Pittston Area’s Elijah Barr signed his NCAA Division I Letter of Intent this week to play baseball at the University of Pittsburgh. From left, first row: Brian Barr, Marissa Barr, Elijah Barr, Josh Barr, and Isaiah Barr. Second row: Chris Lazevnick, Pittston Area principal; Joseph Struckus, athletic director; Elana Bruno, assistant athletic director; Paul Zaffuto, head coach; John Richards, coach; Kyle Turonis, coach; and Chris Barnic, vice principal.
Submitted Photo
Elijah Barr is not quite ready to have the bat taken out of his hands just yet.
The Pittston Area senior signed his National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Letter of Intent to play baseball at the University of Pittsburgh, where the Panthers see him as a dual threat, as both a pitching and hitting prospect.
Barr is also a prospect for next spring’s Major League Draft, where the right-hander is much more likely to be evaluated as a power pitcher.
Assuming the college route is taken as planned, Barr likes the idea of still being able to contribute offensively.
Barr chose Pittsburgh over Penn State and Mississippi State, which he had also visited, when he made his verbal commitment late last month. He signed this week.
“I loved the coaching staff and loved my visit,” Barr said. “The money they put into athletics and the baseball program, I’m appreciative of that.”
Barr also appreciated the way Pittsburgh sees him as a player.
“Pitching, hitting and a little bit of first base,” he said. “I’m going to let time decide on that. I’m going to go with it as long as possible, until I have to put (the bat) down.”
Barr figures to be a factor in all areas as a senior when Pittston Area tries to follow up a perfect regular season in 2024.
“Most importantly, I’ll be spending time with my friends that I’ve grown up with and have been playing with for a long time,” Barr said. “When it’s over finally, I’m going to miss it. I just want to enjoy it and be thanking my coaches for the whole high school experience.
“Second off, just getting better prepared for draft time and college; getting better for the people who watch and putting on a show for them.”
Barr went 5-0 on the mound as a junior, converting all four save opportunities. He had a 37-15, strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 1.72 earned run average in 40 2/3 innings. Barr batted .382 with 19 runs and 15 RBI in 23 games.
“Last year, they were trying to accomplish the goals that they accomplished,” Pittston Area coach Paul Zaffuto said of Barr and teammate Beau Widdick signing their Division I offers. “Now that they’ve accomplished them, they have to realize they can’t just sit on it.
“They have to work twice as hard because they’re still Pittston Area players first and then they’ll go to Pitt and UMass. Now, we’ve got to focus on our team.
“If they do that, I see no reason we can’t be as successful as we were last year.”
