SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (July 23, 2025) – Former Western New England Baseball right-handed pitcher Matt Lauria has signed a professional contract with the Pioneer Baseball League's Colorado Springs Sky Sox, one of the newest teams to the Pioneer League. The Pioneer League is a professional partner league of Major League Baseball (MLB). 

Lauria joins the Sky Sox midway through their season, joining a rebranded organization that was once a Triple-A organization, affiliated with the Cleveland Indians (1988-1992), Colorado Rockies (1993-2014), and Milwaukee Brewers (2015-2018). 

Following graduation from Western New England in May, Lauria joined the Malone Border Hounds out of the Empire League, not affiliated with the Major Leagues. There, the 6'4 right-hander appeared in five games, making four starts overall. Lauria dotted a 4-0 record with one save, throwing 28 innings, giving up 20 hits and 11 runs, eight earned, while walking five and striking out 40 batters, throwing to a 2.57 ERA on the year. Prior to his signing with the Sky Sox, Lauria led the league in strikeouts among qualified pitchers. 

As a four-year member of the Western New England baseball team, Lauria made 45 appearances overall and made 40 starts, ranking second most in a career in program history. The East Haddam, Connecticut native shined during his senior season, tossing to a 2.62 ERA over 11 starts. Lauria threw five complete games and three shutouts on the year, tied for the most in a single season in program history, over 68.2 innings pitched. The flame-thrower gave up just 63 hits and 21 runs, 20 earned, while walking just 13 batters and striking out 81, tied fifth most in a single season in Western New England baseball history. Lauria gave up just seven extra base hits on the season and held opponents to a .240 batting average for the year. 

The Colorado Springs Sky Sox season runs from the end of May until the beginning of September. To follow Lauria's outings with the Sky Sox, click here.