Gallaher Makes Commitment To Pitch At Eastern Michigan

Vinny Gallaher RHP / SS / Oregon Clay, OH / 2024

OREGON - It was only a matter of time before Vinny Gallaher found a place to call a college home.

“It was really stressful wondering when it was going to happen, but my family and I knew it was going to happen,” the Clay High School senior explained. “PBR helped a lot, they give you great events to go to like the Top Prospect Games and the ProCase. The whole Bo Jackson experience also helped, especially Cory Valentine (coach) and Alex Stefanelli (Director of Social Media). My pitching coach Mike Grady, my high school head coach (Jim) Phillips and my dad also played a big role.”

Eastern Michigan is where the 23rd-rated 2024 right-handed pitcher in Ohio will be going to school after making a commitment to the Mid-American Conference university.

“They saw me throw at Grand Park and then came to Lake Point to see me throw there,” Gallaher reflected. “After that we had some phone calls and set up a visit. A week later I committed.

“The visit was awesome,” Gallaher continued. “After the first 30 minutes my family and I knew it was where I’d go. They were so organized and the coaches were so energized.”

Additional MAC schools, a couple D-IIs and multiple JUCOs were being considered by the 6-1 170-pounder before Eastern Michigan became his school of choice.

“All the facilities,” Gallaher said of what stood out about EMU. “The weight room, the baseball field, the locker rooms are all in the same exact spot. It’s easy to get around campus and the campus is beautiful. They have all the help there if you need it.”

Gallaher’s pitching ability was what closed the deal.

“They like the competitive edge I bring on the mound,” Gallaher related. “How I keep my fastball in the zone and how I’m always competing with it. They like that I have an elite breaker and they like my tempo on the mound, it’s not too fast and not too slow at all which keeps the infield engaged.”

The chance for his baseball journey to follow in his father’s footsteps was big according to the 55th-ranked senior in Ohio.

“I’ve always thought about playing college baseball,” Gallaher explained. “My dad played in the minors and my sisters played sports in college so I always wanted to do it. I got my first call at the end of sophomore summer. After that it slowed down a bit but then picked back up. This summer it picked up rapidly.”

Working with his father helped the cause.

“My dad and I really picked it up this summer and spring with long toss and gaining velo,” Gallaher said. “I had a setback in the winter when I focused on gaining weight but took the wrong approach. I was gaining strength but not mobility so I changed my diet up and went through a stretching program and a new warmup routine. I did drills to help with mobility and my motion.

“My dad and I really hit the grind, getting my hips involved and throwing strikes with velo,” the 17-year-old continued. “I added two pitches, a cutter and I changed my grip on the slider. It was just consistent work, but I became a totally different pitcher than the one I was last year.”

It proved beneficial in helping Gallaher become a Division I college commit.

“There was so much excitement,” Gallaher said of the feeling of making a commitment. “All the years of hard work I put in finally paid off. It was a big relief as well. There’s no more hunting for schools, it’s such a relief to have had it happen.”

Gallaher, a 3-0 student leaning toward a major in education, has high hopes when it comes to his days ahead at Eastern Michigan.

“I’m looking forward to getting on campus and getting on my own,” Gallaher concluded. “I can’t wait to play baseball at a high level with coaches that are ready to get after it every day.”