Clarion-Limestone senior Logan Lutz holds up his baseball after pitching a no-hitter for the Mars Invaders U17 team last week. Lutz also recently committed to play at Alfred State University in New York./Submitted photo
STRATTANVILLE, PA (EYT/D9) — Logan Lutz left the mound at the end of a scoreless victory for the Mars Invaders U17 travel baseball team at Seton Hill University last week.
An assistant coach at Mars asked him if he wanted to keep the baseball.
Lutz was confused. Then he found out why this ball was so important.
Lutz, who will be a senior at Clarion-Limestone in the fall, had just thrown a no-hitter, needing just 65 pitches to do so.
“I didn’t really realize it,” the left-hander said. “I was like, ‘Wow.’ I wasn’t really expecting that. It didn’t really cross my mind at first.”
Lutz had another good game this summer for Mars, a team about 70 miles southeast of Strattanville. But Lutz found a home there and a way to improve his budding skills, both as a pitcher and an outfielder with a fast bat, good feet and a great glove.
A few years ago, Lutz met Mars while playing against him and was invited to come aboard.
“I had a little break from traveling two years ago where I didn’t really do much, I was just doing things on my own,” Lutz said. “Then coach (Dave Kuremsky) asked me if I wanted to join the new tournament team they were putting together and I decided to join them. It was a fun experience with them.”
Redbank Valley’s Breckin Minich is also part of the team.
Lutz found the experience valuable.
The workload is heavy with five or six games played over a four-game period from Thursday to Sunday each weekend.
But Lutz said he was excited to take on the challenge.
“We’ll probably play close to 40 games (over the summer),” Lutz said. “I usually pitch one of the games, or maybe I’m in relief in two. It’ll help me for college because you’re playing 40 to 50 games, plus the playoffs. For me, it’s a boost and very helpful to get to the next level.”
Lutz had also worked with former Mars Area High School baseball coach Andy Bednar and the father of Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar on his pitching mechanics.
The results were striking.
Lutz’s speed is up, as is the spin rate on his secondary pitches.
“When I first met him, I had a velocity problem, I couldn’t get down the mound,” Lutz said. “We worked on it all last winter and this winter. He said there’s a big change in velocity and mechanics. He said it was a big step from where I was when he first met me to where I am now. He complimented me on my no-hitter. That was because of him. I couldn’t have done it without him.”
Lurz has become a true expert on the baseball world that Mars has become in recent times.
David Bednar is already one of the best closers in baseball. His younger brother, Will, won a College World Series title as a dominant right-handed pitcher with Mississippi State in 2021 and is currently playing in Double-A San Francisco’s Giants organization. And JJ Wetherholt, another Mars native, could be the first overall pick in the upcoming MLB draft after a standout career at West Virginia University.
“I’ve looked at all these guys’ situations,” Lutz said.
Lutz hopes to one day join them in professional baseball.
Lutz has been a standout this spring for Clarion-Limestone, batting .345 with eight doubles and 13 RBIs to top the Lions’ order. On the mound, Lutz has worked as both a starter and reliever, posting a 2.22 ERA in 34⅔ innings, striking out 46 batters and allowing just 13 walks.
His velocity has increased, hitting a maximum of 50 mph, and he hopes to add more dynamism to his fastball by the end of his high school career.
“I’m looking to gradually progress toward my main goal, speed-wise, which is to hit 90 mph consistently,” Lutz said. “As a lefty, that would be really, really good.”
Lutz already knows where he’ll play after high school.
He recently committed to attend Alfred State College in New York, where he will play both outfield and pitch.
Being a two-way player in college was something Lutz yearned for.
“It was important to me. I wanted to do both,” Lutz said. “I really liked the atmosphere of the team and the coach. It’s a great environment.”
Lutz has also made strides at the plate, making him an attractive recruit.
With his mix of speed and bat control, along with his ability to play solid outside defense, Lutz was a gem for Alfred.
“I’ve been trying some new adjustments, and I’ve gotten a little bigger and a little stronger,” Lutz said. “I’m just finding ways to hit the ball harder, working on bat speed, improving contact and finding spaces. I’m also working on game intelligence, situational intelligence.”
Lutz has been passionate about baseball since attending his first baseball game in Pittsburgh as a young boy.
Andrew McCutchen quickly became his favorite player, and then his horizons expanded to the game’s rich history.
He fell in love with Jackie Robinson and his story, so much so that he wore the No. 42 jersey in high school, as well as on his summer team in Mars.
He will probably also take that number to Alfred — another gesture that made Lutz feel at home there.
“They just got brand new jerseys and we asked them the last time I was there if I could have that number,” Lutz said. “They were willing to make me one and it would be ready for me, so hopefully I can wear it. I was grateful.”
Lutz hopes that one day he will be faced with a digital dilemma.
If he ever makes it to The Show, he won’t be able to wear No. 42 — that number has been retired by MLB.
Lutz already has some ideas.
“The first number that comes to mind is 21,” he said. “Roberto Clemente. He was my dad’s favorite player. Another one would be No. 8, which was my dad’s number in high school because of Cal Ripken. I always thought 21 would be perfect because 21 and 21 equals 42. It’s a win-win.”
Lutz has long dreamed of one day playing in major league baseball. He’s well aware of the work it will take to get there.
He’s already embracing some of the latest techniques, like long-distance running, plyometrics and taking care of that precious arm.
“Running is good for getting started, as is cycling. I try to get in some cycling,” Lutz said. “I try to build my endurance and lower-body strength. With plyometrics and stretching, anything with arm care, pretty much everything in the book, I’m going to do to get ready. That’s where I’m at now. And I’m going to continue to do that as I move forward in my journey.”
