Pitt baseball continues to add players during the offseason, picking up an Avonworth Alum and a Youngstown State grad transfer in outfielder Turner Grau, who announced his commitment on Twitter Tuesday.
Grau played three sports at Avonworth from 2015-19, football in the fall, basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring. He earned all-section honors in football as a junior in 2019 and also in baseball as a sophomore and junior.
He chose to play baseball in college for Youngstown State and did so for four seasons from 2020-23. He made 135 hits, 23 doubles, 15 triples, 12 home runs, drew 49 walks and stole 22 bases and had a .265 batting average during his time with the program.
Grau had his best seasons as a sophomore in 2021 and last season as a senior. He hit a career high .295 in 2021, while slugging .541, hitting 13 doubles, eight home runs and 42 RBIs. Grau also had seven triples, which led the Horizon league and finished second in the NCAA.
His senior season saw him hit .272, slug .427, with nine doubles, three home runs, 28 RBIs and 25 drawn walks. Grau hit seven triples again in 2023, which led the Horizon League and had him in fourth place in the country. He also led the team with 15 stolen bases, demonstrating his speed across the base paths.
Grau mainly played left field and a little bit of right field during his time with the Penguins. Panthers starting centerfielder Kyle Hess graduated and Grau could potentially slide in to that starting role in centerfield. Also possible, rising seniors in Dom Popa or C.J. Funk could shift into centerfield and Grau would take a place on either side of them.
He joins three former WPIAL players to transfer to Pitt this season and two grad transfers in North Allegheny alum and Penn State left-handed pitcher Ryan Partridge, as well as Hampton alum and New Orleans infielder Tyler Bischke. Redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Phil Fox played for Hempfield and just transferred in from Gardner-Webb last Saturday.
Rising junior first baseman Luke Cantwell, who transferred from Fairleigh Dickinson is the fifth incoming transfer this offseason.
Pitt baseball has seen at least 10 confirmed players transfer from the program this season.
Pitt Transfers In for 2024
Graduate infielder Tyler Bischke: One Year (New Orleans)
Graduate outfielder Turner Grau: One Year (Youngstown State)
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: 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
