Special thanks to Metamorphosis Landscape Design for sponsoring this year’s series
by Max Edelman
Entering his seventh season as head coach of the Bellmore JFK Cougars, Mike Gattus brings a team loaded with talent into the 2025 season. After a season where the Cougars were able to win their league championship, they fell just short of their ultimate goal, losing in the county finals.
“Last season we were the Conference AA III champs.” Gattus said. “We won the conference and earned the two seed in the Nassau County Playoffs. We beat Manhasset in the quarterfinals and then defeated Carey in the semifinals in a great three game series. But then lost to Division in the county finals.”
Although the team fell short, only three members of the Bellmore JFK 2024 team graduated, with Jack Finkelstein playing at Oneonta. This season, the Cougars will be led by a pair of sophomores, Ryan and Derek Yormack. The twin brothers, both Duke-commits, aren’t just two of the best players on Long Island, but in the country as well.
“It’s pretty special.” Gattus said. “I was quoted to say they are two once in a lifetime players and I have the opportunity to coach them. I stand by that. They are special kids and special players. This will be their third year on varsity with us. The accolades and statistics that they have accumulated at this point in their varsity career are impressive and it’s astounding to think that they are only sophomores with the varsity resume they’ve put together.”
Pretty cool moment yesterday as 8th grade twins Ryan and Derek Yormack each homered in Bellmore JFK’s varsity game. It was Ryan’s second of the season. Very high ceiling players pic.twitter.com/T61dbgINKo
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 4, 2023
As Gattus said, the accolades and stats do speak for themselves. Derek finished the season as the League’s Pitcher of the Year, was an All-County player and a finalist for the 1st Annual Joe Correa Diamond Award, given to Nassau County’s best two-way player. In 35.2 innings pitched, Derek struck out 67 batters, recorded three wins and pitched to a 0.98 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and a .163 BAA. On the other side of the ball, Derek shined just as bright – hitting .384, with a 1.025 OPS.
Congratulations to Bellmore JFK freshman Derek Yormack who is this week’s recipient of the Axcess Baseball x BK7 Brand Player of the Week. The Duke-commit struck out 13 over 6 innings and went 4-for-7 at the plate with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs in their 2 playoff games pic.twitter.com/qv8ecN1lQQ
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 20, 2024
Much like his brother, Ryan also has a plethora of accolades. Last season, he won his leagues award for best position player, and was an All-County player. Ryan batted .456, with a .638 OBP and a 1.506 OPS. Ryan also recorded six homers, 28 RBIs and scored 29 runs. While they are only sophomores, the Yormacks were able to establish themselves as not only great players, but leaders as well.
“As eighth graders, we had a senior class that embraced them.” Gattus said. “They were very easy to like right off the bat because they love baseball, help the team win and are great kids. It’s crazy to think that your freshmen are two of the leaders on the team. But that’s the kind of kids and competitors that they are. They set the tone, and its’ tremendous to have them to build a program around.”
Outside of the Yormack’s, Bellmore-JFK has five other award winning players. Senior Eli Lowenstein, the team’s starting shortstop, was All-County last season as well as second team All-Long Island.
“Eli scored 40 runs and had 40 hits throughout the season last year.” Gattus said. “Which I think is a pretty special statistic that speaks to instinct on the basepaths and his ability to get on base.”
The other award winners were senior Cenzo Caravello and junior Zach Adelstein, while Frankie Stella was an All-League player for the Cougars. Caravello featured on the mound as a reliever for Bellmore last season, finishing the year 3-1 with three saves in 28 innings pitched. Adelstein featured predominantly as a starter, going 4-1 with 55 strikeouts in 2024. Stella finished top five on the team with 13 runs scored, and played very strong defense at second base, recording a .930 fielding percentage.
While not an award winner, Gattus had high praise for Alex Demas, who was top-five in hits, batting average and RBIs last season. Gattus also expects Demas to have an expanded role as a pitcher as well. Like Adelstein, Demas pitches in the mid 80s.Gattus also mentioned Dylan Babek, Max Goodman, Aidan Miller, Vito Mannino, Jake Wexler, Aaron Zakaria, Matt Tolipano and Derek Fong as other key players for the Cougars this season.
With a team that has as much talent as this year’s Bellmore-JFK team, the ultimate goal is to win the Long Island Championship at the end of the season. Gattus believes that if his team lives in the moment, they have a very good chance to do so.
“A big key for us is to live and play in the moment.” Gattus said. “We can’t let outside noise or expectations get in the way of what we want to do as a baseball team which is take it day by day and pitch by pitch. And have a ton of fun doing it. Because when you’re having fun and enjoying what you’re doing, that’s when you do your best.”
The Cougars will open their season on April 1 against Carey.
