Sioux Falls Jefferson’s Kyler Miritello prepping for change of scenery

Karl’s TV & Appliance Athlete of the Week is Cavaliers' ace on the mound.
Published: Jun. 19, 2023 at 9:41 PM CDT
Email This Link
Share on Pinterest
Share on LinkedIn

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Especially when winter ends, Kyler Miritello has always had one instinct when picks up a ball.

“I’d always, whether it was football or whatever, I’d always liked throwing it. So I found baseball and it was fun throwing that round.” Miritello says.

It was even more enjoyable when Kyler began to hurl it at speeds reaching 90 miles an hour.

“Probably when I was about 14 was when I started gaining some velocity and realizing that I could definitely see myself being a pitcher.”: Kyler says.

And started developing other pitches beyond his fastball.

“Like a slider, curveball and then, this past year or so, I’ve developed a splitter.” Kyler says.

It’s helped Miritello turn into one of the top pitchers in South Dakota with Jefferson High School and Sioux Falls West.

“Sometimes adrenaline gets the best of us but he’s really good at reigning that in and just being him. He doesn’t need to be anyone else. He doesn’t need to impress anybody. He just needs to go out and be himself and he goes out and gives his all every single time.”: Jefferson Head Baseball Coach James Borges says.

The results spoke for themselves when viral video found it’s way to an unlikely college suitor more than 3700 miles away, the University of Hawaii.

“I did a tournament in Iowa, a Perfect Game Tournament, and their scout guy down there saw a tweet of me and then called me. We started talking and after a couple of months I was committed. It’s such a different place than it is here with the food and the music and everything there.” Miritello says.

Giving Kyler the chance to do the thing he loves the most all year long.