Move To Pitcher Pays Off For Central Connecticut State Commit Espinoza

Anthony Espinoza RHP / RHP / Warde, CT / 2020

FAIRFIELD, Ct. - It wasn’t until August heading into junior year of high school that Anthony Espinoza decided to focus on being a pitcher.

A little more than a year later, the Warde senior is a Division I baseball commit to Central Connecticut State.

“I’d always been a middle infielder and then I moved to catcher,” Espinoza explained. “I pitched here and there before, but my dad wanted me to save my arm and not pitch.”

The 5-10 195-pound right-hander is putting the arm to good use now.

“I was looking at other colleges and my Clubhouse coach recommended I go to one of their camps, he thought it would be a good fit for me,” Espinoza said about how he became connected with the Northeast Conference school. “After they saw me at the camp they thought I’d be a good fit for them. I threw well and was able to use my offspeed.”

An overnight visit included an offer for the 120th-rated 2020 in New England.

“They gave me an option and wanted me to talk it over with my parents to make sure it was a good fit,” Espinoza reflected. “They wanted to make sure it was the best fit for me and not just because it was getting close to the time to pick a school.”

Salve Regina was at the top of his college list at the time, with Fairleigh Dickinson, Sienna, Sacred Heart and Endicott others being considered.

“I really liked the coaches and the campus at Salve and was close to committing there,” Espinoza admitted. “It seemed like a good option, but then I started talking with Central and that seemed like a good fit. The academics and the baseball team just pushed it over the top.”

Espinoza found a lot to like at CCSU, which is located 50 minutes from his home.