FEATURES
Where Are They Now Powered by Prime Performance: Billy Alvino
(Editor’s Note: This is the seventh part of a 10-part series in which we re-visit the careers of some of the top players in Long Island history. Previously, we featured James Bailin, Jeff Tyler, Jake Thomas, Luke Stampfl, Nick Trabacchi and Thomas Roulis. Special thanks to Prime Performance for sponsoring this year’s series.) In what remains their only County Championship in program history, Sachem East defeated Smithtown in the Suffolk Finals at Baseball Heaven by the score of 5-3. That Sachem team was a powerhouse, compiling a record of 24-5, despite it being the first year of the school. A major reason for their success was the presence of senior catcher Billy Aguiar (now Alvino). He batted .575 (12-for-19 in the playoffs) with 7 HRs, 17 doubles, 44 RBIs, 35 runs scored and ...
Bayport-Blue Point: How Do They Do It?
(Editor’s Note: This is the third of a 5-part in which we dive into the top baseball towns on Long Island. Previously, we featured Massapequa and Shoreham-Wading River.) by Patrick Duryea You may be familiar with the proverb “it takes a village”. Nowhere is that more evident than in the tight-knit baseball community of Bayport-Blue Point. Coach Victor Manzella’s program is all about coming together and working towards a common goal. The ties run from current players and coaches through alumni who it is bever a surprise to see still hanging around during the season. The success of Bayport-Blue Point starts at the bottom with the little leagues and works all the way up to Athletic Director Tim Mullins who Manzella praised for his consistent support. At their little league parade the JV...
Up Next Powered by Ken Kortright State Farm Agency: Evan Frangas
(This is the eleventh 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. You can view all of them by clicking here. Special thanks to Ken Kortright State Farm Agency for sponsoring this year’s series.) Evan Frangas (Plainview JFK 2028) pic.twitter.com/1JtKbsGdV0 — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) January 13, 2025 Plainview JFK has been one of the more consistent program in Nassau County over the past 7 seasons when they were led by Diamond Award winner Mark Faello. Since that time, they’ve also had Dylan Banner and Mike D’Ambrosio pu...
Where Are They Now Powered by Prime Performance: Thomas Roulis
Chaminade has had many dominant seasons in their program’s rich history. You don’t have to turn back the clock too far to look at their 2022 season as possibly their greatest season. If that’s Number 1, then right behind it is their 2011 team. They won the CHSAA Championship over St. Dominic in a thrilling 3-game series and had 13 players that went onto play collegiately. They finished the season 21-5. It was a team that was accustomed to winning, who had won their championship as freshmen and sophomores but came up short in the 2010 playoffs. While the years have gone on, their legacy will go down as one of the best teams that Long Island has seen. Their starting shortstop, Thomas Roulis, would be named Co-Player of the Year along with Holy Trinity’s Jack Parenty. ...
Up Next Powered by Ken Kortright State Farm Agency: Jagger Franco
(This is the tenth 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 and Mason Gatchalian. Special thanks to Ken Kortright State Farm Agency for sponsoring this year’s series.) Jagger Franco (Longwood 2027) turning on one for an extra base hit at the Kings Point Classic pic.twitter.com/fAQsK2SB5h — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) January 6, 2025 It is exceptionally rare that a player will start the game behind the dish and end up on the mound – unless it’s an absolute necessity. Jagger Franco (Longwood 2027) did so this past season on a few occasions while playing for the Blue Line...
Where Are They Now Powered by Prime Performance: Chris Smith
“When you have Scott Boras calling you up telling you that you’re a first round pick, you take it!” Wantagh grad Chris Smith was not just one of the best players on Long Island during his magical ride of a senior season in 1998, but his took his game up a notch at Florida State University, where he became an All-American OF with a cannon of a left arm that generated 98 MPH heaters – and that’s before every team had someone sitting in the mid 90s. Smith was the rare two-way player that could thrive on either side of the ball, but once he showcased upper 90s heater against the University of Miami, it became clear the best path to multimillionaire status was on the mound. He made the controversial and difficult decision to leave Florida State after playing in back-to-back College World Series...
Q & A With Long Island Empire Owner, Anthony Rinaldi
One of the up-and-coming programs on Long Island over the past couple years is the Long Island Empire. Established 4 years ago by Anthony Rinaldi with one team, they not only grew to 13 teams but made an impact winning a number of championships this year. Heres’ a quick rundown of your championships and runner-up finishes… 16u Blue Chip Prospect Summer Series Champs 17u BOS Labor Day Champs Boys of Summer College Crossover Champ 13u Boys of Summer Semi Finalists 13u Blue Chip Summer Series Semi Finals 13u BOS Labor Day Finalist 15u Summer Sendoff PA Finalist 16u Boys of Summer Finalist 16u Blue Chip Father’s Day Finalist 17u Prospect Select Northeast Semi Finalists 17u Axcess World Series Finalist 9u and 12u Hot Stove Championship I had a chance to speak with him and here...
Up Next Powered by Ken Kortright State Farm: Mason Gatchalian
(This is the ninth 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 and Jake Ostertag. Special thanks to Ken Kortright State Farm Agency for sponsoring this year’s series.) 1B Mason Gatchalian (Eastport-South Manor 2027) displaying his power with a homer at Diamond Nation pic.twitter.com/UEUt8aHKMn — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) December 30, 2024 Mason Gatchalian put himself on the map this spring for Eastport-South Manor as he was not only called up to varsity as a freshman, but batted in the middle of the order every game and was also their high-leverage reliever. He comes from a baseball f...
Where Are They Now Powered by Prime Performance: Chris Gannon
In what was the first County Championship for Hauppauge, Chris Gannon put together one of the finest seasons in Long Island history. He played CF and batted leadoff – hitting .483 with 5 HRs, 10 triples, 7 doubles, scoring an incredible 55 runs, drawing 27 walks, 42 hits and drove in 32 runs. The Eagles went 21-5 for the second straight year and successfully defended their title as Suffolk County Champs, this time against future MLB draft pick Tim Layden from Deer Park at Ducks Stadium. Surely, a player of that ilk would go on to play Division-I baseball before continuing his career in pro ball. For Gannon, however, his true love was not baseball, but soccer. He also starred on the Hauppauge boy’s soccer team where he was a two-time Long Island Champ. Ultimately, those two years were the p...
Up Next Powered by Ken Kortright State Farm Agency: Jake Ostertag
(This is the eighth 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 and Logan Lamberson. Special thanks to Ken Kortright State Farm Agency for sponsoring this year’s series.) Getting called up to varsity can be an overwhelming task for an underclassmen – let alone an 8th grader. That was not the case for Babylon’s Jake Ostertag who stepped up to the task by going 4-for-4 with 5 RBIs in the Class B Suffolk County Championship. He took on the added responsibility in his freshman season in 2024. He compiled a strong .329 AVG/.381 OBP/.487 SLG for an .868 OPS with 25 hits, 7 doubles, 1 HR, 18 RBIs 14 R over 84 plate app...
Where Are They Now Powered by Prime Performance: Luke Stampfl
Flying out to left field in your final collegiate at bat is not the Hollywood ending most imagine. Especially not when you were already 3-for-4 with a home run over 400 feet in that game. And it’s in an elimination game at Clemson in the NCAA Regional. But St. John’s grad student Luke Stampfl still smiled as he rounded first base. Partially because he said it was his hardest hit ball of the day – even factoring in the home run – and partially knowing that he gave absolutely everything that he had – and that included months of grueling pain that he endured from a cyst on his tailbone, which overlapped with his recovering from a deep bone bruise on his knee after fouling a ball off. Stampfl had a career that most players dream of – playing five years of Division-I at two of New York’s finest...
Up Next Powered by Ken Kortright State Farm Agency: Logan Lamberson
(This is the seventh 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 and Fred Klauck. Special thanks to Ken Kortright State Farm Agency for sponsoring this year’s series.) Logan Lamberson shows his pop with an opposite field homer pic.twitter.com/21Wg0UXZxs — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) December 16, 2024 2024 was a tremendous season for Logan Lamberson. He batted .541 (98-for-181), with 20 doubles, 8 triples, 34 HRs, 124 RBIs, 104 runs scored, 60 walks and 60 stolen bases. Just a remarkable season by any metric, even if much of it occurred on the small fields. He did show a glimpse of the future in the fall when h...
