It’s always a compelling arms race to see which school can land the best talent around. The great thing about the class of 2015 is that many of them chose to stay on Long Island.
According to the top prospect list compiled by Blue Chip Prospects, numbers three, four, five, seven, eight, nine and 11 are all staying on Long Island. Several of the remaining players on the list will be as well. That is great news for baseball fans on Long Island.
Here is a quick comparison of the four best classes.
Stony Brook-
Key Recruits:
Aaron Glickstein, Hills West
Rich Ciufo, Pat-Med
Tim Kranz, West Babylon
Greg Marino, Centereach
Nick Moreno, Sachem North
Dan McEvoy, Westthampton
Analysis: This is a very strong class. The most impactful player of the group is Glickstein, who is recovering from Tommy John Surgery. He should be ready by the 2016 season but clearly it is not a guarantee, he may consider red-shirting but he will certainly have an impact. In 2014, he led Hills West to the Suffolk County AA Finals and went 10-0 with a 0.69 ERA. Rich Ciufo is a tremendous SS that can handle the bat. Marino and Moreno are hard throwing pitchers that will contribute as well.
LIU Post:
Key Recruits:
Dave Brehm, Connetquot
Ryan Dalton, St. John the Baptist
Sal Geraci, Bayport-Blue Point
Morgan McCarthy, Oceanside
Jimmy Mendyk, Plainedge
Anthony Papa, Division
James Varela, Division
Joe Piscitelli, Division
Analysis: The first thing you’ll notice is the trio of Division stars. Varela and Papa are stud pitchers and Piscitelli is a terrific outfielder. The big hitter of the group is Connetquot’s Dave Brehm. This class can be the type that puts LIU Post over the top. Last season they lacked in the offensive department so they will certainly benefit from this class.
Adelphi:
Key Recruits:
Thomas Colombo, St. John the Baptist
Mike Demarest, East Islip
Brett Malm, Pat-Med
Kieran McLaughlin, Division
Jordan Milo, Hills East
Brandon Morse, Connetquot
Danny Taggart, Holy Trinity
Analysis: This is another program-altering caliber of class. With the combination of Colombo, Malm and Morse’s bat to go along with Demarest and McLaughlin on the hill the Panthers might be able to turn the tides of the NE-10. I’ve seen a lot of Malm and Morse especially and they can really add the depth that the Panthers need in that lineup.
Hofstra:
Key Recruits:
Tom Archer, St. John the Baptist
Vito Friscia, Valley Stream Central
Andrew Mundy, St. John the Baptist
Nick Tedesco, Sachem East
Joey Marzouk, Hills East
Kyle Young, St. Dominic
Analysis: This is a top heavy class. Friscia is the highest rated player at No. 3 overall. He is a powerful catcher that can hit the ball out of any park. Mundy is the No. 9 prospect and a RHP that gets it up to 88 MPH with a three-pitch arsenal. Archer is a middle infielder that is known for his defense.
Verdict: I like LIU Post’s class the best. They have the two dominant pitchers and a potent bat in Brehm. That is not to disparage the other three but they will most likely get the most out of the class of ’15. Again, all four got very strong recruiting classes and it adds intrigue to the 2016 season.
