The third best reliever in the 2021 Valley League season is the 6-foot-3 righty from Wofford and the Covington Lumberjacks, Matthew Marchal!

Marchal appeared in seven games for the ‘Jacks, going 2-0, 0.67, with a .245 BAA, 0.977 WHIP, 0.7 BB/9, and 11.5 K/9 in 13 1/3 total innings. Among pitchers on this list, he finished first in ERA, first in BB/9, and fourth in WHIP. He was named second team All-Valley at the end of the season. His best outing was on July 8 against Waynesboro, when he threw two shutout innings, allowing three hits, no walks, and striking out five.

Marchal spent his freshman season at Furman (in 2020), and went 2-2, 6.30 in 10 innings. He transferred to Wofford in 2021, and went 2-2, 6.23 in 39 innings, with only nine walks and 41 strikeouts. He was named to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll as well.

An added note: Marchal was chosen to pitch in the All-Star game, but didn’t see action because the game ended early due to mound “dysfunction.” D1baseball.com’s Aaron Fitt was there, though, and watched Marchal throw in the bullpen. He wrote this:

Marchal didn’t get to pitch in the all-star game because the artificial turf mound blew out, causing the game to get called in the eighth inning, so Marchal threw a bullpen session for scouts. And he looked good, showing off a 90-92 mph fastball from a clean high three-quarters delivery, along with a short, late slider at 80-81 mph with tight spin in the 2600s, and a firm but serviceable changeup at 87-88.

https://d1baseball.com/summer-baseball/prospect-rundown-valley-league-5/