(This is the tenth installment of the popular series “Up Next” Powered by the Yard Sports Academy in which we highlight the top underclassmen on Long Island. Previously, we featured Centereach OF Logan Norman, Garden City LHP Gabe Beschloss , Connetquot INF Ryan Kiendle, Clarke MIF Nick Berasti, Miller Place SS Alex Strickland, Pat-Med OF Robbie Melo, Holy Trinity 1B Kyle Kozlowski, West Babylon 1B Jace Alvino, Chaminade SS Mikey Cervoni and Massapequa LHP Erik Paulsen. Make sure to check out the Yard Sports Academy here.)
MacArthur has a rich history of baseball and is in the upper tier of programs on Long Island. That is a mix of the talent pool in the Levittown area but also the outstanding coaching of longtime coach Steve Costello. If you ask him, he will credit the players which, of course, is a part of it.
In 2021, it was yet another strong season for the General, although they had their season ended by Garden City in the county semifinals in a well-played series. The teams traded 2-1 victories in the first two games of the series before Garden City won on a walk-off HBP in the 10th inning of game 3.
In that Game 2 victory, the Generals turned to a freshman LHP Tyler Bonsignore, and he answered the call – firing four shutout innings for the save.
For the season, Bonsignore was 4-1 with the one save. He continued his outstanding pitching into the summer for the Body Armor Titans, where he went 5-0 with two saves and a 0.83 ERA. The southpaw has been up to 79 MPH with his fastball – sits in the mid 70s – but he has yet to throw a pitch in his sophomore season of high school so there’s plenty of time for a boost.
Tyler Bonsignore (‘24, NY) racking up 6 SO over 5 solid innings. Filling the zone with a FB/CB combo. Showing his two-way ability during pool play. #WWBA @PG_Uncommitted @PGMidAtlantic pic.twitter.com/lqbZTj00hp
— Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 25, 2021
I had a chance to speak with him and here’s what he had to say…
Who are your favorite players in Major League Baseball and why?
My favorite current MLB players would have to be Jacob deGrom and Cody Bellinger. As a pitcher, I love watching deGrom dominate every time he steps on the mound and has that killer mentality that no one is better than him. On the other side, I’ve always loved watching Cody Bellinger’s smooth but explosive swing and I try to emulate him as much as I can. Lastly, the guy I look up to the most is David Wright. The reason why I wear double 5’s is because of him. I’ve always admired the way he led on-and-off the field and has respect for his teammates and the game.
What was it like playing on varsity as a freshman? Did the upperclassmen help make you feel comfortable?
Playing varsity as a freshman was definitely a pleasure and an amazing experience. This year was definitely unpredictable with all that it came with and especially some key injuries that we had on our team. With that being said, it gave me the opportunity to start and earn the trust of my coaches to come in relief when needed. The moment I felt like I belonged was in my first high school appearance against New Hyde Park. I came in the game with the bases loaded, one out in a tie game in the second inning and I was able to get a strikeout and a ground ball to get us out of the inning. After that, I knew I was just as good as these guys and that I was ready to compete at a high level.
What was your summer like playing ball? Did you go on any trips? Who were some top performers on your team?
This summer I had the opportunity to play on the Body Armor Titans. We had an amazing and fun season. We played in two big tournaments in Cincinnati and Georgia. In Cincinatti, we were able to go undefeated and win it all. In Georgia, we went 5-0 in pool play while knocking off the nationally ranked Canes National team. Some top performers on the team would be Sebastian Lippman, Tyler Cook and two of my HS rivals from Garden City, Gabe Beschloss and Jack Fanning. It was awesome to be a part of a great group of guys and I can’t wait to compete against some of them when school ball comes around.
Who are some people that have been influential in your career?
First off, I would have to thank my parents for always being able to take me all over the place for baseball and going above and beyond to make sure that I have everything I need. My mom is a true baseball mom who is always there to encourage and support me through good and tough times on the field. But without my dad I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be the man or player that I am today. He has spent countless hours since I was little to make sure that I understand the fundamentals of the game and the amount of hours we spend together watching games and breaking down videos of all types. Besides baseball, he has taught me life lessons and leadership skills that I will never forget for the rest of my life. Lastly, I can’t forget my sister who gets dragged to all my games and never complains and always cheers me on no matter what.
What was your goals for this off-season?
This off-season my main focus is to gain strength and become more flexible. This will help me to ultimately add some velocity which is one of my goals. On top of training for baseball, I am currently playing varsity basketball. Our goal right now is to take it one game at a time and hopefully get hot in the second half of the season and make a good push in the playoffs.
Favorite pregame meal?
My go-to pregame meal has to be either a protein shake or some scrambled eggs. It’s something that is quick and easy and allows me to stay fueled for games.
Favorite app on your phone?
Favorite app on my phone is either TikTok or Snapchat. I spend some free time watching interesting videos or talking to my friends through Snapchat. One bonus that TikTok brings is that it has some good baseball advice and training tools that you can pick up on.
Any pregame superstitions?
My biggest superstition that I have when taking the mound is the way I run out. Before every inning, I take two hops and then jog out to the mound. This is something that I’ve just done for the past few years and it gets me ready for the inning ahead. A weird superstition that I have on days off and especially the night before I pitch is that I can only fall asleep on my right side. I feel that if I sleep on my left arm that I’m not going to be as ready to go when I wake up.
Favorite show to watch on Netflix?
I usually don’t watch anything on Netflix but I tend to spend my time either watching YouTube or some sort of sporting event. But on regular TV some of my favorite shows to watch are definitely either Quick Pitch, Sportscenter or Impractical Jokers.
Favorite vacation spot?
My favorite vacation that I’ve been on probably has to be Turks and Caicos. It was a week long vacation that we were able to spend with many family members.
