A.J. Blubaugh

For the second consecutive season, Blubaugh earned the Horizon League relief pitcher of the year award. The Wisconsin-Milwaukee righthander served as both a starter and reliever for the Panthers this spring, with 16 appearances out of the pen and seven starts. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound redshirt sophomore pitches up in the zone effectively with a 90-93 mph fastball that presents quicker than its velocity. He complements it with an excellent 80-82 mph changeup with late diving action. Blubaugh will mix in an average curveball to give the hitter a different look, as spin isn’t a big part of his game. The ability to locate all of his pitches at any time in the count separates him from most righthanded arms with a higher velocity fastball. With just 16 walks in 52.2 innings pitched, batters struggled figuring out Blubaugh’s repertoire and approach, hitting just .208 against him this spring. Blubaugh projects to be a multi-role arm at the next level.