Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Greensburg Central Catholic’s Mike McCready

By: Anthony Difilippo
Monday, April 3, 2023 | 1:34 PM

Greensburg Central Catholic’s baseball team went 7-3 in section play last season, losing in the second round of the WPIAL playoffs to Leechburg.

This year, the competition has gotten even steeper, as the Centurions have moved up from Class A to join Jeannette, Ligonier Valley, Serra Catholic, Brentwood, Riverview and Apollo-Ridge in Section 3-2A.

Senior pitcher Mike McCready embraces the new competition for the Centurions.

“It gives Greensburg Central Catholic, it gives us a chance to prove that we’re the team to beat,” McCready said. “We’re up there with the top dogs, being Serra Catholic and us, I think.”

This will be McCready’s second season with the team after transferring in last year from Hempfield.

He was very instrumental to GCC’s successes last year, as some of the team’s top arms, including now-senior Max Kallock, were injured and could not pitch.

McCready considers his change-up to be his most effective pitch on the mound.

He also described his philosophy on how he attacks hitters.

“Off-speed early, keep them guessing, and make sure that they know the plate’s mine,” McCready said. “Whenever they step in the box, they’re in my control.”

The versatility of the pitching staff was really tested last year by a fairly new rule, one that has teams play section games on back-to-back days, which prevented them from leaning on one ace pitcher.

As a pitcher, McCready is in favor of the rule.

“It gives teams a better overall chance to compete and shows more depth in the teams,” McCready said.

McCready also catches, a position he’ll be playing a little more when he attends Waynesburg in the fall.

He said he was immediately drawn to the culture at Waynesburg.

“One of the coaches, Anthony DeFilippo, came to a lot of my games during high school and travel, and that really stuck out to me,” McCready said. “(Waynesburg) had the best education, the best coaches and the best overall atmosphere.”

McCready also has an interesting name.

His name is the same as the lead guitarist of the ’90s rock band Pearl Jam.

No, McCready does not play guitar, but he does know of the band and has heard that reference a few times. He also has visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which houses different Pearl Jam memorabilia.

McCready is looking to pursue a degree in finance.

At the beginning of the season, Mike McCready took some time for a Senior Spotlight Q&A:

How did you get started with baseball?

Whenever I was 3 years old, my dad got me into it with tee ball. It just took off from there. I never stopped going, never quit loving it.

What are your goals for this season?

States. It’s a simple answer: states. That’s what our coach has been preaching all year. That’s what the upperclassmen have been preaching all year. We want to make it to states. I transferred my junior year. I was ineligible last playoff season, and I’ve never made it to a state championship. That’s our team’s only goal.

What’s it like having Max Kallock back this season?

So far he’s still battling an injury, so we haven’t been able to see him just yet. But we’re excited to get him back and get him rolling. He helps our team’s atmosphere, he helps us compete in games, and he’s an overall guy that we can just look up to.

What do you like about catching?

You’re in every single play. No matter what, there’s action there.

What is one thing that people might not know about you?

I’m very future focused. I don’t really look at the right now. I look at what the next five to 10 years will look like.

Tags: Greensburg C.C.