.587)…named the 2025 Newcomer of the Year…spent the first two years of his collegiate career at North Greenville University in South Carolina…was a career .300 hitter with 47 RBIs and eight home runs in two seasons…named the Conference Carolina Freshman of the Year and earned Second Team All-Conference honors in 2023.
Hometown: Spanish Fort, AL | Position: INF | B/T: R/R | Class: Redshirt Junior
Fenderson File: Transfer from Presbyterian College where he spent the last three seasons…started in 98 of the 105 games he played in for the Blue Hose…led the team in nearly every statistical category in 2025, including batting average (.374), total bases (85), hits (61), runs (36), stolen bases (14) and on-base percentage (.477)…earned Second Team All-Conference honors…endured a season-ending injury on opening day of the 2024 season…has accumulated 98 hits, 60 runs, 45 RBIs, 22 doubles and five home runs in his three years at Presbyterian…was a First Team All-County selection and named to the "Coastal Alabama Terrific 20" at Spanish Fort High School.
Hometown: Lake Forest, IL | Position: LHP | B/T: L/L | Class: Senior
Gray File: Transfer from Denison where he spent the first three years of his collegiate career…helped the Big Red to the school's first D-II College World Series in 2025…made 47 appearances and three starts over the last three seasons…owned a career record of 7-1 with a 4.45 ERA…struck out a career high 53 batters in 2025…helped Denison clinch three-consecutive conference tournament championships…has played summer ball in both the Northwoods and Cape Cod leagues…posted a 0.00 ERA with eight strikeouts in five appearances over 7.2 innings in the Cape Cod League in 2025.
Hometown: Ontario, CN | Position: INF | B/T: R/R | Class: Freshman
Jacob File: Ranked as the no. 1 overall player in Canada and the no. 10 third baseman in the United States by Perfect Game…rated as the top incoming freshman from Canada by Baseball Buzz…played travel ball for the Ontario Blue Jays.
Hometown: Shippenville, PA | Position: LHP | B/T: L/L | Class: Senior
Kriebel File: Transfer from Florida Gulf Coast where he spent the first three years of his collegiate career…made 29 starts in his 53 appearances over the last three seasons…has compiled 128.1 innings pitched, 91 strikeouts, six wins and one complete game at FGCU…recorded career highs in strikeouts (36), starts (12) and wins (4) as a sophomore in 2024…played his high school ball at Clarion Area High School…was ranked the no.4 left-handed pitcher and no.26 player in Pennsylvania by Perfect Game.
Hometown: Butler, PA | Position: RHP | B/T: RHP | Class: Graduate
Leslie File: Transfer from Division-III Grove City College…earned multiple All-America honors (ABCA & D3Baseball.com) as a senior in 2025…named First Team All-Region and First Team All-Conference…helped Grove City to their first PAC Championship since 2008…went 9-2 with a 2.05 ERA and a team-leading 84 strikeouts in 2025…earned First Team All-Conference honors in 2023…graduated from Grove City with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemstry…attended local Butler Area High School.
Hometown: Brockton, PA | Position: OF | B/T: L/L | Class: Freshman
Ligenza File: Selected in the 6th round (195 overall) of the 2025 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers…leaves high school as the second-highest drafted player that will play college baseball in 2025…hit leadoff as a senior for Tamaqua Area High School where he batted .448 with 11 home runs and a .644 on-base percentage…on the mound, he owned a 7-1 record with a 0.25 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 10 games…throughout his high school career, he hit .415 with 103 hits, 102 runs, 59 RBIs, 18 doubles, 5 triples and 20 home runs.
Hometown: East Windsor, NJ | Position: RHP | B/T: R/R | Class: Graduate
Luczak File: Transfer from Towson (2024-2025) by way of Mercer County Community College (2022-2023)…threw 91.1 innings across 35 appearances in his two years at Towson…struck out 87 batters and earned four wins for the Tigers…appeared in 25 games notching eight saves and 68 strikeouts over two years at Mercy County CC…was a two-year letterwinner in baseball and three-year letter winner in football at Hightstown High School.
Hometown: Toronto, Canada | Position: OF/INF | B/T: L/R | Class: Graduate
Mcaskie File: Transfer from Charleston Southern (2024-2025) by way of Chattanooga State Community College (2022-2023)…named the 2025 Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year…started in 52 of Charleston Southern's 53 games in 2025…batted .287 with 68 hits, 62 RBIs, 14 home runs and 11 doubles in two years for the Bucs…named a TCCAA Academic Athlete of the Year in 2023 while at Chattanooga State CC…played in 78 games from 2022-2023…compiled 69 hits, 16 doubles, 14 stolen bases and 13 home runs in two years for the Tigers…attended Humberside Collegiate Institute…played hockey until high school.
Hometown: Melbourne, FL | Position: LHP | B/T: L/L | Class: Freshman
Reiter File: Ranked as the no. 10 left-handed pitcher in the state Florida and no. 85 left-handed pitcher in the country…named to 2025 All-Cape Coast Conference baseball team…played in over 90 games in his four years on varsity at Satellite High School…collected 11 wins over 30 appearances with 150 strikeouts on the mound…held opponents to a .168 batting average…at the plate, he was a career .357 hitter with 91 hits, 60 RBIs, 20 doubles and six home runs.
Hometown: Brooksville, FL | Position: RHP | B/T: R/R | Class: Junior
Savarese File: Transfer from Pasco-Hernando State College…named the 2025 NJCAA Division-II Pitcher of the Year and a NJCAA Division-II First Team All-American…helped the Bobcats to a National Championship…posted an unblemished 14-0 record with a 1.71 ERA and a nation-leading 144 strikeouts in 2025…struck out 104 batters in 15 appearances as a freshman in 2024…maintained a 2.96 ERA across 82 innings and 14 starts earning Second Team All-America honors…tossed a no-hitter in a Class 4-Region 2 playoff game for Hernando High School.
Hometown: West Chester, PA | Position: RHP | B/T: R/R | Class: Senior
Smink File: Transfer from Stony Brook where he spent the first three years of his collegiate career…was named Preseason All-CAA honoree and Perfect Game CAA Preseason Pitcher of the Year in 2025…made a team-high 14 starts and struck out 50 batters in 59.1 innings as a junior…was an All-CAA Honorable Mention as a sophomore in 2024…led the Seawolves in several statistical categories including wins (5), ERA (3.11) and strikeouts (56) across his 11 starts…three-sport athlete (baseball, basketball and football) at West Chester Henderson High School…two-time All-Ches-Mont League and All-Area First Team Pitcher selection…three-time Perfect Game/Rawlings Preseason (Underclassmen) All-American.
Hometown: Southington, CT | Position: LHP | B/T: L/L | Class: Graduate
Spizzuocco File: Transfer from Central Connecticut State University where he spent the first three years of his collegiate career…as a freshman, he was the 2022 NEC Rookie of the Year, an All-NEC Second Team selection and a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American…in his first three years at CCSU, he compiled 127 strikeouts in 115.1 innings over 43 appearances and 11 starts.
Hometown: Parker, CO | Position: INF | B/T: L/R | Class: Redshirt Junior
Wagner File: Transfer from University of Northern Colorado (2024-2024) by way of Utah (2023)…earned 2025 All-Summit League Honorable Mention honors…named to the CSC Academic All-District Team…played and started in all 96 games over his two years at Northern Colorado…had a career .339 batting average with 130 hits, 104 RBIs, 28 doubles and 19 home runs…redshirted as a freshman at Utah in 2023…three-time Perfect Game Preseason All-American at Legend High School… Hit .438 with 10 doubles, five HR and 23 RBIs as a senior...ranked as the no. 5 shortstop and no. 11 overall player in Colorado by Perfect Game.
Hometown: Spring Brook, PA | Position: OF | B/T: R/R | Class: Graduate
Walsh File: Transfer from UNC Greensboro (2024-2025) by way of Lackawanna College (2022-2023)…started in 55 of the 65 games he's played in at UNCG…has compiled 47 hits, 36 runs scored, 32 RBIs, four doubles and four home runs as a Spartan…helped win a SoCon Regular Season Championship in 2024…led all of Division-II Junior College in stolen bases (52) as a sophomore at Lackawanna College and was named the Region 19 Player of the Year…batted .353 in 2023 with 30 hits…earned First Team All-Region honors as a freshman in 2022…had a .978 fielding percentage while hitting .382…was a two-time All-Region honoree at North Pocono High School…helped his team win a District Championship in 2018.
