2025 Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year Freddy Beruvides joins World Baseball Network’s Alfred Ezman to discuss his summer with the Greeneville Flyboys, his JUCO experience at Chipola College, and his decision to transfer to Pitt for the 2026 college baseball season.
Beruvides also reflects on his time at UVA, shares lessons from legendary coach Brian O’Connor, and offers advice to young players chasing their baseball dreams.
www.WorldBaseball.com
Full Interview Transcript – Freddy Beruvides with Alfred Ezman, World Baseball Network
Ezman: Let’s start with summer ball — the Appy League. Very fun experience for any college player, especially that league being in Tennessee. I know a lot of guys like to head that direction, play a little bit, and get their licks in. You got your licks in a lot. You ended up becoming the Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year. You put up video game numbers — a 0.83 ERA in 21.2 innings of work, 29 strikeouts, and a WHIP just a little over one. Start there. What was going right for you? How were you pitching so well, and how did you improve throughout the summer?
Beruvides: First things first was getting strike one, getting ahead of guys, attacking guys. You can’t get outs without getting strike one. That was the motto the whole summer. One thing I got better with over the summer was pitch usage — using a little more off-speed early in counts, but always sticking to my bread and butter, using the heater late.
Ezman: You also spent a little bit of time playing JUCO ball recently down at Chipola College — a very good JUCO program, very well respected. Talk about that experience. There’s a lot of college baseball guys who might be thinking about taking that route to get more playing time when they might not get it right away at a Division I school. What are the benefits of playing at a JUCO like that, and what improvements did it provide for you in your own game?
Beruvides: Probably everything — first of all, opportunity. They did an amazing job with development and creating opportunities for not just me, but for every D1 bounce-back we had there. We had a really good ball club. Obviously, we couldn’t accomplish our ultimate goals, but in the long run, we all accomplished what we wanted — which was either to play professional baseball or move on to high Division I baseball. Most of us did that.
Ezman: And you did that, right? You’re headed to the ACC to play for Pitt. Talk about the decision to go to Pitt. Why did you choose the Panthers, and what do you look to accomplish in 2026 with the team?
Beruvides: First things first, what we look to accomplish is getting to Omaha. That’s the main thing. I was fortunate enough my freshman year to be on an Omaha-caliber team at UVA. I know what it takes — a lot of internal leadership, a lot of hard work. I wanted to go to a place where I’d have the opportunity to do that. I believe Pitt gives me the best opportunity, in terms of competition and academics too.
Ezman: Let’s flash back to that UVA year. Brian O’Connor, who was your head coach while you were there, is now at Mississippi State. Talk about the kind of guy he is. This is a legendary coach who was at UVA for 22 seasons. What wisdom did he give you, and how would you describe him to someone who doesn’t know him?
Beruvides: “Oak” is “Oak.” I’m sure there are multiple interviews of guys talking about him, and it’s all the same. He’s a guy that, when he talks, you listen. There are things that carry on with you. Even though I was there for just one year, I still have lessons from him that I carry with me today — not only in baseball, but in life, in how to handle myself as a man and grow as a person. He moved on to a great opportunity at Mississippi State, and as he should — that’s an amazing opportunity he got. I’m very happy for him. Obviously, things didn’t work out for me over there, but I’m very happy for him.
Ezman: Before we wrap up, I like to ask this of every college baseball player I interview because I think it’s helpful for younger kids watching. There are a lot of kids who want to get to your level. You’re currently playing Division I baseball, and I’m sure you’re not satisfied yet — maybe you want to go pro and go beyond where you’re at. Describe the work it takes to get to this level, and any advice you have for kids who may come across this and watch it.
Beruvides: There are multiple things. You can say “hard work, hard work, hard work,” but it’s about consistency and discipline. For me, it’s the mental game — just being mentally strong, dealing with failure, and pushing through it. It’s being mentally locked in with your work and your everyday life.
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