Apr 12, 2023 3 min read

Name: Jack Natili

School: Peters Township

Class: Senior

Sport: Baseball

Natili’s week: The Rutgers recruit was 5-for-6 with two home runs and a double as the Indians split back-to-back games with Class 5A Section 2 foe South Fayette.

The catcher hit his two homers April 3 in a 15-11 slugfest. Teammate Jack Lutte had two of his own, including a grand slam.

Natili didn’t go deep in Game 2, but he was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI in a 7-4 loss.

“I am seeing the ball real well right now,” Natili said. “I am really just taking what the pitchers are giving me.”

Natili’s road hasn’t been smooth, as he was injured last season after being a first team all-section catcher two years ago.

“The injury was tough, but I was able to come back for the rest of the season,” Natili said. “I think having an injury helped me regain my focus, and I don’t want to take anything for granted.”

Natili is one of nine seniors on a team that is 1-2 in the section and 3-4 overall. Peters Township coach Rocky Plassio is confident the veteran group will help lead the Indians back to the WPIAL title game.

“We expect Jack to lead, and he has done that,” Plassio said. “He has shown he can hit, but his catching has been so good. He has a great throwing arm and does a great job blocking the ball.

“He has a great relationship with our pitchers, and he works with me during the games because I call our pitches. He was an all-section catcher two years ago, but with the injury last year, he was our DH when he came back after about 10 games off.”

Heading east: The Scarlet Knights began talks with Natili during his sophomore season. He signed his National Letter of Intent this past fall and is eager to play at the next level.

“I am really looking forward to playing in college, but right now my focus is helping our team get back to the WPIAL final and winning this time,” Natili said. “We did lose a lot of guys but I know we can turn it around.”

Natili said the coaches at Rutgers plan for him to remain at catcher, which is the position for which Natili feels he is best suited.

“I take pride in my defense and catcher is my bread and butter,” Natili said. “You are involved in every play. I would say you could compare it to being a quarterback in football. It’s my job to make sure my pitchers are on top of everything, and I also have to control the running game and not let any balls get by me. It’s a demanding position but I love it.”

Just a ball player: Besides lifting weights, which he does to help him become a better player, Natili doesn’t have many hobbies besides baseball.

“I kind of consider lifting weights a fun activity because my friends also do it,” Natili said. “I want to just focus on my academics and baseball because the ultimate goal is to play professional baseball.”

Compiled by Jonathan Guth