by Max Edelman
Special thanks to Metamorphosis Landscape Design for sponsoring this year’s season preview series.
For a team loaded with talent, the Stony Brook Bears are hoping to take the next step in 2024 and become champions. Led by third-year head coach Jon Brewer, Brewer believes that after last year, this team has what it takes to go even further this year and win a state championship.
“Last season was good.” Brewer said. “It was my second year here, and the second year of building the program. We had a really good year last year, we ended up going to the state championship and losing to Poly Prep 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh. We were disappointed, but overall, it was a good second year. I’m very happy with that next step we took.”
The 2023 Bears only had two seniors, which means the vast majority of the team will be returning for 2024. However, both of those seniors were key pieces of the team, and their absences will surely be felt. Johan Franco, who was one of the key pieces of the team’s rotation last year, graduated and is now part of the rotation at Georgetown. Although not playing in college, Stephen Cisz graduated and is now attending Cornell.
Luckily for the Bears, they are loaded with returning talent, who after an extra year of experience, will look to make an even bigger impact in 2024. One of these players is superstar sophomore Aiden Ruiz, Ruiz, the team’s shortstop, is getting looks from some of the best programs in college baseball, despite only being a sophomore.
Calhoun at The Stony Brook School Follow Up
‘28 C/MIF Julian Martinez (The Stony Brook School) is a 7th grader who’s burst onto the scene. Shown here grounding an RBI single through the right side. Plays well beyond a 7th grade level, look forward to seeing much more of him… pic.twitter.com/9W1tkmJJdd
— Chris Dryll (@ChrisDryllPBR) April 6, 2023
Playing to Ruiz’s right is freshman Mateo Lopez. Lopez is entering his second year on varsity, having featured on the team in eighth grade. Speaking of eighth graders, Julian Martinez, the team’s catcher, caught for the Bears in seventh grade. Martinez’s accolades span far beyond Stony Brook, as he has been a Perfect Game selected player each of the last three years. Another key piece to the team is Wake Forest-commit Jordan Serrano. He is the Bears’ primary center fielder. Junior transfer Larry Hotaling will find time in the middle of the diamond and is being looked at by several Division I programs as well. And batting in the cleanup spot is catcher and first baseman Anthony Decesare.
Leo Vitarelli (‘25,NY) • RHP off to an efficient start for @risingstarsnyc. Commanded outer half w/ FB well living mid-high 8’s T87. Pairs well w/ 12-6 BB that got S/M early on. @BCBirdBall Commit. #AcademicWS pic.twitter.com/MBBepIC1fA
— Prospect Select (@PSBaseballinc) July 15, 2023
On the pitching side, Brewer believes that his staff will be the best he’s had in his time with Stony Brook. The Bears staff will be anchored by junior Chris Nell. A junior, the 6’4” righty has a fastball that runs into the low 90’s. Also a junior is Nick Parker, whose fastball runs into the upper 80’s. Brewer also mentioned Boston College-commit Leo Vitarelli as an important arm for the Bears.
The Bears are fresh off a week-long spring training that took the team to California and Arizona. In the tournament they competed in, Stony Brook was the tournament champion, going 4-0 in the competition.
“Spring training went well.” Brewer said. “In California, we played two scrimmages. In Arizona, we went 4-0 and won the Best of the West tournament. We defeated a top team in Arizona, and so we were super proud of that.”
In terms of what is expected of this team, Brewer is excited about the new additions to the team, as well as the opportunity for his young team to continue to grow and develop.
“Taking that next step.” Brewer said. “The main thing for me is we want to continue building something special here, and to continue to grow the program. We want to become a year-round program. I feel like things will work out well if we continue to put one foot in front of the other every day.”
