Cumberland County’s future on the mound is already taking shape, and sophomore pitcher Eli Glup is quickly becoming a key part of that picture.
After making the jump to varsity last season, Glup wasted little time showing he could compete at the high school level. The Jets’ young right-hander helped power two of Cumberland County’s first five wins, giving the program an early boost while beginning what he hopes will be a strong four-year career.
Glup said the transition from middle school baseball to varsity ball came with challenges, but also plenty of excitement.
“It’s a pretty big jump and I’ve been having a lot of fun.” Glup said. “It’s the same game and there’s not a lot of changes. Bigger arms, bigger bats, just a lot more to expect, just a lot of fun.”
The early results backed up that confidence. In his first two starts of the season, Glup allowed just one run, setting the tone for what became a strong opening month on the mound. By the end of that stretch, he carried a 2.68 ERA.
Glup said a big part of that success comes from how he studies hitters and disrupts their rhythm in the batter’s box.
“I always look for stuff like a big leg kick, stuff like that, something I can throw off their timing with.” Glup said. “And as I go on, I just try to remember what they did in their first at-bat and try to base the next at-bat off of that.”
Glup’s pitching arsenal has also grown quickly. While he relied solely on a fastball earlier in his baseball career, Glup said his repertoire has expanded significantly in recent years.
“I developed a curveball, splitter, and then the slider was actually developed a couple of months ago,” GLup said. “It’s still pretty fresh [in my arsenal.]” Glup said.
Cumberland County head coach Tyler Thompson said he believes Glup’s early production is an important piece of the program’s future.
“We’re just excited and we feel very blessed to get to coach these guys for the next four years.” Thompson said.
As Glup prepares for his sophomore season, the experience he gained during his first varsity campaign could make him one of the Jets’ most reliable arms moving forward. With a growing pitch arsenal and a strategic approach to hitters, the young pitcher is already proving he belongs on the mound at the high school level.
