Commack is in the midst of a pretty good run. After winning their first Suffolk County AA title in 2017 since 1997, they followed that up with another League II title and an appearance in the final four. Success tends to lead to more success, especially when the middle schoolers are exposed to a winning program and strive to be part of the next championship.
Scouts will spend lots of time there this season with the presence of reigning Silver Slugger winner and TCU-commit Tim McHugh who is among the top hitters in the region. Once he graduates in June, who’s the next player that could potentially garner some headlines?
Eighth grader Connor Schramm is making a case already to be that guy.
Coming off a 2018 season in which he put up video game numbers, he is a tough one to ignore. According to Game Changer, he batted .533 with 28 home runs and 105 RBI.
I had the chance to speak with him and here’s what he had to say…
Who are your biggest influences in life?
My biggest influences and supporters are definitely my dad and mom; making me work hard and definitely taught me to have fun and always respect the game. All of my coaches have influenced me; my dad, Coach Krzemienski and Coach Gibson, they are have shaped me into the player I am today. But this past summer with Coach Gibson had to be the biggest influence, he always pushed me always expected more and wouldn’t let me settle, ever! He has definitely taken my game to the next level, and gave me my competitive edge!
How would you evaluate your 2018 performance? What was your favorite moment?
This past summer was amazing. I feel like my strides at the plate and on the mound were huge, I gained so much confidence, and that made all the difference in the world. Having the chance to represent the east in the Little League World Series in California was insane, getting to play against other countries and some of the best from the US was great!!! And definitely going back to my favorite spot, Cooperstown and hitting 11 homeruns was amazing! And doing this all with my teammates I’ll always remember.
Did you follow Commack’s championship season in 2017?
We followed the championship run very closely, two of my beast teammates Ryan Krzemienski and Chris McHugh have older brothers on the team, so we are always with them and were at as many games as possible, can’t wait for our turn!!!
Who is your favorite player in Major League Baseball?
Definitely Bryce Harper, I love how he swings it.
What are you looking to improve on in 2019?
Lateral quickness and overall speed
