BUTLER TWP — Tall, left-handed, command of the strike zone ... Butler senior Madden Clement has all of the tools to be a quality pitcher.

Oh, one other thing — he knows how to pitch.

“Metrics are such a big part of baseball now,” Pittsburgh Spikes summer baseball coach and Knoch graduate Chase Rowe said. “It’s all about how hard you throw, what the radar gun says.

“Madden is so beyond that. His awareness of the game, the way he develops a plan on the mound, that’s his strongest suit. Sure, he’s got the physical tools, but he mentally attacks hitters. College coaches want kids with the ability to play baseball and this is a baseball player.”

And college coaches know it.

Seton Hill University offered the 6-foot-3, 194-pound Clement — a member of the Spikes program for a few years — a chance to pitch and play another position. Nine Division 1 schools — Virginia Tech, Pitt, Maryland, Purdue, Ohio State, Delaware, St. Joseph’s, Villanova and Richmond — offered him scholarships as a pitcher.

Clement verbally committed to Virginia Tech recently.

“They have a program specifically for sports analytics and that’s the field I want to get into if baseball doesn’t work out for me,” Clement said. “Ultimately, I’m hoping to get drafted and take a shot at a pro (baseball) career.

“No matter which way it goes, Virginia Tech seemed to be the perfect fit for me.”

Clement has another attribute weighing in his favor.

“The kid’s competitiveness is off the charts,” Butler baseball coach Josh Forbes said. “Watching him work and go to battle on the mound ... he makes it run.”

Spikes pitching coach Josh Sharpless, who pitched briefly in the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates, admires the “compete” aspect of Clement’s game more than anything.

“He’s one of the biggest competitors I’ve ever worked with,” Sharpless said. “Madden does whatever it takes to win. He’s going to figure it out. If I had the mental ability that he shows on the mound right now, my major league career would have been longer than a year.

“It’s a big jump, going from the WPIAL to the ACC, but Madden’s learning curve will be really quick.”

The Hokies finished 45-14 overall in 2022, 19-9 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. They lost the ACC championship to North Carolina, but advanced to the NCAA Super Regional before being eliminated.

Virginia Tech coach John Szefc has won 130 games in five seasons with the Hokies. He has 522 wins in his NCAA coaching career. Ryan Fecteau, the Hokies’ pitching coach, had six hurlers selected in the MLB draft from 2019 through 2021.

Virginia Tech has 10 underclassmen pitchers on its roster this fall.

“They like me as a starting pitcher and my goal is to pitch for them as a freshman,” Clement said. “If it turns out I have to red-shirt, wait my turn or whatever, I’ll use that time to get better. But, no doubt, I’m hoping to earn a chance to pitch for them right away.

“It’s a great league and I’m looking forward to the challenge of playing at that level — and, hopefully, beyond.”

Clement was 5-1 for the Golden Tornado last spring, sporting a 2.69 earned run average. He struck out 57 and allowed 22 hits in 36.1 innings pitched. Opposing batters hit only .171 against him.

He improved further with the Spikes over the summer. Clement’s fastball is consistently between 83 and 87 miles per hour now.

“A year ago, he was throwing between 77 and 81 consistently,” said Matt Clement, Madden’s father and a former major league pitcher. “He’s progressing along the right path. He’s stayed with the Spikes since he was 14 and he’s trusted the coaching there.

“Madden’s taken his time with this process. He has the academic end covered if baseball doesn’t work out. I’m proud of him, the way he’s handled all of this.”

Sharpless said Madden is already a force on the mound, even though he hasn’t filled out physically as of yet.

“He’s a very strong kid in the lower half of his body,” Sharpless said. “Above the waist, he’s still very much a little boy. He’s got the baby face and his shoulders haven’t filled out yet. His speed has jumped five to six miles per hour because of work on strength, mobility and flexibility.

“When his body fills out and he learns how to use those physical tools, this could be a special pitcher for years to come.”