Uncommitted Will Stewart (Hicksville 2021) pic.twitter.com/SSMahgR1yO
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) September 9, 2020
If you’re going to have a young team built around three experienced players, a good place to start is at the top of the rotation and SS. Hicksville will be pretty inexperienced bunch after graduating 11 players in 2020 but they do have that working for them.
Among the players that graduated – Anthony Pandolfi, Nick Kozerski, Jason Labrador and Sean Baker are playing at the collegiate level.
Anchoring the rotation is Stony Brook-commit JC Kiss. The big lefty is the team captain and leader. He committed to Stony Brook last summer and coach Frank Ciaramitaro stated that he has “electric stuff.”
JC Kiss (Hicksville 2021) up to 86 MPH at PBR NY State Games pic.twitter.com/yyW8UTlkgq
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 7, 2020
Joining him atop the rotation is senior RHP Will Stewart. He was named All-Conference during his sophomore season and Ciaramitaro said those two pitchers are a “strong 1-2 pitching combo”. Stewart attacks the strike zone and will be a great complement in the rotation to the hard-throwing southpaw. He has been getting some interest from local school and will likely pitch at the collegiate level.
Coach admits that after that there is a lot of “uncertainly with some players possibly opting out and unproven JV pitchers who are now juniors looking to win the No. 3 spot in the rotation. It’s not an awful place to be with the top two spots solidified.
Behind the dish, they will certainly be starting a freshman or sophomore, “both have very little experience at this level,” according to coach.
Another returning player is junior SS Joseph Paulino, who is an exciting young player that started as a freshman. “Excellent baseball IQ, has gained muscle over the winter and should be primed to have an outstanding season. He’s a leadoff hitter with very good tools,” said Coach. Paulino has the makings of an All-County season coming up.
They will use the next couple weeks to figure out the rest of their lineup and pitching staff.
They will open up on May 4 against Freeport.
