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Up Next Powered by Eye Q Investigations: Max Donacea
(This is the eighth installment of our weekly “Up Next Series Powered by Eye Q Investigations” in which we highlight the best underclassmen from across Long Island. Previously, we featured Miguel Sime Jr, Matt Cruz, Luke Coats, Michael Gardner, Tyler Scarry, Kenny Meliere and Jaiden Zoller. Make sure to check out Eye Q Investigations by clicking here) Power-throwing lefties. That will never go out of style across amateur baseball. Every year there’s another that takes the next step and becomes a dominant force and becomes a Division-I pitcher. One name that I believe fits that mold is Northport sophomore Max Donacea. I first watched him at our Axcess World Series back in September at St. Dominic HS. He was brilliant in his outing against players that were 1 or 2 years old than him. H...
Where Are They Now Powered by the BK7 Brand: Anthony Papa
When it comes to overused phrases, “he’s got that dog in ’em” is that at the top of the list. But Anthony Papa, a former Diamond Award winner, Long Island Champ and Skyline Conference champ, fits that mold to a t. Papa, who suffered a torn UCL during his senior year of high school and told nobody, wound up pitching a five-hit complete game in the Class A Long Island Championship in 2015. He was able to play through the pain during the season as a hitter and won the Diamond Award. Later in life, he tore his ACL during conditioning training on the beach. He was able to pitch through the pain as well and to this day never got the ACL repaired. Followers of Long Island baseball are familiar with Anthony Papa for his dominant days as a 1-2 punch atop the Division rotatio...
Up Next Powered by Eye Q Investigations: Jaiden Zoller
(This is the seventh installment of our weekly “Up Next Series Powered by Eye Q Investigations” in which we highlight the best underclassmen from across Long Island. Previously, we featured Miguel Sime Jr, Matt Cruz, Luke Coats, Michael Gardner, Tyler Scarry. and Kenny Meliere Make sure to check out Eye Q Investigations by clicking here) Body Armor Titans 2026 had a deadly lineup this season and that all began with their leadoff hitter Jaiden Zoller. He put together some video game numbers that would make Rickey Henderson jealous. He batted .484 with a .590 OBP, 1.214 OPS, scored 51 runs and drew 23 walks against just 7 strikeouts. Just as importantly, he committed zero errors in center field. Strong defense up the middle and an OBP-machine at the top of the lineup is a great start to putt...
Where Are They Now Powered by the BK7 Brand: Alex Robinson
When Long Island baseball fans refer to the “glory days” of the NSCHSAA, they are most likely referring to the 2009-2012 period in which it seemed like every team had 5-7 Division-I players. During that time, Holy Trinity won two of those years – led by southpaw workhorse Alex Robinson. The big lefty with the high leg kick and overpowering fastball was named the New York Gatorade Player of the Year, posting some gaudy numbers on the bump. He went 7-0 with a 0.41 ERA with 109 strikeouts over 51 innings. He allowed just 14 hits and walked 22 batters. He also fired a couple no-hitters and won Game 1 of the Championship series against St. Anthony’s. When I asked how anyone ever got a hit off him with a low-to-mid 90s fastball in a wood bat league he chuckled and said, &...
Where Are They Now Powered by the BK7 Brand: Chris Smith
“When you have Scott Boras calling you up telling you that you’re a first round pick, you take it!” Wantagh grad Chris Smith was not just one of the best players on Long Island during his magical ride of a senior season in 1998, but his took his game up a notch at Florida State University, where he became an All-American OF with a cannon of a left arm that generated 98 MPH heaters – and that’s before every team had someone sitting in the mid 90s. Smith was the rare two-way player that could thrive on either side of the ball, but once he showcased upper 90s heater against the University of Miami, it became clear the best path to multimillionaire status was on the mound. He made the controversial and difficult decision to leave Florida State after playing in bac...
Up Next Powered by Eye Q Investigations: Tyler Scarry
(This is the fifth installment of our weekly Up Next Series Powered by Eye Q Investigations in which we highlight the top underclassmen on Long Island. Previously, we have featured Miguel Sime Jr., Matt Cruz, Luke Coats and Michael Gardner. Make sure to check out Eye Q Investigations by clicking here.) Division Ave HS has a rich tradition of baseball. They have won an astounding 37 league championships, 14 Nassau Championships, 9 Long Island Championships and 2 NYS Championships. They have done so with great coaching (beginning with the late Doug Robins to current coach Tom Tuttle), a deep talent pool in Levittown and a blue-collar demeanor when it comes to work ethic. They had the 2021 League MVP in Nick Roselli – currently a sophomore at SUNY Binghamton, the 2022 Diamond Award winn...
Q & A With Anthony Agostinelli
This past month, the Philadelphia Phillies made a miraculous run through the potent National League and captured the NL Pennant for the first time since 2009. Despite losing in a thrilling 6-game series to the Houston Astros, it was an incredible stretch for the Fightin’ Phils. One of the reasons the team was in such good position to make a run was due to the shrewd international signings of Long Island native Sal Agostinelli. The longtime members of the Phillies scouting department is the Director of International signings and was responsible for Ranger Suarez and Seranthony Dominguez (as well as current Astros RHP Hector Neris). Sal has been an integral member of the Phillies organization for over 30 seasons and also signed several of the members of the 2008 World Series championsh...
Up Next Powered by Eye Q Investigations: Luke Coats
(This is the third installment of the popular ‘Up Next’ Series in which we highlight the top underclassmen on Long Island. Previously we featured Miguel Sime Jr and Matt Cruz. Make sure you check out Eye Q Investigations by clicking here.) His freshman season in high school hasn’t even begun and already Luke Coats has turned many heads. Early in June, he was named the MVP of Perfect Game’s East Coast Qualifier in which Body Armor went 5-0. In July, he was one of the best performers at the Blue Chip Prospect’s Northeast College Coaches Camp when he was sitting in the low 80s in front of 24 coaches. Then, he went out and won Axcess Baseball’s Home Run Derby by putting on an absolute clinic in the finals with double digit home runs. Not to be outdone, he we...
Q & A With JJ Palumbo
The phrases “it’s a grind” and “putting in work” often get overused. But when it comes to an athlete on Long Island that embodies what it means to be committed to improving, look no further than Clarke senior JJ Palumbo. The catcher/infielder transformed his body in just over a year – losing fat and putting on muscle – and turning himself into an impact player on Clarke’s team that played in the county finals this season – even knocking the game-winning hit in one of the games against Calhoun. Here is the go-ahead hit by Palumbo. Clarke is 3 outs away and have ace Sean Welsh warming up pic.twitter.com/8KYITmI95B — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 29, 2022 This past week, Palumbo announced his commitment to SUNY Purchase. While m...
Q & A With Tommy Ruehle
2022 was another strong season for Ward Melville. The perennial powerhouse once again made the playoffs before losing to Longwood. One of the main reasons for their success was great starting pitching and junior RHP Tommy Ruehle was a big part of that. He compiled a record of 6-3 with a 3.13 ERA. They will be counting on him once against This past week he announced his commitment to Southern Arkansas. I had a chance to speak with him and here’s what he had to say… Can you explain your experience with the college recruiting process and why you chose Southern Arkansas? These past couple months have been ups-and-downs with colleges and whether or not the school was the right fit for me personally. When SAU was brought in as an option, I felt that I couldn’t let this o...
Q & A With Aidan Bardi
Almost three years to do the day, we did a feature story on a young player in the Wantagh district who put himself on the map by crushing 18 home runs in Cooperstown – and 73 home runs over the course of the season overall. It was met with skepticism by some in the Long Island baseball community, who questioned the accuracy of the information. Those same people are left with nothing to complain about after watching the performance of that same young player since that time. Aidan Bardi, now entering his junior year at Wantagh HS, recently announced his verbal commitment to the University of Maine. Bardi has been a no-brainer Division-I player in my eyes since I did that story on him and watched his aggressive swing and flawless mechanics. Bardi was one of the few freshman in Keith Sac...
Q & A With Brian Fitzpatrick
6’7 LHP Brian Fitzpatrick (St. Anthony’s/Rutgers) is back from Tommy John and up to 93 MPH pic.twitter.com/9VxNoGiDIj — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) January 11, 2020 (Photo Credit: Steve Hockstein) Brian Fitzpatrick is a 6’7 southpaw that dominated the Cape Cod League this summer. He allowed no runs over 19 innings for the Brewster Whitecaps against the top collegiate players in the country. Without a doubt that rocketed his value. He had Tommy John but is fully back and his best baseball may still be ahead of him as he only pitched 45 innings at Rutgers over 3 seasons. He was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 10th round of the 2022 MLB Draft last month. On paper, this is the type of player that would have an excellent chance to move through the system quick and ...
