by Joseph Langan
Since the hire of Coach Casey McKay in 2016 St. John the Baptist High School has found themselves to be one of the top competitors in the CHSAA league. Since that time they’ve found themselves making back-to-back championship appearances, in which they hoisted the title in 2018.
SJB fought hard in 2019 to try and make it back to the CHSAA title game for the third straight year, but fell short in the semi finals to St. Anthony’s High School.
As the 2020 season rapidly approaches, SJB is hungry to avenge their semifinal loss and hold up the championship trophy once again. Coach McKay and his team will be challenged more than ever before during that endeavor with new addition of the Brooklyn/Queens Catholic schools to the league. Instead of looking at it as negative Coach McCKay embraces the challenge saying, “this gives our players and future players the ability to play some of the top teams in the area while creating experiences that not many other schools can offer.”
With the stakes being raised and competition becoming increasingly difficult Coach McKay still makes sure he instills two great qualities in his players. “These goals are to compete and be the best teammate you can be” adding, “creating a culture of competition prepares our players for taking the next step in their career and the next step in their life.” With a tight bond established between the team each year off the field, it’s no secret as to why their so successful each year on the field.
In the past year, Coach McKay suffered a pretty significant loss to his program with EJ Exposito (NYIT) graduating. “He was one of, if not the best, defensive infielder on Long Island last year. He’s got a great chance to play this game at the professional level after college.” Coach McKay is no stranger to professional talent when former player Logan O’Hoppe was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2018. While EJ leaves a big hole for SJB, his former teammates and a fresh wave of new players plan to pick up where he left off.
This season the Cougars are expecting big seasons from many of their returners to bring them back to the title game. Former CHSAA player of the year nominee and senior Captain Matt Milone (NYIT) is expected to head the charge for SJB, “he is the anchor of our offense and the team will lean on him for production again this year.” Coach McKay will rely on production from the two other senior captains, Noah Frasca and Giancarlo Giacometti. Frasca, a 2019 All-league player “did an unbelievable job stepping in and handling the pitching staff” adding, “he had perhaps the toughest job of any high school baseball player on the island in replacing Logan O’Hoppe.”
Giacometti unfortunately won’t be able to pitch this season for the Cougars but is expected to hit and play the field. Last year he hit an impressive .305 while sporting a .460 OBP along with 13 stolen bases.
Coach McKay has made some changes in the program in order for his players to be prepared for any situation that comes their way. “In our practice we create high stress situations environments where our players learn how to deal with mental and physical stress.” Coach McKay has also creatively implemented something called the “workout belt” in order to get his players in the weight room. He “believes they are starting to push to get the belt each workout”, getting stronger both mentally and physically plays a huge roll in any team’s success, especially SJB’s.
With opening day slated for March 31st, Coach McKay and his team are prepared to be successful in all aspects of the game because “they’ve sunk to the level of their training.” While a championship is a team goal of Coach McKay’s his main goal is to “develop the most prepared players for the next level,” a task he surely seems to be accomplishing.
