by Trevor Dugan
The Adelphi Panthers exceeded expectations in 2026 under first year head coach Mike Gaffney. After being picked to finish seventh in the NE10 conference in preseason polling, Adelphi finished fourth, compiling a 20-16 conference record and winning a pair of playoff games.
In 2027, with plenty of production returning and an influx of exciting new talent, the Panthers’ goal is to avenge their playoff loss to Southern New Hampshire and win the NE10 conference.
“We have a lot of momentum going into this year, and I feel like we have a real shot to not only win the Northeast 10, but make a deep run into regionals and go as far as we can,” said senior catcher Bryan McCleary. “I think we can become one of the powerhouse teams in the region.”
Adelphi has not won a conference title since 2011, but Coach Gaffney is no stranger to winning championships. In his time as head coach of LIU Post, he captured two ECC championships and set a program record with 38 wins in 2019.
“Last year we took people by surprise a little bit, I think this year is going to be way different,” Gaffney said. “It took us some time to learn how to win, we’re not going to have to do that this year. We’re going to be much more confident, and we’re going into the season knowing we’re pretty good.”
The Adelphi roster is littered with exciting and talented young players that give this team a unique identity. Utility man Zach DeMilt started all 47 games as a freshman for the Panthers in 2026 and was one of the best leadoff batters in the conference. The Sachem North graduate slashed an absurd .387/.495/.476, earning him NE10 All-Rookie honors. DeMilt will be at the top of the Adelphi lineup once again in 2027.
DeMilt has Adelphi baseball in his blood. His father Dan was an All-American shortstop at Adelphi, and a key piece of the 1993 Panthers squad that earned the school’s first ever trip to the Division-II College World Series. Dan was inducted into the Adelphi Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.
Senior Michael Robinson will be a middle of the order run producer for the Panthers in 2027. Robinson served primarily as Adelphi’s DH in 2026, batting .309 and leading the team with six home runs. He was injured just before postseason play began, prematurely ending his season at the most inopportune time.
The aforementioned McCleary, graduate of The Wheatley School, will be another RBI bat for Adelphi this season. The backstop hit .307 in 2026 with 38 RBI, good for second on the team.
The pitching staff will be headlined by a pair of Long Island natives. Junior Ari Gluck, a Half Hollow Hills East graduate, pitched a team high 58 innings in 2026 while compiling a 3.41 ERA. Oceanside native Dylan Beirne will slot in right behind him, a sinker baller with nasty stuff that made the NE10 All-Rookie team in 2026.
You may have noticed a trend here, Much of the Adelphi roster is from Long Island. In fact, McCleary told Axcess Baseball that “around 85% of the roster” is from the Island. This allows the Panthers to work together year-round in a way many teams simply can’t.
“In the summer and winter, most of us are still training together and seeing each other consistently.” McCleary explained. “It’s not like we’re together for five or six months in school and then don’t see each other the rest of the year. Even in the offseason we’re still pushing each other when we’re separated from the coaches. Being able to keep growing that brotherhood is huge.”
All of these players have bought into the culture Coach Gaffney has brought with him. While speaking with them they describe this year’s Adelphi squad as “gritty”, “disciplined”, “hardworking” and “scrappy”.
“We’re not a team that’s going to hit five home runs a game,” Gaffney said. “We’re a team that’s going to put pressure on you, we’re going to run the bases aggressively, force balls in play, make you make the play.”
“On the pitching side, we don’t have five to 10 John Carvers. We have guys who will pound the zone and pitch to contact. And our defense has been upgraded tremendously this year, our pitchers will trust the guys behind them to make the play.”
Gaffney mentioned John Carver, the biggest loss Adelphi’s roster suffered this year. As a graduate student in 2026 Carver turned in one of the finest pitching seasons in school history. He pitched to a 2.67 ERA while recording 92 strikeouts in 57.1 innings, the sixth most strikeouts in a single season in Adelphi history. After graduating, Carver signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros.
“It’s a huge hit losing a guy like Carver, but I think we have a much deeper staff now,” McCleary told Axcess. “Our staff will have a lot of guys just going right at you, throwing a lot of strikes and trusting the defense, and it should be a strong point for our team.”
Another key player from 2026 who graduated is Johnny Catuosco. The outfielder batted .407 out of the two spot in 2026 and was awarded an NE10 All-Defensive Team selection, along with NE10 All-Conference Second Team honors. Gaffney is confident his production can be replaced.
“Catuosoco was our top hitter last year batting second. We’re going to miss him, but I think naturally guys will take the next step offensively,” Gaffney said. “With our transfers Nick Delvecchio and Luke Ciminiello, those two guys could jump right in and fill that void. Johnny was a righty, but they’re both lefty and can put the bat on the ball, especially Nick. I think Delvecchio is a perfect two hole guy because he hits to contact, can drive the ball a bit, and he’s consistent. He can fill that void for us.”
Both of the newcomers Gaffney mentioned transferred to Adelphi from Division-I programs. Ciminiello, a former Smithtown East standout outfielder, transferred from Stony Brook University. Delvecchio, an infielder who won a Catholic League state title with Holy Trinity in 2023, transferred from LIU. Both players figure to be key pieces of Adelphi’s lineup in 2027.
“The culture they have here at Adelphi, my play style fits right into what they want to do. Put the ball in play, get on base, play a little small ball,” Delvecchio said. “They had a great year last year. I think the program is heading in the right direction, and Coach Gaff is a great guy and great coach. I wanted to be coached by someone like him.”
Adelphi’s roster has plenty of experience, and learned invaluable lessons during their trip to the postseason in 2026. Gluck, who pitched 7.2 innings in a playoff win against Pace University last season, outlined how last year’s playoff run has helped alleviate pressure from the pitching staff heading into 2027.
“I don’t think we’ll feel as much pressure this year, because we have a ton of guys who can step up in big spots. I think we’re a very well rounded staff,” Gluck explained. “We might be on the younger side, only a couple seniors, but a lot of guys will be able to fill roles they may not have filled last year. We’ll be able to count on more guys and take the pressure off guys if something goes wrong and they don’t have their best stuff.”
Several exciting freshmen have joined the Adelphi roster for the 2027 season. Most of them have been frequently featured in our coverage here at Axcess Baseball.
Jaden Valdez and Richie LaVacca have arrived on campus from Catholic League powerhouse Kellenberg Memorial, injecting some serious pop into an Adelphi roster that doesn’t hit many home runs.
Another Catholic League product, Aidan Casey of St. John the Baptist, joins Adelphi after leading the NSCHSAA in both ERA (1.59) and hits (28) in 2026. Expect him to contribute immediately.
Tucker Brown joins the Panthers after being named as an All-County shortstop in his senior season with the Suffolk County Champion Hauppauge Eagles. He has the talent to contribute whenever he is needed.
Adelphi will be installing a new turf field on their campus in November, and will host a scrimmage against Queens College to acclimate themselves to the new surface prior to the regular season.
Their spring season will begin in February in Myrtle Beach at the Northeast Challenge, an annual college baseball tournament that brings Division-II and III schools from around the Northeast together to begin their seasons in a warm, outdoor setting. This will be Adelphi’s fifth appearance in the tournament.
There is certainly a “next man up” mentality at Adelphi in 2027. Losing the conference’s best pitcher has not fazed them in the slightest. The team seems convinced this year’s squad is better than last season’s, and their expectations match that.
“We want to win that Northeast 10 tournament,” Gluck said. “We’re hungry.”