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| Photo Credit: Hofstra Athletics |
Long Island has been well represented across minor league baseball in recent years. One player that is worth monitoring is Levittown-native and current San Diego Padres minor league reliever Bryan Verbitsky. The power righty is enjoying a terrific season. After dominating the Midwest League to the tune of a 2.53 ERA over 32 innings while holding the opposition to a .202 average, he was promoted to High-A ball playing for the Lake Elsinore Storm of the California League. The league is notorious for being tough on pitchers, but Verbitsky has still struck out 11 batters over 10.2 innings.
Verbitsky is the type of player that is easy to root for–a humble kid from a small town that has consistently overachieved since his days at Island Trees high school–where he was a two-time Diamond Award winner–to Hofstra where he became the highest drafted player in program history.
He made a name for himself in the Cape Cod league in 2012 when he made some of the best hitters in the country look foolish and he earned a spot on the All Star team.
I had the chance to face Bryan in 2007 during a summer league game. He was a high school freshman that was throwing 80 mph. We both pitched complete games, with the score ending in a 1-1 tie. The game ended with the left fielder making a tremendous diving play for the third out of the inning, stranding a runner in scoring position. I will never forget that.
Nevertheless, I was able to speak with Bryan about his upbringing as well as his baseball career and here’s what he had to say…
Did you play other sports growing up? When did you focus solely on baseball?
Baseball was always my number 1 sport. I did play football since I was five years old and picked up basketball around 5th grade. I played high school football my freshmen year as a running back and a linebacker and played basketball freshman and sophomore year as a point guard. I wound up dropping both of those sports once I realized I had a chance to play college baseball which I did at Hofstra University. I decided that it was more important to focus in on honing my baseball skills as a hitter and pitcher for college and it has thankfully worked out for me so far.
What can you tell us about your family?
My father, Troy, played high school baseball and is a personal trainer now that he had retired from being an NYPD Detective. My mother, Michelle, although not necessarily playing sports is a very athletic individual and enjoys long bike rides and hiking. My older sister, Christine, is currently an Attorney although she played softball, did kickline, and soccer. She had a very good arm for softball but ultimately she was an extremely talented student and wound up taking her studies to the University of Albany and then law school at Touro Law. She currently enjoys doing yoga, is newly joined to Crossfit and before an injury had run in various marathons.
What will you remember most fondly about your Island Trees career?
The things I remember most from my career at Island Trees was all of the great friendships and how lucky we were to win so many games as a team there during our four years. I was lucky enough to be able to play high school baseball there with friends that I had for my whole life, Steve Schwab, Anthony Ciaramitaro, Brandon Garcia, Eric Fazio, Dan Bartlett, just to name a few. Winning the Nassau County Championship my freshmen year was a major highlight and something I will never forget. Playing for Coach D’Auria, Coach Conklin, Coach Dan Fazio, Coach Mederois, Coach Malley, and Coach Iglio was where I truly started to learn things about myself as a player and person. I still have a great relationship with these coaches and Island Trees and one day hope to be able to give back to the school and community for everything they have done for me. I am extremely proud to say that I played baseball and attended Island Trees High School and am proud to say I am from Levittown.
What was it about Hofstra that made you want to attend there?
When I was being recruited by various colleges there was always one thing that kept me coming back to Hofstra at the end of the day thinking about which college to attend. The chance to stay on Long Island and play college baseball was a major factor for me in staying close to home at Hofstra. Having my family and friends be able to come down the Turnpike and watch me play was a great experience and something that I wouldn’t have had if I had chosen to go away for school. My family came to every game that I played and I know that it meant a lot to them to be able to watch me play. Also, the coaches at Hofstra were very up front in their recruiting process. Coach Anderson, who has now moved on to coach minor league ball with the Nationals, Coach Russo(who is now the Head Coach), and Coach Kelly Haynes told me they wanted me to be a part of turning around Hofstra Baseball. I was able to play two ways as an outfielder and a pitcher and that was something that I loved to do. Although I have moved onto being just a pitcher now, hitting was always something that I loved to do and I got to do it for three years at Hofstra.Was it special knowing you were the highest drafted player in Hofstra’s history?
It was definitely special being the highest drafted player out of Hofstra. It meant a lot to be able to say I was from Hofstra even though it was a small school and not everyone had heard it it. I was proud to be able to show that there are talented ball players at all types of schools and without my coaches, teammates, and strength coach Jimmy Pendergast I wouldn’t be where I am at today.
Describe the grind of the minor league season…
The minor league season is always described as the grind. There aren’t the luxurious hotels and chartered flights that the big league teams get to take, but that is all part of the process. There aren’t many people that get the privilege to play professional baseball and I realize that and will be forever thankful to the San Diego Padres for giving me this opportunity to fulfill my dream of having a career in the big leagues. But going through this process of the minor leagues is an amazing experience that I wouldn’t give up for anything. You make some amazing friendships out here and get to play the game you love. There really isn’t anything better than waking up everyday knowing that I get to the ballpark and play baseball and I will never take that for granted.
What are your goals for the rest of the season and when do you hope to be in the big leagues by?
I started the year in low A Fort wayne Tincaps and got a promotion to high A Lake Elsinore Storm. I am just hoping to continue to throw the ball well and help my team win some games whenever my name is called on to go in the game. And as for being in the big leagues, there really isn’t a timetable on that. It is a process to get there and you need to take it day by day, go about your business, and as a pitcher continue to get outs.
