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Tommy Morton Finds Strength in Pursuing Dream of Playing College Baseball

It would certainly be understandable, expected even, to miss a baseball practice when you receive the news that your father passed away unexpectedly on a business trip.

Tommy Morton was just 12-years-old at the time when his world was turned upside down. He was the oldest of four children, with the youngest being just a couple months old.

Steve Corrado, longtime head varsity baseball coach at North Babylon, was shocked to see Tommy at the little league clinic at the high school the next day. When he saw the young man, Tommy said, “I just want to be here and play baseball.”

It’s what his father would’ve wanted.

Fast forward six years and Tommy Morton is a senior at North Babylon HS, set to graduate in June. He recently announced his college commitment to play baseball at American International College in Springfield, MA.

It’s been a long, winding road for Tommy, who has used the tragedy as fuel. He’s coming off a strong season for the Bulldogs as a two-way player. He bounced back from a rough stretch early in the season to bat .298 with a .398 OBP, 12 runs scored and 12 RBIs at the plate while pitching 33.1 innings with 36 Ks on the mound.

Coach Corrado stated that while he hasn’t received preferential treatment, the North Babylon baseball program vowed to always check in on him and keep an extra eye on Tommy. He spoke highly of his mother, Melissa, who he said is “really an amazing person.”

He has continued to progress as a player and will be a key cog on their 2026 team, as they look to make it back to the postseason.

“We are looking forward to him taking a big step forward this year,” said Corrado. “I’ve loved our time with him.”

Regardless of any of the on-field results, Morton is a testament to the power of a strong support system in the midst of adversity. He is certainly an easy kid to root for. He spoke to Axcess Baseball and here’s what he had to say.

Can you talk about your experience with the college recruiting process and why you chose AIC?

Every bit of training I’ve done over the years has all been working towards my goals to play the highest level of college baseball possible, while also making sure I am in a program that will continue to develop me and see my value as a player. The process isn’t easy. Showcase after showcase which isn’t my strong point. I shine in a game setting vs situations where you are only there for metrics. So I found those situations particularly stressful. Throughout the process, I did my research on colleges, asked advice from adults and eventually narrowed it down to a list of about ten colleges. AIC was my first choice school as I loved their program and was looking to have the dorm experience. In the beginning of the summer, I emailed tons of schools with no response. Everyone else I knew was in talks with schools. I started to panic to be honest. Baseball is my life, but marketing myself is not my strong suit. But with the help of some great mentors and coaches, I was able to be in a good confident mental space to keep pushing through. I attended the State Games which is where I was first viewed by AIC. I signed up for college camps, including the AIC camp where I think I showed up pretty well. Suddenly, schools started reaching out. Following the AIC camp, I emailed the coaches and also sent a hand written letter. I told them that I could promise them that I would be one of their hardest workers and would do absolutely anything to become the best pitcher I can be and to make a contribution to my team. I feel that letter is what got their attention. They reached out to set up a personal visit. The visit went really well. The coaches were amazing, and as a PT major, academically it was a perfect fit. It’s clear that they place a lot of importance on work ethic, development, integrity and character which is why we all felt that it would be a great fit for me. They offered me a roster spot that day. It took about 30 seconds for me to make the decision to commit and the rest is history. Their program seems incredible and I’m so exited to see how I develop over my college years.

Who are some individuals that have helped you along the way?

I’m fortunate enough to have many people that have helped me on this journey. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my mom. She is the most amazing person I have ever known and will ever know. She dedicates her entire life to giving her kids the best life she can. She is the most unselfish, generous, kind, funny, loving, smart and incredible mom anyone can ever have and I am so lucky to have her. After we lost my dad, my mom was on her own with 4 young kids including a new baby. She was devastated and cried her eyes out every night. But that didn’t stop her from teaching me determination, responsibility, accountability, maturity and giving me all the tools I needed to succeed. She pushed me to get good grades, train in the weight room and constantly go out of my comfort zone. She taught me lessons that I will carry with me forever. Although I didn’t have a father to grow up with, I had many men in my life who have done the best they can to fill that role. So many it would be impossible to mention them all. I feel very lucky for that. In my younger years, my little league coaches really rallied around me, helping me in honor of my dad. Christian Byrnes took me under his wing and made me his personal project. He took me as his responsibility. Coach Christian has done everything for me and I am more grateful for him than anyone. I would not be where I am today without him. Even though Christian has taught me more things on the field than anyone else, he is also so much more than a coach to me. Being able to call him late night with personal problems, mental struggles on the field. When I was at my lowest point, he was there for me, he never stopped believing in me. Coach Marty Green and Coach Pat Lennon were important mentors in my life. These men taught me so much on the field, but more importantly, they taught me how to be a man. How to give a proper hand shake, the importance of eye contact. How to have a presence when you walk in a room. How to handle adversity on the baseball field. The value of hard work. How to overcome coaches who are hard on you. I have come such a long way in the mental aspect of the game because of these coaches. Coach Corrado is my high school varsity coach. The day I lost my dad, when I was 12, I attended a varsity coaches clinic. I knew baseball was where I needed to be that day. Coach Corrado gave me an honorary varsity hat that day and told me he would always be here to support me. And he always has.

You’ve experienced more adversity than most kids do at a young age. What helps motivate you to keep going when you were feeling down?

My dad showed me the way of sports and I fell in love with it. My love of sports, I owe completely to him. But I wasn’t always a top player. I was the little kid picking grass in the outfield and goofing off. I had trouble focusing. As the years went on, I improved, but there were always a few kids that shined over me. I used to cry about it, wishing I could be as good as them. One night, my mom and dad came in my room as I was crying and gave me a talk. They explained that not everyone has natural talent, but anyone can be the hardest worker. They said that if I wanted to be the best, I would need to stop crying about it and accept the fact that I needed to work harder than others to get there. They said that if I was willing to make that commitment, they would give me any tools I needed to achieve my goals. That was the moment I truly committed to be a top player and I haven’t stopped since. That was also the year I became part of Dodgers Nation. Over the years, I have had some really high highs and some really low lows. Especially after I lost my dad. When you are grieving, any other loss no matter how big or little is so much tougher to handle. But in my tough times,  I tried to always remember that conversation. I try to remember the things he taught me while he was here. The way he used to make me laugh when I was upset about a game. The song he used to play on the way home from the field when I was pouting about a loss always made me laugh. It was “Loser” by Beck. My parents always taught me to use humor to help me get out of my low points and to keep a warrior mindset to help motivate me to keep pushing. Mortons are warriors is the theme of our home and that always helps me in my tough times. I was taught to never ever give up. And I want to make my dad proud so that is my biggest motivation of all. The combination of that and mom’s chicken soup has always helped me keep going.

What has your experience with Dodgers Nation been like?

My experience with Dodgers Nation has been one that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. The teammates, the coaches and all the different people I have met and the lessons I’ve learned I will never forget. I wasn’t exactly a polished player when I signed on with them at 9 years old, but Christian saw my potential and believed in me. He chose to invest in me and my future. I’ve learn the value of hard work, loyalty and mental toughness. I have always stayed loyal to Dodgers Nation because I would rather be on a team that is fully invested in developing you for the future, rather than a team fully focused on wins. “DNation” has done everything for me.

What has been your most thrilling moment on a baseball field?

My most thrilling moment ever was in a championship of a tournament. We were playing LIB and this was a team that was our rivals at the time. It was an absolutely heated game that was back-and-forth. At the jaws of defeat, we scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th and we are down by 1. It is 2nd and 3rd with two outs and I come up to the plate. Base hit could win the game. Both teams are heated and yelling from the dugout. Parents are going crazy on both sides. My legs are shaking, but I am 3-for-3 in this game and I am confident if I get a good pitch I can drive it. Count goes to 3-2 and then I foul a couple of pitches off. Then I ripped one down the left field line, both runners scored and we win. My coach runs out and jumps into my arms as if he were a little boy and next thing I know the team is swarming around me and dumping coolers on me. It was an absolutely electrifying moment that felt like a dream. It was not long after I lost my dad so I know every player and parents wanted this win for me so badly. I will never ever forget that moment.

Who are your favorite professional athletes and why?

My favorite professional athlete is Gerrit Cole. I have always loved him as a pitcher and I wear number 45 because of him. I love his demeanor on the mound because he just means business and he is not there to mess around. I also find his story inspirational. He’s fully locked in and throws heavy fastballs with good command. He is a leader in the locker room. He is exactly the kind of pitcher I want to be one day from his play style to how he goes about things.

Favorite restaurant on Long Island?

My favorite restaurant is Texas Roadhouse. One huge thing that me and my dad used to share was our love for steak. I’m a huge steak lover. Me, my dad and all the Morton men in our family used to go out to eat to Texas Roadhouse for some steaks and those are some of my favorite memories.

What would you like to work on in the offseason?

I need to work on improving my velocity this offseason. In order to get hitters out at the Division-II level, I need to have a live fastball in the upper 80s. I also need to work on making my change up a pitch I could throw in any count just like my fastball and slider. I need to improve my hip and shoulder mobility and work on becoming more explosive.

Favorite musical artist?

Coldplay

Dream Car?

Tesla

Favorite app on your phone?

Yahoo Sports

Any goals for 2026?

My goals for 2026 are to earn All-County for my senior season and help bring my team to a league championship. Also to hit a velocity PR of 86 MPH and to spend as much time with my family as possible before I go away.

Favorite vacation spot?

I’m a home body and I don’t like long car rides. So my favorite vacation spot is my backyard.

Favorite baseball movie?

My favorite baseball movie is Money Ball. I find it so interesting and can watch it a million times and never get sick of it. I’m very interested in the business part of baseball so I really enjoy that movie because of it.