Fox Chapel’s Blake Krushinski commits to play baseball at West Virginia

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, August 17, 2024 | 11:01 AM

Blake Krushinski has a clear path forward for his baseball career. By committing to West Virginia to play baseball before his junior season at Fox Chapel, Krushinski can focus on self-improvement.

One of his first goals is to add 15 to 20 pounds before he graduates. Krushinksi, a right-handed pitcher, also would like to add a few miles per hour onto his fastball.

“I’m going to increase my velocity,” Krushinski said. “I’m also going to put on weight and work on my control.”

Krushinski had a strong summer on the travel circuit. While training locally with Hardcore Elite PA, he made the national travel team, the Richmond (Va.) Braves.

That meant Krushinski had a busy summer schedule where he played in tournaments in Pennsylvania, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

Krushinski said he enjoyed playing with other Division I prospects and felt the pressure to step up his game.

“Being on the national team was a challenge, but a great opportunity to play at a higher level,” Krushinski said. “I faced some of the best talent across the country in my 2024 grades. My Richmond Braves teammates and coaches were welcoming for me being the new kid on the team.”

Krushinski said that he believes he can increase the velocity on his fastball from 92 to 96 mph by his senior year of high school. In addition to his baseball training, Krushinski has been working with a strength coach, Ron DeAngelo.

“I’ve been doing exercises to help increase my arms and shoulder muscles,” Krushinski said.

Krushinski also made visits to Coastal Carolina, Pitt and Penn State in addition to the Mountaineers.

West Virginia had a strong season last year. The Mountaineers finished 36-24 and won the Tucson Regional. West Virginia was eliminated by North Carolina in the Super Regional.

The Mountaineers are also making major improvements to their facility, which are set to be done in February 2025. West Virginia is adding a new indoor hitting and pitching facility.

“West Virginia blew me away,” Krushinski said. “I was impressed with how together they were. A lot of other places weren’t as organized. We didn’t have to ask many questions because they were so organized.”

Krushinski also liked how West Virginia’s program approaches player development. Recently, the Mountaineers had Mars product JJ Wetherholt selected as the No. 7 overall pick by the St. Louis Cardinals.

“They want to develop players to try and reach the next level,” Krushinski said.

Tags: Fox Chapel