Year in year out, the East Coast Conference produces a significant amount of talent on the diamond. Headed into the 2017 season, there are a ton of players that could make an impact across the conference not only with their bats, but in the field as well. Here are five players in the East Coast Conference you should get to know better before the start of the season.
Jimmy Mendyk (3B) & Joe Spitaleri (SS) – LIU Post
From former rivals in high school–at Plainedge and Division in which they played shortstop against each other–to the left side of the infield together in college, these two young infielders are some of the most exciting players you’ll ever watch play the game. And the best part about that? Their best years are still ahead of them. Although the the Pioneers had a tough 2016 campaign, these two young studs definitely didn’t. Heading into last year, Coach Gaffney knew Spitaleri would be his shortstop for the next few years to come, and Spitaleri definitely showed promise in his first year with the Pioneers. The Lackawana transfer was the only player on the team to start and play in all 43 games in which he hit .275 with 6 doubles and 20 RBI’s, making him a huge asset to the team. Although Coach Gaffney knows he already had found his guy for shortstop, he still needed a third baseman. Mendyk opened last year as the starting third baseman and never looked back. In his freshman year, he batted .294 with 16 RBIs and 10 multi-hit games in 39 games. Spitaleri and Mendyk are by far two of the flashiest players in the conference both in the field and on the base path. With a year of experience under their belt, it’ll be interesting to see what they bring to the table in the ECC this year.
Joe Morris (OF) – Queens College
Every coach dreams of having a utility man that can hit anywhere in the lineup and play anywhere in the field. That’s what Coach Reardon has in junior Joe Morris. The 5’7 stud made starts at 5 different positions in 2016 and batted in 6 different spots in the order. Not to mention, he batted .341 while doing so. He also led the ECC in OBP at .454. The Syosset native is a versatile five tool player who displays extreme patience at the plate, speed in the base path and speed in the field as well. Queens has a very talented young team, and Morris looks to help add some experience to their team, while taking a leadership role in 2017.
Nick Lucchese (SS) – STAC
Coming off of nothing short of a dynamic high school career, Nick Lucchese is used to winning. After starting at shortstop for three consecutive years and being the best at what he did, the young stud hopes to transfer his high school success into college. Lucchese led the North Shore Vikings to back to back County Championship appearances, and was two wins shy of making it to a third consecutive championship. The main concern seems to be his size. Standing at 5’9 and weighing in at only 155 pounds, Lucchese needs to stand out if he wants to become a successful Division II baseball player. This shouldn’t be a difficult task for the freshman because he was known for being flashy during his high school career. Although STAC has an extremely solid lineup this year, Lucchese will look to come off of the bench and play an important role whenever his name is called, whether it be on the base path, in the field, out of the bullpen, or up to bat. The young man can do it all. Although Lucchese may see a limited amount of at bats this year, be on the lookout for his name within the next few years to come. He’s going to be something special.
Elijah Leerdam (DH/RF) – Molloy College
If you don’t know his name already, learn it now. Standing at 6’4 and weighing in at 225 pounds, this big boy is due for a huge 2017 season. In his sophomore season, Eli hit .324 over 74 at bats which included one grand slam, 6 doubles, and 19 RBIs. Although he played a huge role for the Lions mostly off of the bench in 2016, expect him to be an everyday starter this year, and don’t be surprised to see a huge increase in his already impressive numbers. Not only does his bat bring energy to the lineup, but his presence does as well. He’s highly admired by his players and his coaches, making him easy to get along with, and easy to love as a teammate. Eli is ready to play a bigger role in 2017 and help take part in the already stacked Lions lineup, where they will soon begin the journey to a shot at the conference championship.
