Newsday's Top 100 Long Island baseball players for 2020

There’s no spring sports season. The COVID-19 outbreak forced the cancellation of all school activities, including sports.

There won’t be any games, no rivalry matchups or playoff pushes. Seniors will not get to experience the final high school hurrah, the last opportunity to pound a fist, chest thump, high five and galvanize a community around their team's march to a championship.

The long off-season workouts to prepare for a spring that wasn’t could very well be the last time they don a uniform.

The pursuit of personal goals and team championships are no longer possible.

There’s a ton of athletic talent on Long Island. Newsday recognizes those top players in the fall, winter and spring in various preview lists. And those compilations are a base foundation for the All-Long Island selections at the conclusion of each season.

So, here are the top baseball players heading into the spring of 2020, in the season that wasn’t. We feel they still matter.

(Note: players are listed in alphabetical order.)

Marco Ali, St. Anthony’s, 3B/SS, Sr. 

He’s a smooth fielder at third base or shortstop. He had 13 RBI and 14 runs scored. He’s a Fairfield commit.

Brad Battaglini, West Islip, IF/P, Sr.

A three-year infield starter, who also had a 3-0 pitching record with two saves. He will attend Cortland.

Kevin Bowrosen, Miller Place, SS/P, Sr.

He had a .427 batting average as a junior. He also scored 23 runs and had 11 stolen bases.

Steven Brendel, Sewanhaka, 1B/P, Sr.

He hit .510 for the Indians. He added a 6-1 record and 68 strikeouts to go along with a 0.96 ERA.

Ryan Brewer, Bay Shore, C/OF, Sr.

An excellent defender with versatility to play multiple positions. He is committed to Johns Hopkins.

Matty Brown-Eiring, Connetquot, 3B/P, Sr.

He batted .376 with 33 RBIs and went 3-1 with a 1.83 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 23 innings. He will play at Stony Brook.

Alex Carden, Friends Academy, P/SS, Sr.

He hit .362 with 17 runs and 10 stolen bases and also went 5-0 with 38 strikeouts and a 1.64 ERA.

Idris Carter, Roosevelt, OF/P, Sr

The Stony Brook commit hit .447 with two home runs and 19 RBIs. He also had 40 strikeouts in 25 innings.

Rich Casaccio, Cold Spring Harbor, SS, Sr. 

He hit .507 with two homers, 24 RBIs and 26 runs for the Seahawks.

Johnny Castagnozzi, Massapequa, SS/P, Sr.

He hit .300 with four home runs and 18 RBIs as a junior. He is a North Carolina commit.

Michael Ciminiello, Smithtown East, 1B/P, Sr.

The hard-throwing 6-1 lefthanded pitcher is also a strong righthanded batter that has gap-to-gap power.

Braden Clark, Plainedge, C, Sr.

He was injured last season. He batted .369 as a sophomore with 24 hits and 10 RBIs. He’s committed to Ulster JC.

Rob Copozzi, Center Moriches, 1B, Sr.

He batted .480 with five home runs and 19 RBI. He also went 2-0 with a save.

Chris Costaro, Bellmore JFK, 1B/P, Sr.

He led the team in hitting with a .375 average. He led the Cougars in extra base hits and runs.

Tyler Cox, Clarke, P/CF, Jr.

He batted .393 and had 15 stolen bases as a sophomore. He also had four saves and a 1.83 ERA.

Frank Cozzolino, Seaford, P, Sr.

He had 36 strikeouts and a 1.97 ERA over 33 innings pitched as a junior.

Aidan Crowley, Shoreham-Wading River, P, Sr.

The 6-3 right hander fired three straight no-hitters as a junior to set a Long Island record. He recorded 25 consecutive hitless innings.

C.J. Cumbo, Clarke, SS, Sr.

He batted .400 with 22 RBI and had a slugging percentage 1.062.

Nickolas Dagnello, Smithtown East, 3B/1B Sr.

He’s a corner infielder and a lefthanded hitter with power to all fields. He will play at the College of Charleston.

Sean Delahunty, Lindenhurst, C, Sr.

He has a strong, accurate arms as one of Suffolk’s top catchers. He is committed to Caldwell University.

John Jay Devito, Wantagh, SS, Sr.

The NYIT commit is a very athletic middle infielder and can play the outfielder with a plus arm and plus bat speed.

Bobby DiCapua, West Islip, OF/P, Sr.

He was a shutdown starting pitcher for the Lions as a junior. He had a sparkling 1.14 ERA in 61.2 innings over 11 games.

Dante DiMarco, Calhoun, C, Sr.

He batted .320 with 12 RBIs and stole nine of 10 bases. He also threw out six of eight runners. He will attend St. Joseph’s (L.I.) College.

Jordan Falco, Center Moriches, P/IF, Jr.

He went 6-0 with a 0.90 ERA as a sophomore. He also had a .330 batting average.

Ryan Ferremi, East Islip, 2B, Jr.

He batted .377 with 15 runs and 12 RBI as a sophomore.

Christian Fils-Aime, North Babylon, OF, Sr.

He hit .333, scored 21 runs and had 16 stolen bases as a junior. He hit .358 as a sophomore.

Fred Forgione, Sachem North, 3B, Sr.

The three-year starter hit .340 and had an on base percentage of .449 as a junior.

Matt Franco, Ward Melville, OF, Sr.

He had a team-leading six home runs and 25 RBI as a junior. He had three game-winning hits.

Kenny Franquiz, Mepham, SS, Sr.

The middle infielder batted .349 with a .446 on base percentage and drove in 13 runs as a junior.

Jake Fullerton, Whitman, P/1B, Sr.

He hit .296 with two homers and 16 RBI for the Wildcats. He also had three wins and a 1.77 ERA.

Chris Giardino, Clarke, C, Sr.

He hit .367 with 27 RBI and threw out more than 50 percent of attempted base stealers. He will play for Molloy.

Jordan Goldstein, Half Hollow Hills West, 2B, Jr.

The team captain and three-year varsity player hit .318 as a junior.

Jack Greco, Harborfields, OF/P, Sr.

He hit .357 with nine extra base hits, 17 runs scored and stole 11 bases as a junior.

Matt Hall, Pierson, SS/P, Sr.

He hit .309 with 19 runs scored as a junior. He added a 1.97 ERA over 49.1 innings pitched.

Shane Hewlette, Deer Park, OF, Sr.

He was a power hitter with nine doubles and 21 RBI as a junior. He hit .333 with a .545 slugging percentage.

Carlos Hidalgo, St. Dominic, P/CF, Sr.

He was a dominant three-year starting pitcher, who had 15 wins for the Bayhawks. He will attend St. John’s University.

Travis Honeyman, Massapequa, 3B, Sr.

His sweet swing will have him playing at Boston College. He led the Chiefs to the Long Island championship with a .480 average, four home runs and 26 RBI.

Ryan Hynes, Ward Melville, P, Sr.

The lefty was unbeaten with a 7-0 record and 1.67 ERA as a junior. He allowed one earned run with a 3-0 record in the playoffs.

Dylan Johnson, Newfield, SS/P, Jr.

The St. John’s University commit struck out 55 batters in 43 innings as a sophomore.

Daniel Kelleher, South Side, P, Sr.

He had a 4-2 record with a 2.35 ERA in 44.2 innings and allowed 31 hits and struck out 67. He will play at Hofstra next year.

Wade Kelly, Massapequa, OF/C, Sr.

The speedy centerfielder had 12 stolen bases and scored 25 runs with a .375 batting average as a junior.

Sean Kennedy, East Meadow, P/CF, Sr.

He went 6-1 with a 0.98 ERA as a junior. He also struck out 50.

Ryan Klee, Smithtown East, P, Sr.

The crafty lefty throws three pitches for strikes consistently in any count. He’s committed to Anderson University.

Nick Kozerski, Hicksville, P, Sr.

He’s all about command and keeping hitters off balance. He’s an All-Nassau pick, who will be attending Concordia University.

Anthony Labita, Plainedge, 2B, Sr.

He hit .373 and had a .543 on base percentage as a junior. He had 25 hits, including three homers and four doubles.

Sean Lane, St. Dominic, 1B, Jr.

He is one of the best hitters on Long Island. He batted .311 with 17 RBI as a sophomore. He is committed to Maryland.

Andrew Ledbetter, Whitman, C/P, Sr.

He can be overpowering on the mound and behind the plate. He had 18 hits and scored 14 runs as a junior.

Chris Leone, Hauppauge, C, Jr.

The three-year varsity starter is a game changer defensively. He threw out eight attempted base stealers and picked off three more.

Ryan Levenberg, Hauppauge, P, Sr.

The Hofstra commit went 4-1 with 34 strikeouts and a 2.23 ERA over 31 innings.

Hayden Liederman, Roslyn, P/SS, Jr.

He hit .406 with 26 hits and 11 stolen bases as a sophomore. He went 3-0 with a 1.87 ERA and 41 strikeouts.

Derek Livingston, Port Washington, P/OF, Sr.

He won four games and had a 2.00 ERA as the Vikings team ace. He also struck out 31 in 28 innings.

Jake Lombardi, Division, P/3B, Sr.

He had a 7-1 record with a 0.91 ERA, 1.01 whip and 60 strikeouts in 61 innings as a junior.

Robbie Manetta, Farmingdale, C, Sr.

The four-year varsity player who will play a major role at the top of the Dalers order. He batted .314 as a junior.

Cole Maucere, West Babylon, OF/P, Jr.

He had an impact for the Eagles as a sophomore. He batted .322 and drove in 10 runs.

Gavin McAlonie, Miller Place, 3B/P, Sr.

He struck out 33 batters in 28.2 innings and had a 5-1 record with a 1.22 ERA. He also hit .299 with 21 runs scored.

Will McCarthy, Farmingdale, P, Sr.

The 6-5, 215-pound pitcher can bring the heat with 33 K’s and 10 walks and a 2.86 ERA over 24 innings.

Sean Meth, Port Washington, 3B/P, Sr.

He batted a .367 average, four home runs and 22 RBI as a junior. He is also an elite defensive third baseman.

Ryan Micheli, Sachem East, C, Sr.

He is one of the top defensive catchers on Long Island. He had a .500 on base percentage and drove in 13 runs.

Matt Milone, St. John the Baptist, CF, Sr.

He hit five home runs, including two grand slams, drove in 19 runs and stole 15 bases. He’ll attend New York Tech.

Bobby Molinaro, Babylon, 1B/P, Sr.

He hit .426 and had a 5-1 record as a pitcher as the Panthers go-to guy. He will attend Adelphi.

Brock Murtha, Sayville, SS/P, Sr.

He hit .449 with 10 home runs and 31 RBI. The two-time All-LI pick was also 6-1 with an 0.43 ERA. He will attend Notre Dame.

James Myler, Longwood, OF, Sr.

Hit .367 with five home runs, 19 RBIs, 19 runs and eight stolen bases last year.

Aneudy Nunez, Whitman, OF, Sr.

He hit .379 with 11 runs and 24 RBI in a breakout junior season.

Aidan O’Connor, East Rockaway, P/OF, Sr.

He had 72 strikeouts and a 2.51 ERA in 39 innings pitched as a junior.

Nick O’Connor, Wantagh, 2B, Sr.

The slick second baseman batted .341 as a junior and will be attending St. Thomas Aquinas next year.

Brian O’Boyle, Bethpage, SS, Sr.

He batted .383 and drove in eight runs as a junior.

Luke Orbon, New Hyde Park, OF, Jr.

He is one of the elite outfielders on Long Island. He hit .371 with 17` RBI as a sophomore.

Nick Papageorge, Wheatley, P, Sr.

He struck out 45 batters and had a 0.77 ERA as the closer as a junior.

Anthony Pascale, Ward Melville, C, Sr.

He hammered five home runs, including two in the playoffs, and drove in 23 runs as a junior. He threw out 11 base stealers.

Jacob Pedersen, Comsewogue, P/3B, Jr.

He had a 2.70 ERA and struck out 43 in 41innings. He’s committed to pitch for Adelphi.

Joe Pellegrino, Commack, 2B, Sr.

He is a three-year starter, who hit .330 with 26 hits and 29 runs scored. He will attend Adelphi.

Anthony Pericolosi, South Side, OF, Sr.

He hit .486 with eight doubles, five triples, two home runs and 26 RBI. He will play at Hofstra.

Chris Perri, East Rockaway, P/OF, Sr.

He won five games for the Rocks and had 46 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched as a junior.

Matt Polestino, Glenn, CF/P, Sr.

He hit .344 and stole 16 bases last year. He also struck out 44 batters in 38 innings.

Mike Prisco, Newfield, C, Sr.

A four-year starter, who played through an injury last season, hitting .285. He has a strong lefty stroke and will attend Albany.

Chris Pupa, Seaford, P, Sr.

He struck out 52 hitters with a 0.92 ERA over 40 innings.

Declan Quinn, Deer Park, P, Sr.

He’s overpowering pitcher, who struck out 63 batters and walked eight in 45.2 innings. He had an 0.54 ERA.

JT Raab, MacArthur, P/IF, Jr.

He went 5-1 with a 1.83 ERA and struck out 50 in 46 innings.

Jack Reardon, Commack, SS, Sr.

The slick fielding shortstop, who transferred from St. Anthony’s as a junior, will be a key cog in the Commack lineup.

Colin Rhein, North Babylon, IF/P, Jr.

The transfer from Lindenhurst, had two wins last year, including a one-hit gem vs. Whitman in the last week of the season.

Justin Rosner, Farmingdale, P, Sr.

The Diamond Award finalist was 5-2 with 60 strikeouts and six walks in 45 innings. He also had a 1.07 ERA.

Jackson Sattinger, Port Washington, OF/P, Sr.

He was the Vikings leadoff hitter. He hit .321 with six home runs and 28 runs scored. He also had two wins and two saves and a 2.05 ERA.

Nick Sampogna, Wheatley, SS/CF, Sr.

He had eight extra base hits and stole 17 bases to go with a .500 batting average.

Will Scarola, North Shore, SS, Sr.

He was a three-sport athlete that hit .362 with three home runs, 15 RBIs and 29 stolen bases as a junior. He will play at Hofstra.

Garrett Scavelli, Carey, CF, Sr.

The NYIT commit is a plus defender in the outfield with a plus arm. He hit .278 last season.

Luke Schartner, Bayport-Blue Point, OF/P, Jr.

He batted .430 with three home runs, five doubles, 26 RBI and 18 runs scored as a sophomore.

Rafe Schlesinger, Sachem East, P, Jr.

As a sophomore the hard throwing lefty went 4-1 with a 2.14 ERA and 52 strikeouts over 38 innings. He committed to the University of Miami.

Sam Schneider, Southampton, P/OF, Sr.

The hard throwing three-year starter, who is committed to Adelphi, struck out more than a batter an inning, over 33 innings, as a junior.

Colin Shashaty, Northport, OF, Sr.

He hit .432 with 17 stolen bases, 15 runs scored and 19 RBI as a junior.

Louis Stallone, St. Anthony’s, P, Sr.

A 6-9, 220-pound righty, with a big breaking ball and excellent control. He struck out 37 in 39 innings. He is committed to Arkansas.

Sean Tierney, MacArthur, 1B, Sr.

He compiled a .360 average and had an on base percentage of .468 as a junior. He also had three home runs and 19 RBI.

Alex Ungar, Connetquot, SS/P, Sr.

The versatile defender batted .409 with four home runs, 11 doubles and three triples. The Albany commit also drove in 28 runs.

Tommy Ventimiglia, Longwood, P/IF, Jr.

He had a 4-1 record and a 1.24 ERA in 39 innings. He also struck out 49 hitters.

Thomas Verga, Floyd, 2B/3B, Sr.

He hit .466 with three home runs, 22 RBI, 24 runs scored and eight stolen bases. He is also an elite defender in the infield.

Liam Webber, Centereach, P/CF, Sr.

He may be the quickest outfielder on Long Island. He stole 16 bases in 17 attempts as a junior.

T.J. Werner, Mount Sinai, SS, Sr.

The Suffolk League VII MVP hit .362 with 20 runs scored and 19 stolen bases.

Frank Whitenack, Plainedge, P/OF, Sr.

He had a 2.72 ERA and struck out 55 in 46.1 innings. He also hit .333 and stole four bases.

Don Willie, Sachem East, C/P/1B, Sr.

He hit .362 and had a .516 on base percentage. He had 20 RBI and nine doubles for the Flaming Arrows.

Cole Zaffiro, Manhasset, P, Sr.

The righthander piked up three wins and had an ERA of 1.77 for the Indians. He can play anywhere on defense. He also hit .323.

Zachary Zarra, Plainedge, 3B, Sr.

He is a solid lefthanded bat, who has good range and a plus arm. He hit .328 with three homers and four doubles as a junior.

By Gregg Sarra

gregg.sarra@newsday.com@Gregg_Sarra

Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.