(Photo Credit: Natalia Revere)
by Vinny Messana
When you get a scholarship offer from one of the most respected baseball schools in the northeast based on one inning of relief in a summer tournament, you’re doing something right.
It was the summer of ’14 and Fordham‘s Head Coach, Kevin Leighton, saw enough in Oceanside‘s sophomore Kyle Martin to pursue him and make him a focal point of his team’s future.
It’s hard to question his decision.
Martin was coming off an All-State selection, having led his Oceanside Sailor’s to the county championship, where they were looking for their first title since 2004. They ultimately lost to Massapequa, but that was to no fault of the 6’3″ SS/P.
Martin was more than happy to commit to the prestigious university.
“I trusted the coaches and I love the conference,” he said.
Since that time he has only elevated his stock–if that’s possible.
He was named 1st-team All-State in 2015, having batted .451 with 3 HR and 29 RBI at the plate and compiled a 7-1 record with a 1.06 ERA and 93 strikeouts over 51 IP on the hill. He was a finalist for the Diamond Award and ultimately finished runner-up to Mitch Calandra of Floral Park.
His coach, Mike Postillo is glad to have him, and opposing players respect his ability and hard-nosed style of play.
“Honestly, he’s one of the hardest workers I’ve had here,” said the fourth year Head Coach, who had previously coached Oceanside’s JV team for 12 years.
“All the attention is well-deserved…we knew he was a special player as a ninth grader,” said Postillo.
As a ninth grader, Martin was promoted to varsity. While many underclassmen get promoted due to a team’s thin talent field, Oceanside was already a playoff team and Postillo stated he was the program’s best shortstop.
He went on to justify the promotion by being named All-Conference.
“He’s a warrior on the field,” said Eric Passman, 40th year Head Coach of Bellmore JFK. “You will not find a player or coach in Nassau County to say a bad thing about Kyle Martin,” he added.
While he has been receiving all sorts of praise from opposing players and coaches, it has not gotten to his head.
“I just want to win every game,” he said in regards to his goals for 2016. “I want to win counties, Long Island Championship and States,” he added.
His team has fallen at the finish line two years in a row. In 2014, they lost to Massapequa and last year they fell 4-3 in the county championship to MacArthur at Farmingdale State College.
They are off to a strong start to this year, and with him and his winning attitude they might just have what it takes to win it all. That is not something often said about Oceanside.
“Since we won it all in 2000, we haven’t been that amazing,” he said.
“Our class is helping to change that perception,” he added.
He is also trying to change the perception that northeast players can’t play in the big leagues, something that the current crop of Nick Tropeano, Steven Matz and Marcus Stroman helped pave the way for.
“People have been doubting Long Islanders for a while, but I feel like Tropeano, Matz and Stroman are helping kids from here to believe in themselves more,” he said.
While it takes more than a can-do attitude, Martin has shown that he is the type of player that can make people eat their words.
You can read a scouting report on Martin by clicking here.
