Steelers' Kenny Pickett Had An Exceptional Night On The Diamond Cranking Massive Home Runs; Wins MVP

The Pittsburgh Steelers new franchise quarterback, Kenny Pickett, had himself one heck of a Saturday night. The former high school baseball player was, unsurprisingly, named MVP of Saturday's Three Rivers Celebrity Softball game. According to eye witness accounts, Pickett was seen smashing two homers in his first two at bats. With experience on the diamond and a training camp Home Run Derby winner medal to his name, it's no wonder Pickett is able to show off his slugging prowess. 

While Pickett is no Josh Allen in terms of throwing power, he still has a good arm on him. According to Madden 24, Pickett boasts an 87 rating when it comes to arm strength, which is top 50 in the league. According to PFF, Pickett boasted the sixth-best deep passer rating in 2022. Being compared, deep passing wise, in the same breath as Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, is never a bad thing. He wasn't perfect throwing down the field, but has immense potential.

"Pickett was solid in his first season. He threw five interceptions (tied for fourth most) but recorded a 4.3% turnover-worthy play rate (eighth-best). Most encouraging was his 31.9% big-time throw rate (11th). With George Pickens leading the way (95.3), these two should become a formidable combination in 2023."

As mentioned previously, Pickett did play baseball in high school. While he only played one season, and only had 10 career at bats, he was able to put up some impressive numbers. In terms of the MLB, the league batting average hovers around .250 for any given season. The average slugging percentage for the MLB is anywhere between .400 to .450 and the best ever slugging percentage in a single season was done by Barry Bonds in 2001. Bonds' was .863. Pickett boasted a .600 batting average and .900 slugging percentage. For those not as immersed in baseball stats and culture, these numbers are elite.

After his dominate display at the plate, its no wonder Pickett's own Team Burgh emerged victorious in the game (16-6), and the home run derby (10-7). It comes as no surprise that Pickett was awarded the MVP for this game. While the game itself was fun and offered many fans in the area the chance to see Steelers players in person, there are even bigger winners from this game. The biggest winners from Saturday's game are the kids helped by the Heyward House, the charity created and run by Pittsburgh's own Cameron Heyward. 

Steelers Defensive Captain Is A Big Man With A Bigger Heart

On the field, Heyward is a mauling, destructive, defensive lineman. He is known for his aggressive style of play and ability to demolish offensive linemen. Off the field, he appears to be one of the sweetest people in the NFL, having been nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for 2021 and 2022. Heyward uses his platform as a professional athlete to put on events like the one on Saturday. His ability to bring in big names to this game only helps out the recipients of his kindness. 

The Heyward House, founded by Heyward himself, is a charitable organization that aims to help underprivileged kids. After the death of his father in 2006, Heyward was raised by a single mother. Knowing first hand the struggles that went with being raised by a single mother, his aim was to offer support to those struggling as he did early on in his life.

The entire story of the Heyward House can be found here. The main page of the organization can be found here, and if you are able to help out, the donation page can be found here.

Does Pickett have a future on the Pittsburgh Pirates' roster should the NFL not work out? Let us know in the comment section or on twitter. Also, if this is your first time reading an article, consider checking out the rest of the Steeler Nation site. 

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