FEATURES
Sunday Spotlight: Bennie Franquiz
(This is the fourth installment of the Sunday Spotlight Series. Previously, we featured Jacob Schmutz, Cooper Fuller and Michael Oliveto.) In 2021, Mount Sinai was in the thick of the playoff race. They featured a very young team, led by a group of underclass pitchers that dominated their way through the best lineups in Suffolk County. Longtime head coach Eric Reichenbach, who had been at the helm when the team won the Class A Suffolk County Championship in 2016, knew what it took to win a title. He also knew his team was lacking one thing. “Bennie was a good fit,” said Reichenbach in an interview with Axcess Baseball. “We had Matty Carrera playing shortstop but we needed another infielder. About 10 games in, we realized that this kid was the real deal. He was the shortst...
Sunday Spotlight: Michael Oliveto
🚨 WALK OFF GRAND SLAM 🚨 Hauppauge junior Mike Oliveto crushes a walk-off grand slam as the Eagles overcame a late 7-2 deficit to win 10-7 and improve to 7-0 pic.twitter.com/aFHDWjUBaF — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 8, 2024 For most players, there’s one moment that stands out from the rest. Their most exhilarating moment on a baseball field that they’ll never forget. For Hauppauge catcher Michael Oliveto, it’s impossible to pick one – and for good reason. Last season was filled with amazing moments for the Eagles, who captured their first Suffolk County Championship since 2000, and had plenty of signature wins along the way. Oliveto, who arguably had the most clutch season of any player on Long Island, hit not one, but two walk-off home runs which prope...
Sunday Spotlight: Cooper Fuller
Really solid bullpen from uncommitted RHP Cooper Fuller (Bayport-Blue Point 2025) Commanded 3 pitches well. Slider dotted on the outside corner to righties consistently. Tough 3/4 arm slot Had a great summer, compiling a 2.73 ERA over 41 innings with 50 Ks for LI Strong pic.twitter.com/GsxA6ks7MO — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) February 18, 2024 It’s been another typically dominating season for the Bayport-Blue Point Phantoms. They have a record of 17-0 and have clinched another postseason berth – as they’ve done every year since the turn of the century. While two of their players (Tyler McKillop and Guytano Kiesel) were named to Axcess Baseball’s Preseason All-Long Island team, it’s been another senior that has made a name for himself with his dominant...
Get to Know: Jacob Schmutz
Most amateur ballplayers have the vision that there will be a linear path to success. The reality is that often times it is more like an EKG with plenty of fluctuations along the way. Jacob Schmutz began his high school career at Patchogue-Medford as a right-handed pitcher and switch hitter. Just three years later, he’s at a new school (St. John the Baptist), doesn’t pitch, hits lefty and is a Division-I signee. Quite a bit of change. Schmutz, who is among the leading hitters in the Catholic League in a variety of categories, has put himself on the short list of top players on Long Island through hard work and resiliency. As of the time of this writing, he is batting .364 with a .517 OBP, .705 SLG (1.222 OPS) with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, 13 RBIs, 12 runs scored, 12 w...
Up Next Powered by Ken Kortright State Farm Agency: Tyler D’Amico
(Editor’s Note: This is the fifteenth installment of the popular “Up Next” series in which we highlight the top underclassmen on Long Island. Previously, we featured Dylan Weinstein, Jaxson Torres, Richie Roberts, Joe Maxwell, Dom Muccia, Logan Lamberson, Fred Klauck, Jake Ostertag, Mason Gatchalian, Jagger Franco, Evan Frangas, Ryan Matson, Dylan Frers and Aidan Dobrie. Special thanks to Ken Kortright State Farm Agency for sponsoring this year’s series.) Tyler D’Amico (Hills West 2028) pic.twitter.com/yCTNTnrnDF — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) February 3, 2025 It was an outstanding season for Tyler D’Amico while playing for Beast Black 14u. He accrued 218 at bats, compiling 111 hits (.509 AVG), with 24 extra-base hits and drove in a whopping 110 runs. ...
Dwight Gooden Speakes at SUNY Old Westbury’s First Pitch Dinner
On Friday, January 25th, SUNY Old Westbury held their First Pitch Dinner to kick off the 2025 season and to honor their 2015 Skyline Conference Championship team. Three-time World Series Champion Dwight Gooden was the guest speaker, as well as New York Yankees executive and best-selling author Ray Negron. There was a huge turnout of current and past players, coaches, and incoming recruits. Head Coach Rod Stephan introduced former coach Lou Bernardi who spoke about and recognized the 2015 team, which defeated Farmingdale in the Skyline Conference Championship at St. Joseph’s University. It remains the last Championship for the Panthers. That team was led by Tim Ingram (8-3, 1.82 ERA), who was a 2x Skyline Conference Pitcher of the Year and was selected in the 31st round of the MLB Dra...
Up Next Powered by Ken Kortright State Farm Agency: Aidan Dobrie
Aidan Dobrie (William Floyd 2027) pic.twitter.com/F4t31p16fC — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) January 27, 2025 William Floyd was one of the pleasant surprises in Suffolk County last year. They finished with a record of 17-7. They went 15-5 in the highly competitive League I – behind only Longwood. They defeated Northport and Pat-Med before getting eliminated by a talented Walt Whitman team. One of their key contributors was actually a freshman, Aidan Dobrie. He was named All-League after batting .333 with a .417 OBP, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 23 RBIs and 18 runs scored for the Colonials. Keith Kobasiuk, who is now entering his 8th year at the helm stated that he’s never had a freshman be named All-League until Dobrie. He had the following to say about him. “He loves base...
Where Are They Now Powered by Prime Performance: B.J. LaMura
(Editor’s Note: This is the ninth of a 10-part “Where Are They Now” series in which look back on some of the top players in Long Island history. Previously, we featured James Bailin, Jeff Tyler, Jake Thomas, Luke Stampfl, Nick Trabacchi, Thomas Roulis, Billy Alvino and Matt Prokopowicz. Special thanks to Prime Performance for sponsoring this year’s series.) Had Instagram and TikTok been around, there’s no doubt there would’ve been a barrage of content built around Connetquot in the late 80s and all of the 1990s. They were the premier baseball program in Suffolk County, capturing the State Championship in 1989 and 1995 and were always contending for a County Championship under the late, great Bob Ambrosini. In 1999, Connetquot did not win the County Champ...
Up Next Powered by Ken Kortright State Farm Agency: Dylan Frers
This is the thirteenth installment of the popular ‘Up Next’ series in which we highlight the top underclassmen on Long Island.Previously, we featured Dylan Weinstein, Jaxson Torres, Richie Roberts, Joe Maxwell, Dom Muccia, Fred Klauck, Logan Lamberson, Jake Ostertag, Mason Gatchalian, Jagger Franco, Evan Frangas & Dylan Frers. You can view all of them by clicking here. Special thanks to Ken Kortright State Farm Agency for sponsoring this year’s series.) Dylan Frers (‘27 NY) has been dominant on the mound today, up to 84 mph and picked up 7 Ks in 5 scoreless IP. Tons of projection remaining in towering frame, overall ease to the operation w/ plenty more in the tank #NESelectChamp@PG_Scouting pic.twitter.com/D0bMGsJktV — PG Mid Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA, MD,DE,DC) (@PGMidAtlantic) August 10, ...
Up Next Powered by Ken Kortright State Farm Agency: Ryan Matson
This is the twelfth installment of the popular ‘Up Next’ series in which we highlight the top underclassmen on Long Island.Previously, we featured Dylan Weinstein, Jaxson Torres, Richie Roberts, Joe Maxwell, Dom Muccia, Fred Klauck, Logan Lamberson, Jake Ostertag, Mason Gatchalian, Jagger Franco & Evan Frangas. You can view all of them by clicking here. Special thanks to Ken Kortright State Farm Agency for sponsoring this year’s series.) Over the past two seasons, if there was a big game to be played for the New York Longhorns then you could expect Ryan Matson to be on the mound. The Longhorns have been among the top performing organizations since their inception so you can safely assume there were plenty of those games. The numbers are pretty mind boggling for the 6’1 175 lb rig...
Where Are They Now Powered by Prime Performance: Matt Prokopowicz
When Massapequa lost to East Meadow in the 2005 County Championship, there was a picture of the team celebrating on the mound. That picture was hung up in the locker room at Massapequa in the locker room. “That picture of them lit the fire for the next 20 years,” said Matt Prokopowicz. Hypernole or not, Massapequa went 29-0 in 2006 winning the Class AA Nassau County, Long Island and NYS Championships. Prokopowicz was a major part of that success as he was named All-State and hit a clutch HR in the Long Island Championship in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut into a 5-0 deficit. Prokopowicz will go down as one of the best hitters in Long Island history, as he wound up attending Hofstra University where he is still the all-time hit king. But before we get to that, let’s...
Neal’s Knowledge: How to Approach Your Draft Season
by Neal Heaton You only get one shot at this. For me it was in 1979, when I was a senior at Sachem High School. When you have dreams of getting drafted, you have to learn how to make sacrifices. That means staying in when you’re friends are going out. It could mean not going to prom. It means not going to the beach when your friends are. Not many kids now want to make the sacrifices necessary or put in the work. If it’s raining, that’s no excuse not to run outside. In fact, that’s the best time–because most likely nobody else is getting that work in. You need to have the mentality that you’re trying to get a little bit of an edge. That’s really what it takes to have success at the higher levels. It means doing more things that involve the game of baseball–running, fielding, throwing. When ...
