Jesse Berardi
Q & A With Frankie Moscatiello
Who were some influential people in your life growing up? A lot of people influence me. Mom and dad always helped me with no matter what I needed to do – getting to the gym, getting to lessons, getting to practice games every day. They were always there for me. My grandfather was at every practice, every game, everything that I ever had. If my parents couldn’t bring me somewhere, he would bring me there. They were a big influence on me, and I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing now if it wasn’t for their support. Back when Coach [Andrew Aschettino] took over, [Rocky Point] was a lacrosse town. When you were in high school, did it become more of a baseball town at that point? Yeah, while Aschettino was the coach of Rocky Point, he had a pretty good resume. I can’t remember how many years ...
OTD: Nine-Run Sixth Powers St. John’s to 21st Win
(Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on April 2, 2017.) When you’re hot, you’re hot. The St. John’s Red Storm overpowered the Hofstra Pride, coming away with a 14-3 win for their ninth consecutive victory. “It feels good when you win, it’s nice to see our guys start swinging the bat in the middle of the game.” Head Coach Ed Blankmeyer said after the win. “Another game, another step.” The Red Storm took the lead early on a single from Jesse Berardi scoring Michael Donadio. Later in the game the Johnnies tacked on another run on a single from Anthony Brocato, scoring Troy Dixon from second. The Pride scored their only three runs in the top of the fifth inning. They scored on an error, wild pitch and an RBI single by Nick Bottari to score Steven Foster. The Red Storm came up...
How Did the Local Minor Leaguers Fare in 2019?
We spend a lot of time focusing on who the next big thing is that it sometimes comes at the expense of those that are currently one step away from The Show. With the book closed on the 2019 season, now is a great time to check in on the local players that played 2019 in affiliated baseball. For purposes of brevity, we will limit this list to those who are Long Island natives, not those that played college baseball on Long Island which eliminates several players that have played at schools like Stony Brook, Hofstra, St. John’s, etc. We used Baseball Reference to compile the data on players. Please note that players frequently walk away from the game after a few minor league seasons so this list does not include anyone that called it a career prior to the season. We will organize it by...
Ed Blankmeyer Reflects on Successful 2017
Even by the lofty standards of St. John’s skipper Ed Blankmeyer–758 wins and four Big East tournament crowns–there is much to be excited about when reflecting on the 2017 season of his Red Storm. They burst out of the gate red-hot with their best start since the days of MLB legend John Franco and Frank Viola in 1980. They began the season with nine consecutive wins and were nationally ranked by every major publication from the jump. They wound up with a record of 42-13 and had their dreams cut short in the NCAA Regionals against Vanderbilt and UNC Greensboro. The legendary Head Coach spoke to Vinny Messana and here’s what he had to say… It was an unbelievable season for you. What made this group so special? Well, it came down to getting off to a good start. It...
Podcast: Discussing the Mount Rushmore of Long Island Baseball Players
We had two very special guests on the podcast today discussing the best seasons in Long Island baseball history. Gregg Sarra, 32-year veteran reporter for Newsday and Sal Mignano (583 career wins) together have seen plenty of talented players on the diamond. We discussed who the best of the best are.
Jesse Berardi Selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 10th Round
It appeared like Day 2 of the 2017 MLB Draft would pass without a Long Islander having their name called, but Jesse Berardi (Commack ’14, St. John’s) was selected with one of the final picks in the 10th round by the Cleveland Indians. He was previously drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2014 draft. It was very much a surprise that he lasted as long as he did, considering there was close to 20 scouts at the final few games of the season, in which he batted .356 with a .456 OBP and .462 SLG. He was named first-team All-Big East. Berardi is considered one of the best defensive shortstops to ever come through Long Island. He won the Carl Yastrzemski Award in 2014 following a dynamic season. He opted to attend St. John’s, where he improved his offensive game considera...
With Draft Day Looming, Jesse Berardi Remains Laser Focused
With all the distractions that come along with playing under the the spotlight of Div-I baseball, it would be easy to understand if a player got caught up in the hoopla. Most players are constantly on social media and can allow outside talk to effect their play. Most players are not Jesse Berardi. The St. John’s SS is having a season for the record books. The slick-fielding Commack native has compiled a triple slash line of .385/.497/.519 and is on the draft radar of at least 20 of the 30 Major League teams. Every move from this point on will most likely be recorded by a scout either on video or timed with a stop watch. It will be sent to the regional supervisors and national crosscheckers and Directors of Scouting and possibly, the General Managers. This is not uncharted territory f...
Nine-Run Sixth Powers St. John’s to 21st Win
When you’re hot, you’re hot. The St. John’s Red Storm overpowered the Hofstra Pride, coming away with a 14-3 win for their ninth consecutive victory. “It feels good when you win, it’s nice to see our guys start swinging the bat in the middle of the game.” Head Coach Ed Blankmeyer said after the win. “Another game, another step.” The Red Storm took the lead early on a single from Jesse Berardi scoring Michael Donadio. Later in the game the Johnnies tacked on another run on a single from Anthony Brocato, scoring Troy Dixon from second. The Pride scored their only three runs in the top of the fifth inning. They scored on an error, wild pitch and an RBI single by Nick Bottari to score Steven Foster. The Red Storm came up big in the 6th inning. They ripped nine hits and scored nine ...
St. John’s Continues Red-Hot Start
by Troy Mauriello If the St. John’s Red Storm weren’t on the national radar after a 7-0 start to their season, they certainly are now. The No. 16 ranked Johnnies came from behind yesterday to knock off No. 7 North Carolina on the road, giving them their best start since 1981, the days of John Franco and Frank Viola. Yesterday’s victory was anything but easy for St. John’s. After outscoring their opponents 63-16 through their first seven wins this season, the Red Storm actually trailed 4-2 heading into the seventh inning in Chapel Hill. It appeared as though the perfect start and upset bid were falling apart before the Johnnies got a jolt of offense thanks to the long ball. In that seventh, after John Valente walked to lead off the inning, Jesse Berardi smashed a two-run, game-tying home ru...
St. John’s Leaning on an Experienced Lineup
(Photo Credit: St. John’s Athletics) by Brianna Pace Head Coach Ed Blankmeyer, now in his 22nd year, has his head held high walking into the 2017 season. With youth in the pitching staff and experience out on the field, St. John’s is ready to have a comeback year. The level of experience is much higher this year as opposed to last year. Blankmeyer highlights the amount of experience the team has this year coming from the multitude of returning position players. Compared to last season, he says that he values the experience this season’s team has the most. Blankmeyer likes his team’s chances this season, but he also says the conference is going to be good. He said that the lower level teams are getting better but he has confidence in his team. He said that he’s expecting a good season...
Which Players From Long Island Could Get Drafted This Year? Part 1
This is a year where there is a higher-than-normal amount of players with professional caliber playing on Long Island. There might not be a first-round pick, but there will be plenty of Day 3 guys. To discuss them all, it will be broken into a multi-part series. Here is the first group. Jesse Berardi (Commack ’14, St. John’s ’18) You won’t find anyone that says a bad word about Berardi. He won the Carl Yastrzemski Award in 2014 and was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies. His makeup is off the charts and everyone adores how he respects the game and hustles at all times. He was regarded as the best defensive shortstop to come out of Long Island since Shawon Dunston. His bat has come along and all of a sudden he developed power which only enhances his value. Assuming...
Ranking the Carl Yastrzemski Award Winning Seasons of Past 10 Years
CLICK HERE to sign up for National Scouting Report–the nation’s No. 1 scouting agency. If you are a talented player that is serious about playing at the next level, they will land you a scholarship. The most coveted award for Suffolk County high school baseball players is the Carl Yastrzemski Award. Every year players lace up their shoes in March with their eyes on this prize, being handed the award in front of 700+ guests at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook, vindicating their success and hard work that led them to this point. Here is a ranking of the past 10 award winning seasons. 10. Jesse Berardi, 2014 Key Stats: .423 AVG, 13 extra base hits, 25 runs scored This has nothing to do with the lack of production, but the sheer talent of this list. Berardi was a standout player during his ...
