Searching for a home
A taste of college baseball left Andrew Tkatch wanting more.
A 2021 graduate of Seneca Valley High School, Tkatch enrolled at East Stroudsburg University last year and was pitching in the program's final intra-squad scrimmage in November when he partially tore the labrum in his shoulder.
"I was hoping to come back late in the spring season, but I didn't get to start throwing again until April and it just wasn't realistic," said Tkatch. "I was originally planning to go to college straight out of high school, but recruiting was still restricted because of COVID the year I graduated and I took a gap year."
Disappointed over a lost freshman season, Tkatch did what he could to make himself better on the mound.
"I spent a lot of time in the weight room, worked first on my lower body and then on my upper body when I was able," he said. "I came back even stronger than I was, gained 10 pounds of muscle. My fastball was between 85-87 mph before the injury and it's now in the low 90s. The injury turned out to be a blessing."
His other pitches include a 12-to-6 curveball, a slider and a change-up clocked in the mid-80s.
"The opportunity was there for me to go back to East Stroudsburg, but with my improved skill set, I believe I can pitch at the Division I level, which would give me the best chance to reach my ultimate goal, which is to play professional baseball.
Tkatch entered the transfer portal and has been in contact with several D-I programs, including William and Mary and the University of Massachusetts.
"I plan to make a decision within the next two weeks," he said.
Aside from pitching bullpen sessions at SV's Raider Field, Tkatch is also playing this summer for East Butler in the Tri-State Collegiate League. He's seen time as a relief pitcher and in the outfield for the Bulldogs.
"At the plate, I'm 11 for 29 (entering this week’s play) and have struck out just twice in 36 plate appearances, but the college coaches I've talked to see me as a relief pitcher," he said.
Tkatch plans to major in business.
It was the result of a game at Pullman Park years ago that set Tkatch on the path to furthering his baseball career.
"I was 14 and got called up to pitch in a Palomino tournament game for Seneca Valley," he said. "I knew I'd be pitching against kids two years older than me and was very intimidated going in there, but I ended up pitching a no-hitter. That's when I thought pitching in college was a realistic goal."
