UCF Baseball Bolsters Rotation Depth, Adds 2020 All-American RHP Kenny Serwa

The UCF Knights have added their second grad transfer pitcher of the offseason. As first reported by D1 Baseball, the Knights have brought aboard redshirt junior Kenny Serwa, a right-hander from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.

Serwa started his collegiate career on the Division II level at St. Joseph’s College in Indiana before moving up to SIU-Edwardsville prior to the 2018 season. He was an all-Ohio Valley Conference second-team selection in 2019 despite the fact that he made just seven starts that year in an injury-shortened campaign. However, he concluded that season by lasting at least eight innings in each of his final three starts.

Serwa then evolved into a dominant strikeout pitcher in 2020. He basically doubled his K rate from 2019 — 7.02 to 14.00 — while walking just four men and compiling a 1.33 ERA in a league-high 27 innings. As a result, Serwa was tabbed as a second-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and listed as one of the best junior pitchers in the nation by D1 Baseball.

He made 25 appearances for the Cougars — all starts — across three seasons and proved to be an innings eater, averaging slightly more than six innings per outing. He’s also shown plus control with just 25 walks issued through 154.1 innings.

Serwa features a sinking fastball that generates a lot of grounders. He complements low-90s pitch with a slider and a changeup that will sit in the low 80s.

Serwa’s inclusion marks the second time UCF had dipped into the transfer market for pitching help this offseason. They added AJ Jones, formerly of Jacksonville, in May. Both men will be considered for a spot in UCF’s rotation next season. Returning arms Colton Gordon, Hunter Patteson, Jack Sinclair and Zack Hunsicker will also be in the running to grab one of those three weekend spots.