Brian Gilbert will pitch for the SteepleCats this summer after enjoying a fine freshman season at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. Gilbert was a strong option for manager Rob Sheppard as he logged more innings than any other reliever before becoming a starter for the Pirates in the middle of the season.

Gilbert appeared in 15 games with six starts in 2011 going 1-3 with a 3.52 ERA for a pitching staff that finished with the lowest team ERA (2.63) in the 12-team Big East Conference. In 53.2 innings of work, Gilbert walked 21, struck out 26, and also earned his first collegiate save. He was tough on opposing hitters in weekend games as the Pirates claimed the fifth seed in the conference tournament.

Gilbert turned in the performance of a lifetime as a senior at Toms River High School in 2010 when he led the 15th-seeded Mariners to an upset of the number two seed Steinert in the opening round of the NJSIAA Central Group IV Playoffs. Gilbert was 3-for-3 at the plate with a home run and threw a complete game with ten strikeouts. Gilbert is a 2010 Stars of Tomorrow Baseball Showcase Alum, an annual high school showcase for college coaches and professional scouts held at Brookdale Community College at the Jersey Shore.