Braden Pomponi brings lefty promise, but Lafayette is still waiting for the breakout
In the 2026 season, Lafayette freshman LHP Braden Pomponi has shown swing-and-miss upside but also the growing pains of a first-year college arm: a 6.62 ERA, 19 strikeouts, and 13 walks over 17.2 innings suggest real bat-missing ability with command still catching up. He arrived with a strong high-school résumé — 65 strikeouts and a 1.70 ERA as a senior at Unionville — and Lafayette’s roster lists him as a 6-foot-1, 185-pound freshman lefty. Why care? Left-handed pitchers with his pedigree are worth patience if your staff likes upside, competitiveness, and projection.