Special thanks to Metamorphosis Landscape Design for sponsoring this year’s series
by Joe Bello
West Babylon has done it ! They comeback and defeat Division, 4-2, to capture the Class A Long Island Championship pic.twitter.com/hhHQzypWoe
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 4, 2023
The West Babylon Eagles are prepping for their 2025 season, one that head coach Shaun Kaminski expects to have a lot of success in. Kaminski is heading into his 2nd season at the helm of West Babylon baseball, but this will be his 4th season as a part of the program.
The Eagles finished with a record of 13-5 in 2024, they reached the playoffs but their season was cut short due to losses to Centereach and Smithtown West.
“The 2024 season was an interesting season to navigate.” Kaminski said. “Prior to becoming the head coach, I was the assistant for two seasons including the season we won the LIC. We won the LIC with a senior-heavy group, so we went into last season with a lot of holes to fill.”
Even with holes to fill in the lineup, Kaminski still had a strong pitching staff to lean on for success last season.
“Luckily though we had our top 2 pitchers from that championship team in Jace Alvino, who is playing at Southern Connecticut and is the all-time winningest pitcher in West Babylon history after passing former MLB draft pick Billy Koch, and Brandon Hancock.” Kaminski said. “So we had the pitching last season to compete and make a run but we had some inexperience in the lineup and in the field. Six sophomores started a good majority of the season for us and more than held their own. We won every series last year except for one and were right in every one of our losses. This offseason we have been putting an emphasis on the little things and the details so hopefully this season we come out on the winning side of those close games.”
West Babylon RHP Jace Alvino fired a complete game, allowing 2 runs as he improved to 7-0 on the season. He was named Class A Playoff MVP as West Babylon is headed to the NY State tournament in Binghamton pic.twitter.com/IGNb2i3usc
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 4, 2023
As for this season, Kaminski returns 7 of the 9 starters in the lineup. Although the 2 that were lost due to graduation were Alvino and Hancock. As previously mentioned, they were the top 2 pitchers on the Eagles’ staff and also hit in the middle of the batting order. Kaminski said that they will have “their hands full” replacing their production for the team.
RHP Anthony Gerbasio (West Babylon 2025) commits to Farmingdale State College pic.twitter.com/LLPZJrdAZH
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) December 22, 2024
Seniors Anthony Gerbasio and Elijah Outlaw will both be relied upon heavily for West Babylon in 2025. Both players are 4-year starters and won All-League honors last spring.
“Elijah has Division-I ability and plays a lock down center field, he will be playing QB next fall at Southern Connecticut.” Kaminski said. “Anthony will be our number 1 pitcher this season and can virtually play anywhere on the field. I gave Anthony the impossible task of being our game 3 starter last season despite catching games 1 and 2. Catching isn’t his natural position but he played there out of necessity and with another year to grow and develop I feel we now have other catchers in the program who are ready to take over.”
Gerbasio had a big season for Kaminski’s Eagles in 2024, hitting .458 with 19 RBIs, and was named a captain this offseason. Both Gerbasio and Outlaw will be important leaders on the team in the 2025 season.
Juniors Steve Gervasi, Josh Gomez, Matt Critchley, Timmy Erwig, and Vinny Iorio all will look to be impact players for the team in the 2025 campaign.
“Gervasi is a guy in the lineup that I’m looking to have a huge impact this season.” Kaminski said. “He played a steady third base all season and showed flashes with his bat. I’m hoping he can take the next step and be a contributor at the top of the lineup. Erwig and Iorio are returning outfield starters who got great experience last year and I’m hoping they hit the ground running this season.”
While Gomez and Critchly are both looked at as options to replace the talent they lost on the mound.
“Gomez has looked great on the mound this winter.” Kaminski said. “He has been sitting low to mid 80s and has great movement on his off speed pitches. He got his feet wet in relief last season with a couple of saves and he is an option to replace Alvino and Hancock in the rotation. Critchley, who started at second base last season, is a two way player who will also be an option on the mound as well.”
Matt Critchley (West Babylon 2026) showing some really nice movement on his split change and offspeed pitches pic.twitter.com/h29MIMuejo
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) February 23, 2025
Junior Nico Milani will make his return to the team this year, he tore his ACL during football last season, so he missed all of 2024. Through rehab and winter workouts, Milani will be ready to make an impact for West Babylon by the time the season starts. He will also be another player that can be used as a pitcher for Kaminski.
Nico Milani (West Babylon 2026) with a max exit velo of 91.4 pic.twitter.com/tXez0MXJc0
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) January 20, 2025
Winter workouts are in full swing for the Eagles and Kaminski is ecstatic at how they will help impact the club this spring.
“We began winter workouts at the start of the new year and the attendance and work ethic has been amazing.” Kaminski said. “We have been going one night at the school and doing Strength and Conditioning at Players Edge Academy. Coach Brown has done a great job getting these boys stronger and more explosive for the season. I couldn’t be more proud of the way they’ve been working this offseason. I think last year they all got a taste of what being a winning playoff team is, but they are hungry for more.”
The Eagles will be facing a tough schedule this year but Kaminski is confident that his team will be able to stay focused and ultimately have major success this season.
“As I mentioned, last season we were a young team infused with great upper class talent but ultimately our inexperience showed in the end.” Kaminski said. “Last season showed us how important every single game is towards playoffs, seeding and home field advantage. I’m confident this group will not lose sight of that and we have big things ahead of us as long as we keep our intensity, our focus, I’m very fired up for what this team can accomplish. We have made the playoffs the last 3 seasons in a row now and I’m confident this group can make it a 4th.”
The West Babylon Eagles open up their 2025 schedule at home against the Deer Park Falcons on March 28th.
