Senior Spotlight: Vincentian Academy’s Jared Katz left wanting more

By: Greg Macafee
Friday, May 22, 2020 | 10:00 AM

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Editor’s note: Each day, Trib HSSN will spotlight WPIAL spring athletes whose senior years were cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.

Vincentian Academy is set to close its doors at the end of the school year.

So after senior Jared Katz watched the boys basketball team win the WPIAL Class A championship this season, he was hoping to do the same with the baseball team.

“Baseball is a spring sport, so it was going to be one of the last sports for the school ever,” said Katz, a two-sport athlete who also plays soccer. “So we’d be one of the last teams ever, so we were hoping to go out with a bang. We were lucky that the basketball team was able to do what they did because we didn’t get a chance to, obviously.”

Katz made a significant jump from his sophomore to his junior year and was hoping for a big senior season. He improved his batting average from .225 as a sophomore to .432 as a junior. He also had 19 hits and 13 RBIs during his junior season as the Royals placed third in the WPIAL Class A playoffs. Katz credited his successful junior year to settling in on the high school level.

“During the offseason, I put a lot of work into the weight room to get bigger, faster, stronger, everything like that,” Katz said. “Sophomore year, it was my first time playing at the high school level, so I was learning a lot about the game and I kind of took everything I learned and just took off.”

Katz also fared well as a pitcher last season, producing a 1.99 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings.

“I was really excited. I had big expectations individually and as a team,” Katz said. “After having a good season last year, I was excited to see what I could do this year, but unfortunately I’m not going to get that chance.”

What’s your favorite memory while playing baseball for Vincentian Academy?

Probably winning states in 2018 during my sophomore year. It was pretty awesome. We won the WPIAL and states.

Who is the one pitcher/hitter you want to face?

Mike Trout. I want to face the best.

If you could change positions, where would you play?

Shortstop.

Have you picked up any new hobbies during the quarantine?

Not really anything new. I’ve just been watching a lot of Netflix and playing video games.

What’s your Netflix show of choice?

Either “Money Heist” or “Outer Banks” right now.

What’s your favorite sports memory?

Derek Jeter was my favorite player, so probably when he got the walk-off hit to end his career at Yankee Stadium.

Where are you going to college?

Pitt.

What will your major be?

Pre-Physical Therapy.

If you could switch places with anyone in the world, who would it be?

LeBron James.

If you could choose anyone to give the commencement speech at your graduation. who would it be?

Kanye West.

Greg Macafee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Greg by email at gmacafee@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Tags: Vincentian Academy