Newsday's top 100 baseball players on Long Island for 2024
From left: Victor Frederick, Kieran Kehoe and AJ Aschettino
Newsday's annual list of the top 100 Long Island high school baseball players as the season gets underway. The list is in alphabetical order and statistics are from last season unless otherwise noted.
GEORGE ADAMS, Massapequa, P, Sr.
The Stony Brook commit had a 6-0 record with a 2.07 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 23 ⅔ innings.
JACE ALVINO, West Babylon, 1B/P, Sr.
Alvino hit .286 with 32 RBIs. The returning Newsday All-Long Island second-team selection had a 7-1 record with a 1.67 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 63 innings pitched.
ALEX APICELLA, Sachem East, SS/P, Sr.
Apicella batted .320 with five homers and 20 RBIs. The James Madison commit was 4-0 with 34 strikeouts and a 1.85 ERA.
MATT ARNOTT, South Side, P/1B, Sr.
The righthander had a 4-2 record with a 3.42 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 32 innings. A St. Thomas Aquinas commit, Arnott batted .288 with 14 RBIs.
AJ ASCHETTINO, Rocky Point, SS, Sr.
Aschettino batted .522 with five homers and 27 RBIs. The Northeastern commit was a Newsday All-Long Island first-team selection.
Top row, from, left: George Adams of Massapequa, Jace Alvino of West Babylon, Alex Apicella of Sachem East. Middle row, from left: Matt Arnott of South Side, AJ Aschettino of Rocky Point, AJ Bardi of Wantagh. Bottom row, from left: Nick Berasti of Clarke, Gabe Beschloss of Garden City, Jack Bodkin of South Side.
BRADY AUSTIN, Smithtown West, P/OF, Jr.
Austin had a 3-2 record with a 1.60 ERA in 31 innings. He batted .386.
KEVIN BAEZ, St. Anthony’s, SS, Sr.
Baez had a team-leading 18 RBIs. The Thomas Jefferson commit had zero errors.
AJ BARDI, Wantagh, C, Sr.
The Maine commit hit .420 with 12 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 25 RBIs and 13 steals.
ANDREW BASEL, Mineola, IF/P, Sr.
Basel had a 1.02 ERA with 31 strikeouts. The Northeastern commit batted .300 with a .417 OBP and seven RBIs.
NICK BERASTI, Clarke, P/MIF, Sr.
Berasti batted .320 with three homers and 22 RBIs. The St. Thomas Aquinas commit pitched to a 5-2 record with 41 strikeouts in 39 innings.
JASON BERTHEL, Seaford, SS, Jr.
He hit .352 -- .385 in the playoffs -- with 16 RBIs.
GABE BESCHLOSS, Garden City, P, Sr.
The East Carolina commit had a 7-2 record with a 1.71 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 41 innings.
JACK BODKIN, South Side, MIF, Sr.
Bodkin batted .303 with a 1.101 OPS and 15 RBIs. The Hofstra commit had 26 walks and eight stolen bases.
MATT BOLTON, Division, OF, Sr.
The Binghamton commit hit .404 with seven homers, nine doubles and 38 RBIs. A Newsday All-Long Island second-teamer, he also stole 21 bases.
TYLER BONSIGNORE, MacArthur, 1B/P, Sr.
Bonsignore has a 14-4 career record. He is committed to Adelphi.
PETER BOUNOUGIAS, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK, 1B/P, Sr.
The Queens College commit was a .431 hitter with a 1.205 OPS, 4 home runs and 26 RBIs.
MAX BREWER, Northport, INF/OF, Sr.
Brewer, a consistent bat at the clean-up spot, hit .306 with a .719 OPS.
CONNOR BUNCE, Half Hollow Hills East, OF/SS, Sr.
A fourth-year varsity starter, Bunce hit .348 with 17 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. He is committed to St. Joseph’s (LI).
EVAN BYRNES, West Islip, P, Jr.
Byrnes did not allow an earned run during the regular season, going 7-1 with a 0.59 ERA overall.
Clockwise, from top left: Matt Bolton of Division, Evan Byrnes of West Islip, John Carroll of Chaminade, Tyler Bonsigore of MacArthur and Drew McGowan of Eastport-South Manor, Mike Cervoni of Chaminade.
EVAN CABRAL, Garden City, 3B/P, Jr.
Cabral pitched to a 5-1 record with a 3.14 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 35 ⅔ innings. He batted .385 with a .542 OBP, seven doubles, four homers and 30 RBIs.
KEVIN CANTO, East Meadow, 2B/SS, Sr.
Canto batted .338 with 14 RBIs and seven stolen bases.
DOM CARLEO, Oyster Bay, P, Sr.
Carleo had 71 strikeouts, a 3.28 ERA and a .156 batting average against. He'll play at New Paltz.
NICK CARNOVALE, Ward Melville, OF/P, Sr.
Carnovale batted .365 with a homer and 18 RBIs. He had a 4-2 record with a 2.45 ERA.
JOHN CARROLL, Chaminade, P, Sr.
Carroll had a 5-0 record with a 1.82 ERA. He is committed to Navy.
CONNOR CATANIA, Smithtown West, P/3B, Sr.
Catania batted .275 with 16 RBIs. He had 18 strikeouts in 11 innings pitched.
MIKE CERVONI, Chaminade, 3B, Sr.
Cervoni batted .305 with 11 RBIs. The Stony Brook commit is a three-year starter.
LUKE CIMINIELLO, Smithtown East, C, Sr.
The Stony Brook commit went 10-for-10 on stolen base attempts and had 10 walks. He also batted .360 with 13 singles and seven doubles.
HUNTER COLAGRANDE, Kings Park, P, Sr.
Colagrande had a 6-0 record with a 1.08 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 50 innings. The Stony Brook commit and Newsday All-Long Island second-team selection had a .150 batting average against.
Clockwise from top left: Luke Ciminiello of Smithtown East, Hunter Colagrande of Kings Park, Matt Cruz of St. Dominic, Tyler Cook of Holy Trinity.
TYLER COOK, Holy Trinity, C/P, Sr.
Cook hit .410 with three homers, three triples, six doubles and 33 RBIs. The Troy commit and Newsday All-Long Island first-team selection had a 2-0 record with a 1.38 ERA, five saves and 52 strikeouts in 31 innings.
THOMAS COSTARELLI, East Islip, P/OF, Jr.
Costarelli batted .420 with 15 RBIs. The Central Florida commit was 4-2 with a 1.98 ERA.
MATT CRUZ, St. Dominic, OF/P, Sr.
Cruz batted .309 and led the teams in runs and stolen bases. He is committed to Rutgers.
MATT CURTO, Lindenhurst, P, Sr.
The Adelphi commit has a low-to-mid 80s fastball and great command of his curveball. Curto was 6-2 with a 2.89 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 42 innings.
MICHAEL D’AMBROSIO, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK, 1B/P, Sr.
The Hofstra commit batted .543 with a 1.460 OPS, five homers and 35 RBIs. The Newsday All-Long Island first-team selection was 8-1 with 83 strikeouts, a 1.95 ERA and a .911 WHIP in 52 ⅔ innings.
MAX DONECEA, Northport, P, Jr.
Donecea was 4-2 rwith a 1.97 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 39 innings. He recently touched 86 mph.
From left: Paul Dulanto of Massapequa, Jack Fanning of Garden City, Michael D'Ambrosio of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK.
PAUL DULANTO, Massapequa, C, Sr.
The Stony Brook commit batted .505 with eight homers and 35 RBIs and earned Newsday All-Long Island second-team honors.
JIMMY ERNST, Kellenberg, C, Sr.
Ernst batted .310 with three homers and 18 RBIs. He is committed to LIU.
JACK FANNING, Garden City, SS, Sr.
Fanning batted .415 with a .551 OBP, nine doubles, three homers and 27 RBIs. The Hofstra commit was a Newsday All-Long Island second-team selection.
BENNIE FRANQUIZ, Mount Sinai, SS, Jr.
Franquiz batted .500 with 28 RBIs and eight doubles. The Army commit stole 26 bases.
BRYAN FRASCOGNA, Patchogue-Medford, C, Sr.
Frascogna batted .316 with a .425 OBP, 11 RBIs and 15 walks.
VICTOR FREDERICK, St. Dominic, P/1B, Sr.
The reigning Newsday CHSAA Player of the Year had a 7-1 record with 72 strikeouts and allowed just three earned runs (0.50 ERA) in 46 innings. The St. John’s commit batted .404 with two homers and 12 RBIs.
NICK FRUSCO, Miller Place, P/1B, Jr.
Frusco was 5-2 record with a 1.54 ERA, 93 strikeouts and just 17 walks in 45 ⅓ innings . He batted .385 with a 1.061 OPS.
MARK GAJOWSKI, Riverhead, P, Sr.
The hard-throwing lefthander struck out 46 batters in 31 innings. Gajowski is committed to Albany.
THOMAS GARRETT, St. Dominic, C, Sr.
Garrett batted .330 with a .450 OBP. The St. Thomas Aquinas commit threw out over 50% of attempted base stealers.
Clockwise, from top left: Victor Frederick of St. Dominic, Garret Gates of North Shore, Ari Gluck of Half Hollow Hills East, Tyler Giordano of Roslyn, Thomas Garrett of St. Dominic.
GARRET GATES, North Shore, P/CF, Sr.
Gates had a 2.41 ERA with 50 strikeouts and just 10 hits allowed in 29 innings. The NJIT commit batted .340 and stole 15 bases.
TYLER GIORDANO, Roslyn, 3B/1B, Sr.
Giordano batted .468 with a 1.145 OPS and 12 RBIs.
ARI GLUCK, Half Hollow Hills East, P, Sr.
Gluck had a 0.992 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 44 ⅓ innings. The Adelphi commit earned Newsday All-Long Island second-team honors.
DANNY GOODMAN, Calhoun, OF/P, Sr.
A Clark commit, Goodman batted .320 and pitched to a 7-1 record with a 2.1 ERA and 61 strikeouts.
JEREMY GRAHAM, Rocky Point, 3B/P, Sr.
Graham batted .348 with 13 RBIs. The Hudson Valley commit was 4-1 with a 1.80 ERA.
JOHN HARKINS, Babylon, SS, Jr.
Harkins batted .424 with 31 RBIs. He stole 20 bases.
MARCUS HARRISON, Long Island Lutheran, OF/P, Sr.
The lefty batted a team-leading .438. He is committed to Bentley.
BRANDON HAUK, Kings Park, IF/P, Sr.
Hauk batted .418 with a .480 OBP and 12 RBIs. The St. Thomas Aquinas commit had a 2-2 record with a 3.01 ERA in 25 innings.
ANDREW HEPPNER, Holy Trinity, C/3B, Sr.
Heppner batted .345 with a .496 OBP, three homers, eight doubles and 24 RBIs. He is committed to Pace.
MATT HESSELBIRG, Newfield, 2B/P, Sr.
Hesselbirg batted .400 with three homers, three triples, five doubles and 21 RBIs. The Mercy commit was 4-2 with a 2.20 ERA.
Clockwise, from top left: Joe Hiller of Center Moriches, Danny Goodman of Calhoun, Marcus Harrison of Long Island Lutheran, Evan Kay of Commack.
JOE HILLER, Center Moriches, SS/P, Jr.
Hiller went 6-3 with a 1.20 ERA, 50 strikeouts and six walks in 41 innings.
ANTHONY IUORIO, Port Washington, OF, Sr.
Iuorio batted .450 with 19 RBIs and stole 14 bases.
EVAN KAY, Commack, IF/P, Sr.
Kay, a Stony Brook commit, batted .529 and drove in 43 runs. The Newsday All-Long Island first-teamer also had a 5-0 record, a 0.62 ERA, a .168 batting average against and 47 strikeouts in 45 innings.
KIERAN KEHOE, Mepham, 1B, Sr.
Kehoe received the 2023 Diamond Award as Nassau’s position player of the year. The Newsday All-Long Island first-team selection and St. Joseph’s (Pennsylvania) commit had a .700/.736/1.217 slash line.
BEN KENNEDY, Smithtown East, P, Sr.
The New Paltz commit is a four-year varsity starter with nine career wins. An injury derailed his junior season.
RYAN KIENDLE, Connetquot, 3B/P, Sr.
Kindle batted .323 with five doubles and 17 RBIs. The St. John’s commit had two wins, three saves, 32 strikeouts and a 1.31 ERA in 26 innings.
RYAN KRZEMIENSKI, Commack, P, Sr.
Krzemienski batted .300 with 10 RBIs. The St. Thomas Aquinas commit was 5-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 28 innings.
NICK LANG, Valley Stream North, OF/P, Sr.
Lang batted .378 with a 1.037 OPS and stole 10 bases. He threw 30 strikeouts in 23 innings.
SEBASTIAN LIPPMAN, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK, OF/P, Sr.
Lippman batted .284 with an .828 OPS. The Georgia Tech commit was 4-1 with a 2.62 ERA, 1.156 WHIP and 66 strikeouts in 32 innings.
JOHN MARGOLIES, Hauppauge, 3B/P, Sr.
Margolies batted .361 with eight doubles and two triples. He is committed to St. Thomas Aquinas.
Top row, from left: Kieran Kehoe of Mepham, Ben Kennedy of Smithtown East, Ryan Krzemienski of Commack. Middle row, from left: Sebastian Lippmann of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK, John Margolies of Hauppauge, Jordan Meirowitz of Portledge. Bottom row, from left: Kenny Noe of Kellenberg, Matt Neglia of Hauppauge, Rob Melo of Patchogue-Medford.
MATT MARINO, Division, P, Sr.
The SUNY Old Westbury commit had a 10-0 record with 82 strikeouts, an 0.95 ERA and an 0.95 WHIP. He threw seven complete games and five shutouts.
DREW McGOWAN, Eastport-South Manor, C, Sr.
McGowan made seven successful pickoffs and committed zero errors. The Marist commit hit .345 with two homers, 15 steals and 18 walks.
JORDAN MEIROWITZ, Portledge, C, Sr.
Meirowitz batted .516, and is committed to Trinity College.
ROB MELO, Patchogue-Medford, P/1B, Sr..
Melo batted .333 with five homers. He was pitched to a 5-3 record with a 3.52 ERA. The Army commit was a Newsday All-Long Island second-team selection.
KYLE MESSINA, Sayville, SS, Jr.
Messina batted .420 and had a .515 OBP. He had 16 RBIs and 15 stolen bases.
BRAEDEN MOTT, Pierson, P/3B, Jr.
Mott hwas 5-0 with 46 strikeouts and a 1.585 ERA in 35 ⅓ innings.
MATT NEGLIA, Hauppauge, P/SS, Sr.
Neglia had a 7-1 record, a 1.93 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 43 ⅓ innings. The St. Thomas Aquinas commit batted .314 with 29 RBIs.
KENNY NOE, Kellenberg, SS, Sr.
Noe batted .335 with 25 RBIs and five homers. He is committed to Monmouth.
LOGAN NORMAN, Centereach, OF, Sr.
Norman batted .334 with five home runs and 15 stolen bases. The Francis Marion commit had a 1.000 fielding percentage.
MATT NOWLAN, Comsewogue, OF/IF, Sr.
Nowlan batted .355 with a 1.070 OPS, three homers and 19 RBIs. Nowlan is committed to Molloy.
MICHAEL OLIVETO, Hauppauge, C/1B, Jr.
Oliveto batted .394 with a 1.204 OPS. He had 10 doubles, three triples, two homers and 24 RBIs.
ELIJAH OUTLAW, West Babylon, OF, Jr.
Outlaw batted .414 with seven doubles, five triples, two homers and 28 RBIs. He went 17-for-19 on stolen base attempts.
TOMMY PASQUA, Kellenberg, 2B, Sr.
Pasqua batted .316 with 24 hits and 25 runs scored. He is committed to Queens College.
NICK PEPITONE, Connetquot, P, Sr.
Pepitone had 36 strikeouts and a 1.105 ERA in 31 ⅔ innings. He had a .183 batting average against.
CONNOR QUINN, Wheatley, IF/P, Sr.
The SUNY Brockport commit had a 5-2 record, a 1.69 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 58 innings.
GIANCARLO RENGIFO, Clarke, SS/3B, Sr.
The Adelphi commit batted .379 with three homers and 21 RBIs.
Clockwise, from top left: Connor Quinn of Wheatley, Zach Rosenzweig of Plainedge, Kevin Schnupp of Comsewogue, Jimmy Stroehlein of Valley Stream North, Alex Strickland of Miller Place, Giancarlo Rengifo of Clarke.
ZACH ROSENZWEIG, Plainedge, C, Sr.
Rosenzweig batted .310 with a .466 OBP, six homers and 17 RBIs. The Wilmington University commit will begin his fourth season as Plainedge’s starting catcher.
DALTON RUTT, Ward Melville, P, Sr.
Rutt was 4-0 with a 1.26 ERA and four saves. He is committed to New Paltz.
MATT RYAN, North Shore, C, Sr.
The Adelphi commit batted .280 with three homers and 12 RBIs. He threw out 40% of would-be base stealers.
JADEN SCHMIDT, East Islip, P/1B, Jr.
Schmidt batted .303 with 14 RBIs and pitched to a 6-0 record and 0.78 ERA.
KEVIN SCHNUPP, Comsewogue, C, Sr.
Schnupp batted .367 with a 1.066 OPS, four homers and 18 RBIs. The UMass Amherst commit had 10 stolen bases, and caught 11 runners stealing.
ALEX STRICKLAND, Miller Place, P/SS, Sr.
Strickland was 5-1 with a 2.43 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 40⅓ innings. The Longwood commit hit .329 with an .886 OPS and 19 RBIs.
JIMMY STROEHLEIN, Valley Stream North, 2B/P, Sr.
Stroehlein had 52 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched. The SUNY Old Westbury commit had a .460 OBP.
CHRIS STUMPF, North Babylon, SS/P, Sr.
Stumpf is 4-3 with four saves, 36 strikeouts and a 1.91 ERA over the past two seasons. He bats leadoff and has a career .325 batting average.
JOE SWINARSKI, Massapequa, SS/P, Sr.
Swinarski batted .378 with nine extra-base hits. The New Haven commit had just two errors.
From left: Chris Stumpf of North Babylon, Joe Swinarski of Massapequa, Joe Tagliavia of Farmingdale.
JOE TAGLIAVIA, Farmingdale, 2B/P, Sr.
Tagliavia batted .412 with 18 RBIs and went 3-1 with a 2.59 ERA and 48 strikeouts.
JACK TATE, Wantagh, CF/P, Sr.
Tate was 5-2 with a 1.35 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 41 innings. He is committed to Adelphi.
MILO TOMPKINS, Bridgehampton, C, Sr.
Tompkins batted .583 with 35 hits, 10 extra-base hits and three homers. He had an OBP of .683, 20 walks and 16 stolen bases.
HUNTER TRENAMAN, Port Washington, P, Sr.
He had a 5-1 record with a 3.84 ERA and 31 strikeouts.
MATTEO TUFANO, Carey, SS/P, Sr.
Tufano batted .433, and is committed to Queens College.
CHRISTIAN VARELA, Division, P, Sr.
Varela went 9-1 with a 1.00 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 44 strikeouts. The St. Thomas Aquinas commit had four complete games and three shutouts.
Clockwise, from top left: Hunter Trenaman of Port Washington, Luke Villella of Oceanside, Nick Zampieron of Comsewogue, Jordan Welch of Farmingdale.
LUKE VILLELLA, Oceanside, 2B/P, Jr.
Villella batted .440 and is one of five returning starters from a team that reached the county semifinals.
REID WALTER, Cold Spring Harbor, P, Sr.
Walter has a mid-80s fastball. The Ithaca commit also had four homers, 20 RBIs, five stolen bases and 15 walks.
LUCAS WEISSER, Roslyn, OF/P, Sr.
Weisser batted .453 with a 1.173 OPS and 14 RBIs.
JORDAN WELCH, Farmingdale, 3B/P, Sr.
Welch batted .462 with 21 RBIs and earned Newsday All-Long Island second-team honors. He had a 6-2 record with a 1.66 ERA and 53 strikeouts.
TREY ZAFFIRO, Manhasset, SS/P, Sr.
Zaffiro batted .327 with an .893 OPS. The Lafayette commit had a 3.60 ERA and 48 strikeouts.
NICK ZAMPIERON, Comsewogue, SS/P, Sr.
Zampieron batted .420 with a 1.060 OPS and stole 24 bases. The Stony Brook commit also was 1-0 with a 2.87 ERA and 20 strikeouts.
