On Thursday, Rutgers baseball received two players ranked in D1 Baseball’s Top 150 Starting Pitchers Preseason Rankings. Rutgers right-handed pitcher Christian Coppola received the No. 67 ranking, and left-handed pitcher Justin Sinibaldi received the No. 146 ranking, according to D1 Baseball.
Coppola, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound sophomore pitcher, held a 5-5 record for the Scarlet Knights in 2023, striking out 71 batters in 66 innings pitched. Also, the Galloway, New Jersey native logged an ERA of 3.68 while letting up 27 earned runs and 61 hits in 13 games.
Coppola received All-Big Ten Freshman Team honors for his efforts last season and was a D1Baseball Freshman All-American. In his first season with the Scarlet Knights, Coppola received the Big Ten Freshman of the Week Award and the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week Award, picking up wins against Georgia Southern, Michigan, Northwestern, Penn State, and Illinois.
Setting the tone on the mound with two of the best in the country 🔥#TCD x @d1baseball pic.twitter.com/YrBapENO6T
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) February 8, 2024
As for Sinibaldi, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound senior pitcher held a 5-1 record last season. The Bridgewater, New Jersey native logged a 2.64 ERA while giving up 14 earned runs in 47.2 innings pitched. Sinibaldi recorded 46 strikeouts and 20 walks in 13 games last season.
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In three seasons with the Scarlet Knights, Sinibaldi holds a 4.63 ERA and has logged an 8-2 record. He made 45 appearances throughout his Rutgers career, recording 98 strikeouts, 52 walks, and 59 earned runs in 114.2 innings pitched.