By Tucker Terranova
Suffolk County’s baseball elite took center stage last night as the Suffolk County Baseball Coaches Association (SCBCA) hosted its annual awards banquet, celebrating the top players, coaches, and performances from the spring season.
The evening’s spotlight shone brightest on the county’s three most prestigious honors: the Carl Yastrzemski Award, recognizing Suffolk’s Most Valuable Player; the Blue Chip Silver Slugger Award, presented to the county’s top hitter; and the Paul Gibson Award, honoring Suffolk’s most dominant pitcher.
Carl Yastrzemski Award – Jayden Stroman, RHP/CF, Patchogue-Medford
Jayden Stroman, a dynamic two-way senior and the younger brother of Yankees pitcher Marcus Stroman, became the 57th recipient of the Carl Yastrzemski Award. It’s the third time in four years a Patchogue-Medford player has taken home the honor, as Josh Knoth won in both 2022 and 2023.
Returning to his hometown program after previous stops at the Stony Brook School and IMG Academy, Stroman authored a historic season that left little doubt about his standing as Suffolk’s most complete player.
On the mound, he accumulated a 5-0 record, 50 strikeouts in just 20 innings, a 0.70 ERA, and only three hits allowed all spring. Opponents managed a meager .062 batting average against him, while he topped at 98 mph and area scouts made the drive out for every start.
Stroman was also the engine of the Raiders’ offense. He batted .456 with a 1.547 OPS, hit five home runs, crossed the plate 41 times, and swiped 24 bases in 25 tries. Perhaps no stat better captured his impact than his 11 intentional walks, a sign of respect from opposing coaches.
A projected early-round pick in July’s MLB Draft, Stroman recently flipped his college commitment from Duke to the University of Virginia, following former Blue Devils head coach Chris Pollard to Charlottesville. Whether he chooses the pro route or steps onto campus in the fall, Stroman’s academic resume is equally elite: a 4.0 GPA and recipient of the Butch Dellecave Award, given to Suffolk’s top scholar-athlete.
Patchogue-Medford head coach Anthony Frascogna sung his praises before the season, stating, “He is the most physically impressive player I’ve ever had. Between his size, strength and speed. He’s going to be the focal point of everyone that comes to play us, and I’m sure we’re going to get some interest from scouts.”
The spotlight never shook him. Stroman etched his name as one of the best players in Pat-Med history this season and has a future that may mimic that of his brother and Knoth.
Blue Chip Silver Slugger Award – Michael Oliveto, C, Hauppauge
Coming off a breakout junior season that firmly established him as Long Island’s premier hitter, the expectations for Oliveto in 2025 were sky-high, and he somehow exceeded them. Named Axcess Baseball’s Preseason Player of the Year, the smooth-swinging lefty lived up to every bit of the hype, turning in one of the most complete offensive seasons Suffolk County has seen in recent memory.
Oliveto batted .435 with nine home runs, surpassing his total from the previous season and leading the county, while posting a staggering .633 on-base percentage, 1.617 OPS, and 25 RBIs. He crossed the plate 31 times, walked 30 times (14 intentionally), and struck out just six times all spring.
Behind the plate, he was just as impactful. A commanding presence as Hauppauge’s everyday catcher, Oliveto threw out 10 would-be base stealers, picked off four more, and allowed just one passed ball. Beyond the field, Oliveto is the definition of a leader, according to head coach Josh Gutes’ preseason comments.
“He’s a true leader, he’s the best teammate, he truly cares about everyone’s success,” he said. “He can go 0-for-4, but if we win, he’s okay with it. He’s just a star of a human being and a star of a baseball play. He is a professional baseball player on a high school field.”
Now, that statement may become reality. Though committed to Yale University for the fall, Oliveto is currently in Phoenix, Arizona participating in the MLB Draft Combine and has been climbing draft boards throughout the spring. In just 12 months, he’s gone from one of Long Island’s top catchers to one of the Northeast’s most coveted prospects.
Oliveto leaves Hauppauge as arguably the best player in program history. He led the Eagles to the 2024 New York State Final, and in poetic fashion, finished his career this May with a towering home run — his 100th career hit — in his final at-bat.
Paul Gibson Award – Thomas Costarelli, LHP, East Islip
Thomas Costarelli closed out a standout high school career with a dominant senior season, helping lead East Islip to its first Suffolk County Championship since 2021.
A four-year varsity starter and East Tennessee State University commit, Costarelli entered the spring as one of Long Island’s most established arms and elevated his performance even further in 2025. The senior left-hander pitched 67 innings with a 0.40 ERA, 0.63 WHIP, and 100 strikeouts, going a perfect 8-0 in the regular season. Alongside fellow starters Lucas Patton and Jaden Schmidt, he anchored what was widely regarded as one of the Island’s deepest and most effective rotations.
Costarelli’s athleticism extended beyond the mound. Also an All-Long Island quarterback, he contributed significantly at the plate, batting .402 with 20 RBIs and 22 stolen bases, while playing strong defense when not pitching.
His poise stood out most in the postseason. In a key playoff matchup against Rocky Point, Costarelli threw nine shutout innings, allowing just three hits and striking out 10 in a crucial extra-inning win.
Head coach Sal Ciampi spoke highly of Costarelli’s development and consistency before the season, stating, “Everyone talks about who they think is the best, but I would not trade him for anybody. He’s been a three-year starter on varsity and by the end of last year, he had gone to a completely different level on the mound.”
Costarelli is committed to continue his baseball career at ETSU, but rest assured, he has the type of projectable talent that may vault him into professional baseball sooner rather than later.
