10 Potential ACC Sophomore Pitching Breakouts
These ten sophomore pitchers are all expected to be important arms for their teams, either as starters or high-leverage relievers.

Recently, we published our Under-the-Radar ACC Sophomore Hitting Breakout Candidates for the 2025 season. To make the list for that article, batters couldn’t have played in 35 or more Division I games or made an All-Conference team.
For this list, which includes sophomore pitchers who could have breakout seasons, there are no such parameters. Many of the pitchers below are less under the radar and have been selected based on their expected steps forward in development for their second seasons in the ACC.
There are even more potential breakout sophomore pitchers than there are hitters, and it was extremely difficult to whittle this list down to just 10 names. Honorable mentions include Kyle Kipp (BC), Gavin Eddy (Cal), Noah Samol (Clemson), James Raidt (Duke), Wes Mendes (FSU), Nick Robert (Miami), Olin Johnson (UNC), Boston Flannery (UNC), Ryan Speshyock (Stanford), and Charlie Oschell (UVA).
Obvious impact stars such as Aidan Knaak (Clemson) and Jacob Dudan (NC State), who made the All-ACC Freshman Team, are not included on this list. Likewise, Team USA selections Joey Volchko (Stanford), Jason DeCaro (UNC), and Kyle Johnson (Duke) are not included on this list.
Lastly, established arms such as Folger Boaz (UNC), who was the Tar Heels’ Friday night ace for half the season, and Ryan Marohn (NC State), who threw 60 innings for the Wolfpack, have been judged to have already broken out as freshmen.
The ten players on this list are all expected to be important arms for their teams, either as starters or high-leverage relievers. For some pitchers, their teams’ overall success depends on a big sophomore season. Every one of these players has the potential and ability to thrive under the pressure and have a big season in the ACC.
LHP Hudson Lee, Clemson
2024 Stats: 2 App, 0-0 Rec, 18.00 ERA, 3 K, 1 BB, 1.0 IP
Hudson Lee is a redshirt sophomore who was rated the #2 left-handed pitcher coming out of South Carolina in 2022 according to Perfect Game.
After committing to Wake Forest, the young southpaw suffered an injury at the end of his high school career that resulted in him having to sit out his entire first season in Winston-Salem. He suffered more injury setbacks in his second year, only pitching in two games all season.
According to Wake Forest Pitching Coach Corey Muscara, about three-quarters of the way through the season last year, lab coordinator Sean Fisher suggested lowering Lee’s arm slot to improve command. The redshirt freshman didn’t see immediate results in those two games for the Demon Deacons, throwing just one inning and giving up two earned runs. But then the calendar turned to summer.
Lee pitched in both the Valley League and the Cape Cod League this summer, going a combined 2-1 with a 3.28 ERA over 24.2 innings pitched. Command remained an issue as he walked 16 batters and hit 7 more, but he struck out 27 and held hitters to a sub-.150 batting average.
“He started throwing in the Valley [League] this summer and started to throw really well,” Muscara said. By that time, however, Wake Forest didn’t have a spot for him. When Clemson Pitching Coach Jimmy Belanger called Muscara about Lee, the Wake Forest Pitching Coach didn’t hold back.
“[I told Belanger] that the kid’s awesome. I think he could be really good,” Muscara said. “I thought [Lee] was our best recruit in the ‘22 class. He’s just been hurt. We recently dropped [his arm slot] down. The early returns on it look super promising, but I’ve only seen him face hitters two times with it.”
The rest is history. Clemson took a look, liked what they saw, and now Hudson Lee is a Tiger. And he’s only improved on his summer by having a breakout fall.
“Talking to Jimmy, [Lee] is having a really good fall,” said Muscara. “And, the way I see it, you never know when guys are going to make a jump. Everybody does it at different times.”
Lee’s new arm slot and impact were on full display in an intrasquad scrimmage during Clemson’s Annual Scout Day. The South Carolina native was pumping his fastball at 92 MPH from the left side and showcasing a good changeup and tight slider. He went two scoreless innings while striking out two and walking none.
If Hudson Lee can stay healthy and continue to develop with that lower arm slot, there’s no doubt that he can become a dominant high-leverage arm in the Clemson bullpen.
The Tigers appear to have a deep pitching staff, but beyond the likes of Jacob McGovern, Lucas Mahlstedt, and Drew Titsworth, high-leverage spots in the bullpen look to be there for Lee’s taking. A breakout season for him would pay dividends for a Clemson team desperate for an Omaha appearance.
RHP John Abraham, Florida State
2024 Stats: 25 App, 5-2 Rec, 4.72 ERA, 42 K, 31 BB, 34.1 IP
John Abraham was Florida State’s most utilized freshman arm last season and is on the verge of becoming a household name with a big year in 2025. Not many first-year pitchers get an opportunity to multiple conference tournament wins or start a College World Series game and Abraham did both. And yet with the likes of Jamie Arnold, Cam Leiter, and a slew of transfers, the young Seminole is going a bit under the radar.
The sophomore features a low-90s MPH fastball paired with a low-80s MPH curveball. Those two pitches account for almost 85% of his arsenal, but he also throws a mid-80s changeup on occasion. That change would probably be mixed in more if Abraham was in a consistent starting role, but his two primary pitches are more than enough to be an effective reliever.
When asked for a breakout pitcher this season, Florida State pitching coach identified Abraham as a prime candidate. “We have some good young guys,” Posey said. “Johnny Abraham had a start in Omaha. He had some starts for us last year and had a good summer in the Cape. He has a good pitch mix and can definitely be a guy that emerges.”
Florida State ace Jamie Arnold returns as perhaps college baseball’s best starting pitcher. Cam Leiter may or may not be ready for the regular season but with transfers Evan Chrest (Jacksonville), Joey Volini (UCF), Maison Martinez (VCU), and Wes Mendes (Ole Miss) looming as rotation pieces, it appears that Abraham will most likely be utilized as a high-leverage arm out of the bullpen.
His performance as a late-inning reliever in the Cape supports this as Abraham pitched in six games this summer for the Bourne Braves. Most of his outings came in high-leverage situations and the Florida native impressed over his short stint up north. He boasted a 2.00 ERA over nine innings pitched while striking out 14 and only walking one. Opposing batters were held to just a .225 batting average.
With the departure of Brennan Oxford, Abraham could even emerge as Florida State’s closer and/or bullpen ace. Either way, Abraham is a key piece on the Seminole pitching staff and will have plenty of opportunities to win games and make a difference for a Top 10 team. Don’t be surprised to see the young business major pitching in Omaha for a second straight year.
RHP Tate McKee, Georgia Tech
2024 Stats: 18 App, 4-5 Rec, 7.28 ERA, 61 K, 28 BB, 47.0 IP
Tate McKee arrived in Atlanta last year after being rated as the #35 right-handed pitcher in the country by Perfect Game. The highly-touted hurler impressed over his first four appearances, giving up just one earned run over his first 6.1 innings pitched for the Yellow Jackets.
On March 9th, in his first collegiate start, McKee struck out seven Youngstown State hitters over four shutout innings. He wouldn’t earn a spot in the weekend rotation until April 7th, but once he did, Georgia Tech took off.
Before joining a rotation that would ultimately include Aeden Finateri and Cam Jones, the Jackets were 4-7 in the ACC and the NCAA Tournament looked like a distant dream. After McKee became the Sunday starter, Georgia Tech reeled off series wins over Virginia Tech, Virginia, Miami, and Duke. McKee and the newly settled rotation was a big reason Georgia Tech forced its way into the NCAA Tournament as a 3-seed.
With Finateri transferring to Alabama and Jones graduating, McKee is expected to be the unquestioned ace of this young Georgia Tech pitching staff.
“I hate to place individual expectations on players,” said Georgia Tech Pitching Coach Matt Taylor. “But we know that [McKee] needs to be the guy if we want to get to Omaha.”
The Kennesaw, Georgia native has the ability and potential to anchor this talented Yellow Jacket team. McKee had several dominant ACC performances that suggest he could emerge as a dominant ace as a sophomore. He struck out nine hitters over three outings against the likes of Pittsburgh, Miami, and Duke.
Relegated to the bullpen in the Athens Regional, he closed out their win over Army and pitched a scoreless inning against Georgia while striking out three.
“He did that as a true freshman in the ACC,” said Taylor. “He had one of the best freshman seasons, not just in the ACC, but in all of college baseball.”
The 6’3” righty features a fastball that reaches into the mid-90s, which he throws roughly half the time. He pairs the heater with a mid-80s MPH slider that generates a ton of whiffs. If McKee can develop his changeup a little more, then he has a chance to make a development jump similar to what Jamie Arnold did last season.
Georgia Tech’s staff believes in him enough to place high expectations on his shoulders, but McKee has the tools to meet and potentially exceed those expectations. A breakout year for him leading the Ramblin’ Wreck pitching staff could see him in the ACC Pitcher of the Year conversation.
“We’re really excited about Tate and he’s done a really good job turning a corner and working on stuff this offseason,” Taylor concluded. “We are trying to go to Omaha every year. He needs to make that next step during the season, but I’m excited for him for sure.”
LHP Colton Hartman, Louisville
2024 Stats: 12 App Rec, 1-2, 5.90 ERA, 37 K, 18 BB, 29.0 IP
Colton Hartman emerged as Louisville’s Sunday starter last season, serving mostly as an opener with all but three of his outings being three innings or less. But his best two outings came over his last three starts, showing glimmers of front-line starter upside.
On May 4th at Boston College, Hartman went 5.2 innings while striking out five and holding BC hitters to just one run. Two weeks later, in his final outing of the year, the southpaw went five shutout innings against Notre Dame and struck out seven.
With the Cardinals on the bubble and trying to make their case for the NCAA Tournament, Hartman was at his best and looks prepared to build off that in his second year.
The Ohio native features a three-pitch mix, primarily relying on a mid-90s MPH fastball that he deploys 67% of the time. He mixes in a mid-70s MPH curve and a mid-80s MPH slider at nearly an even rate the other 33% of the time.
Hartman doesn’t generate a ton of swing-and-miss, but pitches to contact and induces a lot of ground balls. Improved control and command should see him flourish in his sophomore campaign as Louisville looks to get back to a Regional after a two-year absence.
He pitched for the Cotuit Kettleers in the Cape Cod League over a short stint this past summer, but didn’t have the best results– he went 0-1 with a 15.26 ERA over 7.2 innings pitched.
While those numbers seem concerning, keep in mind that Hartman was coming off a long freshman season and facing some of the best hitters in the country in an unfamiliar environment. His recent success at the end of the regular season holds more water and is a better indication of future success.
Junior ace Patrick Forbes and Indiana State transfer Brennyn Cutts are expected to lead the Cardinals rotation this season, which means the Sunday and mid-week roles are open. Hartman’s main competition for the Sunday role is with fellow breakout candidate Parker Detmers. Expect one to make the weekend rotation while the other gives Louisville a strong advantage as a starter during mid-week matchups.
RHP Parker Detmers, Louisville
2024 Stats: 14 App, 2-1 Rec, 7.23 ERA, 17 K, 14 BB, 18.2 IP
Parker Detmers, the younger brother of Louisville legend and current Los Angeles Angel Reid Detmers, arrived on campus ahead of 2024 after being rated as the #64 overall player in the nation by Perfect Game. Unlike fellow breakout candidate Colton Hartman, Detmers was mostly deployed as a reliever in his first season, only making two starts over his 14 appearances.
Despite a high season ERA, the Illinois native had scoreless performances in seven of his outings. Much like Georgia Tech’s Tate McKee, Detmers’ ERA was inflated thanks to poor displays against Virginia and Virginia Tech. Perhaps his best game of the season came on April 27th against Clemson when he threw 2.2 innings of scoreless relief and was the pitcher of record when the Cardinals came back to win, 7-6.
The highly-touted hurler had some good moments on the mound this past summer pitching for the Brewster Whitecaps in the Cape Cod League. Once again, his ERA was bloated due to one or two rough outings. Overall, Detmers appeared in 10 games and struck out 22 batters in 21.2 innings. While he was once again mostly used as a reliever, he is expected to have an opportunity to compete for a starting role in 2025.
Like teammate Hartman, Detmers mostly features a mid-90s MPH fastball that he throws two-thirds of the time. A high-70s MPH curveball is his primary secondary pitch that he pairs effectively with the heater, while a mid-80s slider and change round out his arsenal.
Even though he only threw the slider 38 total times in 2024, the pitch generated a whiff 57% of the time. Further development of those secondary pitches could see Detmers make a big jump in 2025.
Louisville had an ACC-worst 7.72 ERA in conference play last season as they missed the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. Detmers is competing with fellow sophomore breakout Colton Hartman for a starting role, but both should be big-time contributors for the Cardinals this season. If one or both can break out and have successful seasons, it’ll go a long way in getting Louisville back to a Regional.
RHP Jaxon Lucas, NC State
2024 Stats: 15 App, 1-0 Rec, 9.43 ERA, 22 K, 12 BB, 21.0 IP
The NC State sophomore class might be one of the best in the country. On the mound established arms such as Jacob Dudan, Ryan Marohn, and Cooper Consiglio have already made their mark and claimed pivotal roles on the Wolfpack staff.
Yet, there are three more sophomores in Camden Wimbish, Heath Andrews, and Jaxon Lucas who are poised to enjoy breakout seasons. Both Wimbush and Andrews should have increased workloads this season after combining for just 13 innings pitched last year, but Jaxon Lucas is the most experienced of the three and most likely to have an immediate impact from the bullpen.
The sophomore right-hander was often inconsistent as a freshman but still showed plenty of signs of promise. His best outing of the season came on April 19th against rival North Carolina.
With the Wolfpack down 4-1 in the 7th inning, Lucas came in to shut down the potent Tar Heel lineup. He went two no-hit innings with two strikeouts– one of which was a 9-pitch battle with future first-round pick Vance Honeycutt. NC State came back to win that game 5-4 and clinch the season series.
The North Carolina native throws a mid-90s heater that generates a ton of spin. He pairs the fastball with a low-80s change and a mid-70s curveball. Command and consistency are key for Lucas, and his summer on the Cape showed minor improvement in those areas.
Over 16.1 innings pitched this summer for the Wareham Gatemen, the 6’3” hurler walked 14 batters while striking out 16. Lucas was at his best when working low in the zone and generating ground balls.
The 6’3” hurler looked much more impressive in his two fall outings against Duke and Elon, throwing two shutout innings while striking out four and walking none. He pounded the zone, throwing 70% strikes over the two outings. Lucas was outright dominant against conference rival Duke in particular, striking out the side on 13 pitches.
“Tonight he was really good but he’s been very inconsistent,” said NC State Head Coach Elliott Avent following the scrimmage against Duke. “Tonight we saw the good Jaxon Lucas.”
If the fall was an indicator of things to come, the NC State sophomore is poised to be another valuable weapon in the Wolfpack bullpen as they prepare to make another run to Omaha. If Wimbish and/or Andrews break out as well, then NC State would arguably have the best pitching staff in the nation.
LHP Aidan Coleman, Pittsburgh
2024 Stats: 13 App, 3-3 Rec, 5.73 ERA, 34 K, 17 BB, 37.2 IP
Aidan Coleman is another rising sophomore on this list who gained vital experience in a starting role as a freshman. He was Pitt’s primary midweek starter in 2024 and showed plenty of promise as he adjusted to the college game. With the departures of Jack Sokol and Ryan Andrade from the Panthers’ weekend rotation, Coleman is set to become an important anchor within head coach Mike Bell’s pitching staff.
The native Texan never pitched beyond five innings in a game last season but showed plenty of promise in several short stints. He shone against St. Bonaventure’s on April 17th, going four shutout innings and striking out six. In two combined starts against in-state rival Penn State, Coleman threw eight innings, gave up only one earned run, and struck out five. Don’t be surprised to see him go much deeper in starts as a sophomore.
The 6’0” right-hander’s arsenal features a low 90s MPH heater paired with a low 80s MPH slider. Coleman throws those two pitches about 80% of the time but does mix in a low 80s MPH changeup as well. He doesn’t generate a ton of swing-and-miss but is very effective working the zone. Improved command and pitch execution will see the young talent develop into a potential staff ace.
The potential to be an ace was on full display this summer in the New England Collegiate Baseball League where Coleman went 5-0 with a 2.65 ERA in seven starts for the Newport Gulls. He amassed 45 strikeouts over 37.1 innings pitched while walking just seven batters. His incredible summer garnered him All-NECBL honors and helped the Gulls capture a league championship.
Former MLB All-Star and current Pitt assistant Devin Mesoraco was extremely impressed by the young hurler’s display over the summer.
“Aiden had a great summer,” said the former Reds catcher. “He went up to Newport, led the league in strikeouts and led the league in wins. He’s really made some strides.”
Overall, the entire Pitt coaching staff is very high on the key sophomore group that includes Coleman and hitters Ryan Zuckerman and Sebastian Pisacreta.
“The trio of Coleman, Pisacreta, and Zuckerman are homegrown talents that represent the core of our Pitt Panther Baseball Program,” said Mike Bell. “The experiences and game development that all three had in their freshman campaigns carried over into great summers respectively and took their games to another level this past fall. We fully expect they will show the league and the country the same production at a high level this spring.”
Ryan Reed, who served as the Panthers’ Sunday starter last year, is the only other returning starting pitcher. Bell’s staff brings in some talented transfers such as Patrick Gardner (Fairleigh Dickinson), Noah Czajkowski (St. Bonaventure), and Drew Lafferty (Kentucky) who will also compete for the rotation, so Coleman will have to continue to show development if he hopes to emerge as a frontline starting pitcher.
“Aiden was always a guy that could pitch,” Mesoraco said. “He’s still learning himself as far as ‘is this gonna play here?’ Is this going to play good against left-handed hitters?’ [We’re] very hopeful for his future.”
RHP Bryson Moore, Virginia
2024 Stats: 7 App, 2-0 Rec, 1.38 ERA, 10 K, 8 BB, 13.0 IP
Bryson Moore was set to be a critical cog in Virginia’s bullpen last season before he missed almost two months due to injury. He made his debut on opening weekend in an 11-9 win over Hofstra in which he threw three scoreless innings and earned his first collegiate win.
On the following weekend, at the Jax College Classic against Wichita State, Moore tossed another 2.2 scoreless innings as the ‘Hoos walked off the Shockers in extra innings. While UVA’s pitching staff struggled early, the young freshman shone as a consistent stopper out of the bullpen.
Unfortunately, that was the last appearance Moore would make for almost two months due to injury. By the time he returned on April 17th in a midweek matchup with George Mason, the Cavalier pitching staff had settled with high-leverage roles previously established. The 6’3” first-year mostly served as the midweek opener for the remainder of the season and quietly impressed. In his seven appearances, Moore only gave up earned runs in one outing.
While the Fairfax, Virginia native never pitched more than two innings in a game for UVA following his return from injury, he did get plenty of innings throwing for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters this summer. Moore went 2-1 with a 3.58 ERA in seven appearances, which included six starts. He struck out 30 batters over 27.2 innings pitched while walking just 8 and holding opposing hitters to a .210 batting average.
The young right-handed pitcher employs a starting arsenal of four different pitches. His fastball, which he employs over 50% of the time, sits in the low 90s MPH. Moore utilized two breaking balls; a low 80s MPH slider with bite and a high 70s MPH curveball. His third secondary pitch is the mid-80s MPH changeup, which he features about 15% of the time.
His summer stats indicate more swing-and-miss stuff, but his regular season at Virginia registered him mostly as a ground ball pitcher.
Starting pitchers Evan Blanco and Jay Woolfolk return for the ‘Hoos, while JUCO transfers Chris Arroyo and Joey Colucci are favorites to land the Sunday role. Moore could retain his spot as the midweek starter or he could be utilized as a long relief stopper out of the bullpen like early last season. Whatever role he ends up in, expect Moore to take a big step forward and become a key piece of the Virgina pitching staff.
LHP Madden Clement, Virginia Tech
2024 Stats: 12 App, 2-1 Rec, 6.00 ERA, 23 K, 10 BB, 21.0 IP
Madden Clement, the son of former big leaguer Matt Clement, is another arm who gained serious experience as a freshman for the Hokies. He served as both a reliever and midweek starter over his 12 appearances last season, striking out 23 batters in just 21 innings pitched. After a strong fall, Clement is poised to be a breakout star for Virginia Tech behind fellow sophomore Brett Renfrow in the weekend rotation.
The southpaw’s best outing came towards the end of the season when he took the mound on May 1st against North Carolina A&T. Clement went 5.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits while striking out seven without a walk.
Much like a few other pitchers on this list, Clement was able to use short outings as a midweek starter to adjust to the college game. That critical experience should pay dividends as Clement looks to be an anchor for Tech in the rotation.
“He’s going to need to be big for us,” said Hokies Associate Head Coach Kurt Elbin. “It’s always fun to watch the growth from freshman to sophomore year,” Elbin explained that not only did Clement come back from the summer an improved pitcher, but he further developed his secondary pitches.
The Pennsylvania native employed mostly a two-pitch mix in 2024, heavily relying on a low-90s MPH fastball with ride that he threw 80% of the time. He would mix in a high-70s MPH breaking ball on occasion 16% of the time, but rarely threw his changeup. With better command and improved secondary pitches, Clement looked like a different pitcher this fall than he did even at the end of last season.
“He’s able to pitch with his fastball,” Elbin told me in early December. “It’s firm, he can locate it, and he can pitch up in the zone. It’s a three-pitch mix that we’re excited about from the left side to add to a rotation that we feel is gonna be pretty good. He made a pretty good jump.”
That three-pitch mix was on full display over his two outings in scrimmages against Virginia Commonwealth and Liberty this fall. In four combined scoreless innings, Clement struck out nine hitters while walking just one batter. He was utilizing his improved slider well, throwing it for strikes in the low 80s MPH. The changeup was also on display in those scrimmages and looked sharp.
“From an offensive perspective, in inter-squads, there’s certain pitchers that jump on the mound and you’re like, ‘it’s probably going to be a tough day today’,” Elbin said. “And I felt that way every time that Madden stepped on the mound, because it’s just a tough, tough, tough arsenal to deal with.”
Virginia Tech has a number of options to slot in the rotation behind presumed ace Brett Renfrow, but with Matt Clement’s development and performance over the fall, it’s a safe bet that we’ll see him pitching for the Hokies in a starting role. Pitching hasn’t always been consistent for Virginia Tech, but Clement’s emergence as a star could turn that weakness into a strength.
RHP Blake Morningstar, Wake Forest
2024 Stats: 28 App, 2-1 Rec, 7.45 ERA, 38 K, 16 BB, 29.0 IP
Blake Morningstar arrived in Winston-Salem as a freshman last year after being rated the #1 right-handed pitcher out of Pennsylvania. Donning Demon Deacon legend Rhett Lowder’s iconic number four jersey, the youngster had an up-and-down first season in the ACC. His overall numbers, however, should be taken with a grain of salt.
While presenting at a player development seminar this past December, Wake Forest pitching coach Corey Muscara explained that Morningstar arrived on campus with mechanical issues due to an intense workload at the end of his high school career.
“He’s in the beginning of the fall and pretty much everything you can think of is wrong with his throw,” said Muscara. “Our main goal was fixing the arm path and the arm pattern so it didn’t have as much stress to get him out of pain. We were just trying to make sure he can get through the season and repattern that arm action.”
Even with that holding him back, Morningstar was able to have quite a few quality outings. During a stretch from March 23rd until April 14th, the freshman righty made eight appearances out of the bullpen and gave up just one run in 8.2 innings pitched. His best game of the year was at Notre Dame where he threw 3.1 scoreless innings while striking out six and giving up just one hit.
Morningstar was primarily a two-pitch guy out of the bullpen last year, relying on his low-to-mid 90s MPH fastball and his low-to-mid 80s slider about 90% of the time. He was at his best when he was able to mix in the changeup, which is where he found success during his April outings.
Additionally, Morningstar had a curveball that he used sparingly toward the end of the year. With a full offseason to improve the arsenal, Morningstar and the Wake pitching staff have been hard at work in his development.
According to their presentation at the Wake Forest Player Development Seminar, Muscara and his staff focused on adding shape to Morningstar’s fastball, changing the grip on his changeup, and adding a cutter to his arsenal. They also had a plan in place to improve his delivery and use the aforementioned curveball as his primary breaking ball.
“To Blake’s credit, he battled,” said Wake Forest’s Head of Analytics Chris Lewis during the seminar. “He didn’t lose faith in the plan. He kept working and his third and fourth outings of the fall against St. John’s and West Virginia were great.”
Morningstar shined in those two scrimmages, tossing four combined scoreless innings with two strikeouts while meeting all of the developmental goals established by the coaching staff. He exited the fall looking like an entirely different pitcher from where he was in the middle of last season.
With an improved arsenal and better pitch mix, Morningstar is almost a lock for a breakout season in Winston-Salem. And even though the Demon Deacons have a slew of former Friday night pitchers on their staff, the Pennsylvania native is very much in the conversation for a weekend rotation spot. Whether he pitches out of the rotation or the bullpen, expect Blake Morningstar to be an essential piece of this Wake Forest team.