Pitt baseball landed Hempfield Area High School alum and Gardner-Webb transfer in right-handed pitcher Phil Fox on Saturday, as he announced his commitment on Twitter.
Fox spent the past two seasons at Gardner-Webb, redshirting in 2022 and pitching as a redshirt first-year in 2023. He appeared in 20 games, pitched 28.2 innings, started one game and earned three saves last season. Fox also won three games and lost two, made 34 strikeouts, while allowing just 19 walks. He allowed 15 earned runs, 23 hits, four home runs and finished with a 4.71 ERA. For his efforts, he made the Big-South All-Freshman team.
He pitched for WPIAL team Hempfield from 2018-21. Fox, outside of pitching, also served as an outfielder in high school. He posted a 2.62 ERA with six appearances as a sophomore in 2019. Fox also played a vital role for Hempfield, as they made it to the WPIAL 6A Championship game, where they fell 4-0 to North Allegheny.
Hempfield did play in the PIAA Playoffs and defeated McDowell High School to move out of the First Round. They eventually lost to Spring-Ford, 10-1, in the quarterfinals.
Fox arrives at Pitt as a redshirt sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining. Pitt had the worst ERA in the ACC, posting a 7.16 ERA overall and a 7.95 ERA in conference games. Fox joining the program means that head coach Mike Bell has a player who will help turn the poor pitching around starting next season, and also a WPIAL kid as well.
He joins two former WPIAL players to transfer to Pitt this season in two graduate transfers. North Allegheny alum and Penn State left-handed pitcher Ryan Partridge, as well as Hampton alum and New Orleans infielder Tyler BischkeĀ have both joined the team in June.Rising junior first baseman Luke Cantwell, who transferred from Fairleigh Dickinson is the fourth incoming transfer this offseason.
Pitt baseball has seen at least 10 confirmed players transfer from the program this season.
PittĀ Transfers In for 2024
Graduate infielder Tyler Bischke: One Year (New Orleans)
Graduate left-handed pitcher Ryan Partridge: One Year (Penn State)
Junior first baseman Luke Cantwell: Two Years (Fairleigh Dickinson)
Redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Phil Fox: Ā Three years (Gardner-Webb)
Pitt Transfers Out after 2023
Junior catcher Johnny Long III
Junior left-handed pitcher Zack Oswald
Sophomore infielder Tommy Tavarez
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Jonathan Bautista
Sophomore left-handed Quin Konuszewski
First-year left-handed pitcher Sam Falace
First-year outfielder Carlos Martinez
First-year utility AJ Nessler: (UCF)
First-year right-handed pitcher Ryan Slattery
First-year infielder Drew Ripepi
