Patchogue-Medford's Jayden Stroman wins the 57th Carl Yastrzemski Award

The last time Jayden Stroman attended the Suffolk County Baseball Coaches Association banquet was in 2008. He was there to see older brother Marcus Stroman win the 41st Carl Yastrzemski Award presented to Suffolk’s most outstanding player.

Jayden Stroman was not even a toddler. He was a one-year-old.

“It was a big night for the family,” his father Earl Stroman said. “Marcus was a junior and won the biggest award.”

Seventeen years later, Jayden earned his turn in the spotlight.

The Patchogue-Medford senior righthanded pitcher and switch-hitting pro prospect accepted the 57th Carl Yastrzemski Award as Suffolk’s most outstanding player before a packed banquet room Monday night at East Wind Long Island in Wading River.

The younger brother of the Yankees pitcher was now center stage. There was all the hype over his odyssey to three different high schools in four years and the expectations that come with being the younger brother of a major leaguer.

Jayden Stroman never flinched. He posted a 5-0 pitching record and struck out 50 in 20 innings of work during the regular season as his fastball reached 98 miles per hour. He allowed three hits and walked eight with an ERA of 0.70 and hitters batted .062 against him.

“It’s truly an honor to accept the prestigious Yaz award,” Stroman said. “It was a great decision to come home to play my final year of high school with my friends. I’m happy for my parents, especially my dad, who put in so much time with me in the gym and on the field. He inspired me every day with his love and his actions.”

As the season wore on, area scouts turned to scouting supervisors and cross checkers for more than 20 professional teams in Major League Baseball and Stroman’s phone never stopped ringing.

“When we heard he was coming home for his senior year we were all excited,” Patchogue-Medford coach Anthony Frascogna said. “There were expectations, and Jayden met every one of them. As soon as he stepped onto the field, we knew he was something special. I’ve never seen a player run or hit like him. He’s the best athlete we’ve seen in my 25 years coaching. His power is unbelievable.”

Stroman at 6-1, 205 pounds, had 15 extra base hits, including five home runs, batted .456, scored 41 runs, drew 25 walks, 11 intentional. He stole 23 of 24 bases and had an OBP of .617 and an OPS of 1.547. He also had 15 RBIs in the leadoff spot.

“He has the presence of a generational player,” Floyd coach Keith Kobasiuk said. “He one of the best all-around players we’ve seen as far as overall athleticism. And he’s also a physical specimen, a rare high school player that could hit with power, run well and throw as hard or harder than anyone we’ve ever seen. What was impressive was his IQ and how he knew the game. He was a leader on the field talking to his guys in the infield and outfield and communicating from the centerfield position. That’s important to have that guy in charge out there.”

The highly regarded MLB draft prospect rumored to be selected in the top few rounds of the July draft has garnered interest from more than 20 MLB teams.

“When I walked out onto our home field there were already scouts standing behind the backstop to watch him,” Whitman coach Keith Barrett said. “No players or coaches were at the field yet. And the scouts from all over the country were lining up. That’s exciting for everyone.”

Stroman spent the ninth and tenth grade at Stony Brook Prep. He accepted a full scholarship to transfer to IMG Academy in Florida for his junior year before his return to Patchogue-Medford.

“Every stop along the way helped me grow as a person and as a player,” he said. “I learned time management at Stony Brook to make ample time for studies. I also learned how to ask questions, listen more and talk less.”

A week ago, Stroman decommitted from Duke and accepted a full scholarship to play at the University of Virginia. The decision to switch Division I schools came after it was announced that Duke head coach Chris Pollard was leaving to accept the head job at Virginia.

It was just another twist in this journey. With MLB’s amateur draft in July, Stroman is not sure where the next stop will be.

“I’m chill," he said. "I don’t stress about anything. If baseball doesn’t work out, I’ll study to be a doctor.”

Stroman earned the Butch Dellecave Award as Suffolk’s top scholar athlete with a 4.0 grade-point average.

“Being an athlete can only take you so far and you’ll need to fall back on your studies," he said. “Academics will always put you in a good position. That’s why you need to balance everything in your life. And there are sacrifices to set the foundation.”

And how does it feel to become the first brother combination in 57 years to earn the Yaz Award?

“I think it's great," he said. “I’ve aspired to be successful like him. And he’s always supported me.”

Jayden Stroman continues to carve his own path.