Meet the switch pitcher who could be the next Pat Venditte
Switch hitters are plentiful across the baseball world, but switch pitchers -- those are about as rare as former Heisman winners playing for a Mets' farm team.
Pat Venditte became the first Major League switch pitcher in over a decade when he made his debut with the Oakland A's back in 2015 against the Boston Red Sox to start the seventh inning. He switched not only mid-game, but mid-inning throwing two shutout frames.
The trend to throw from the mound from both sides seems to be picking up speed starting with youngster Kris Armstrong.
The Florida commit and Palm Beach Gardens native says it was a bit of a freak accident how this came about.
"My dad gives private lessons, and he keeps extra gloves around," Armstrong tells MLB.com. "I threw against the wall one day [from the left side] and I don't know why I did it to be honest, maybe to preserve my arm."
The 17-year-old has even switched mid-game in high school. The first half of the game he threw lefty, then he swapped to right during the other half of the game. While some of the players on the opposing team were aware of Armstrong's abilities, the rest weren't sure what to think.
"They were speechless," Armstrong laughed.
Armstrong's dad, Jack Armstrong, spent seven years in the Majors, scooping up an All-Star selection in 1990, and Kris says having him and a family in baseball (brother Jack Armstrong Jr. was an Astros third-rounder in 2011) keep him confident, especially his dad.
"They tell me to stay humble and hungry."
As far as playing for the newly crowned College World Series champions goes, Armstrong is very excited for his opportunity to play with the Gators.
"I'm going to try and incorporate the left side and work on competing at the next level, this will show me if I can do it or not."
Jack Armstrong tells MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo that as a lefty, Kris can reach back for 85-86 miles per hour.
A natural right-handed pitcher, he is more dominant on this side and his velocity is sitting around the 90-91 range.
And if you're wondering if he can hit from both sides, the answer is yes. This makes him a force to be reckoned with, times two.
