{"id":39136,"date":"2018-12-20T08:33:03","date_gmt":"2018-12-20T03:33:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/?p=39136"},"modified":"2018-12-20T08:33:03","modified_gmt":"2018-12-20T03:33:03","slug":"up-next-cristino-tufano","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/","title":{"rendered":"Up Next: Cristino Tufano"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Playing in a small-school district such as <strong>Babylon<\/strong> has its inherent challenges in regards to getting noticed. In such cases, a player must often generate buzz from summer ball. That has been the case with <strong>Cristino Tufano<\/strong>. The 13-year-old is coming off a monster season with the <strong>Camelot Knights<\/strong>. His season, along with the fact that the school has a smaller enrollment gives him an opportunity to move up to varsity as an eighth-grader this season.<\/p>\n<p>This past season, he batted .472 with 17 home runs and 51 RBI. He also performed on the mound, with his high-octane fastball. He fired a no-hitter during the Columbus Day tournament as well as throwing a shutout in Cooperstown against California.<\/p>\n<p>I had a chance to speak with him and here’s what he had to say…<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.muddylockersports.com\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-35275 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/unnamed.png\" data-rel=\"prettyPhoto[image-39136]\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>What has been your most exciting thing in your baseball career? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The most exciting thing in my baseball career has been getting to play on JV as a 7th grader. It was a great experience. I adjusted well and quickly felt comfortable with my teammates and getting to play against other opponents. My first hit on JV was just honestly an insane accomplishment in my life and most likely one of the most exciting moments in my career.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-30903 aligncenter lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/max-effort-baseball.jpg\" alt=\"Max Effort Training\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/max-effort-baseball.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/max-effort-baseball-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/max-effort-baseball-100x100.jpg 100w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/200;\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Have you thought about playing on varsity as an eighth grader? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Are you confident in your ability to do so? Yes I have thought about this topic a lot and it is very exciting to me. It\u2019s going to be an amazing time getting to play up the middle wit my older brother, Antonio. It is a great experience for me learn. \u00a0I will work hard and get ready to take my place at short when my older brother graduates this year. \u00a0This opportunity is going to be very fun and a great learning experience for my baseball career. \u00a0I am also thankful to varsity coach Manzella for allowing me to showcase my skills and prove I am ready.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-37076 aligncenter lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/longislandthunder-300x47.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"47\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/47;\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>How would you describe your time playing with the Camelot Knights? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My time with the Camelot knights has been very good ever since I came to the organization. I\u2019ve been provided with an extreme amount of chances from my coaches (Joe Palumbo, Dom Delvecchio and Steve Kurz ). They gave me exposure to great competition and great coaching. \u00a0I like to be pushed hard and they can do it. This is most definitely the right place for me to expand and grow as a player. On the mound it\u2019s important to have a catcher I\u2019m comfortable with and that is what I have in JJ Palumbo (my catcher). I really worked great with him through the fall season and I know no matter what pitch I\u2019m going to throw, he will be ready for it<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-33366 aligncenter lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/strength-heals-jpeg-1-300x218.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"218\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/strength-heals-jpeg-1-300x218.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/strength-heals-jpeg-1-768x558.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/strength-heals-jpeg-1.jpg 1024w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/218;\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>What are your goals for 2019?\u00a0What do you need to work on in the offseason? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My goals in 2019 are getting ready for the season on varsity and being prepared to play against juniors and seniors. It\u2019s going to be hard to adjust, but as the player I am, I think I can handle it. Last year the Varsity team had a very tough loss in the Suffolk County Championship against Center Moriches, but this year we will be looking to take the title home.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Who are your favorite players in the MLB and why? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Fransico Lindor because he is also a shortstop and plays the game of baseball much like I do. He\u2019s a very quick and a skilled athlete. He is a contact hitter like me but can also hit for power, also like me. He has very good range of the field as do I and both have a very strong arm.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Who are the biggest influences in your life?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The biggest influence is my brother Antonio easily because I follow after him. \u00a0He is an All-County multi-sport athlete (Football, Track, Baseball).\u00a0He is a two time Pre -Season Under Armour All-American and committed to play baseball in college.<span style=\"font-family: Helvetica;\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>He plays the roll of shortstop on the varsity level\u00a0and I followed along last year playing JV shortstop in 7th grade. \u00a0I hope the achieve the same in the years to come.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Playing in a small-school district such as Babylon has its inherent challenges in regards to getting noticed. In such cases, a player must often generate buzz from summer ball. That has been the case with Cristino Tufano. The 13-year-old is coming off a monster season with the Camelot Knights. His season, along with the fact that the school has a smaller enrollment gives him an opportunity to move up to varsity as an eighth-grader this season. This past season, he batted .472 with 17 home runs and 51 RBI. He also performed on the mound, with his high-octane fastball. He fired a no-hitter during the Columbus Day tournament as well as throwing a shutout in Cooperstown against California. I had a chance to speak with him and here’s what he had to say… What has been your most exciting thing in your baseball career? The most exciting thing in my baseball career has been getting to play on JV as a 7th grader. It was a great experience. I adjusted well and quickly felt comfortable with my teammates and getting to play against other opponents. My first hit on JV was just honestly an insane accomplishment in my life and most likely one of the most exciting moments in my career. Have you thought about playing on varsity as an eighth grader? Are you confident in your ability to do so? Yes I have thought about this topic a lot and it is very exciting to me. It\u2019s going to be an amazing time getting to play up the middle wit my older brother, Antonio. It is a great experience for me learn. \u00a0I will work hard and get ready to take my place at short when my older brother graduates this year. \u00a0This opportunity is going to be very fun and a great learning experience for my baseball career. \u00a0I am also thankful to varsity coach Manzella for allowing me to showcase my skills and prove I am ready. How would you describe your time playing with the Camelot Knights? My time with the Camelot knights has been very good ever since I came to the organization. I\u2019ve been provided with an extreme amount of chances from my coaches (Joe Palumbo, Dom Delvecchio and Steve Kurz ). They gave me exposure to great competition and great coaching. \u00a0I like to be pushed hard and they can do it. This is most definitely the right place for me to expand and grow as a player. On the mound it\u2019s important to have a catcher I\u2019m comfortable with and that is what I have in JJ Palumbo (my catcher). I really worked great with him through the fall season and I know no matter what pitch I\u2019m going to throw, he will be ready for it What are your goals for 2019?\u00a0What do you need to work on in the offseason? My goals in 2019 are getting ready for the season on varsity and being prepared to play against juniors and seniors. It\u2019s going to be hard to adjust, but as the player I am, I think I can handle it. Last year the Varsity team had a very tough loss in the Suffolk County Championship against Center Moriches, but this year we will be looking to take the title home. Who are your favorite players in the MLB and why? Fransico Lindor because he is also a shortstop and plays the game of baseball much like I do. He\u2019s a very quick and a skilled athlete. He is a contact hitter like me but can also hit for power, also like me. He has very good range of the field as do I and both have a very strong arm. Who are the biggest influences in your life?\u00a0 The biggest influence is my brother Antonio easily because I follow after him. \u00a0He is an All-County multi-sport athlete (Football, Track, Baseball).\u00a0He is a two time Pre -Season Under Armour All-American and committed to play baseball in college.\u00a0\u00a0He plays the roll of shortstop on the varsity level\u00a0and I followed along last year playing JV shortstop in 7th grade. \u00a0I hope the achieve the same in the years to come. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":39137,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,461],"tags":[832,1494,1486],"class_list":{"0":"post-39136","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-archive","8":"category-news","9":"tag-babylon-baseball","10":"tag-cristino-tufano","11":"tag-up-next"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Up Next: Cristino Tufano - Axcess Baseball<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Up Next: Cristino Tufano - Axcess Baseball\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Playing in a small-school district such as Babylon has its inherent challenges in regards to getting noticed. In such cases, a player must often generate buzz from summer ball. That has been the case with Cristino Tufano. The 13-year-old is coming off a monster season with the Camelot Knights. His season, along with the fact that the school has a smaller enrollment gives him an opportunity to move up to varsity as an eighth-grader this season. This past season, he batted .472 with 17 home runs and 51 RBI. He also performed on the mound, with his high-octane fastball. He fired a no-hitter during the Columbus Day tournament as well as throwing a shutout in Cooperstown against California. I had a chance to speak with him and here’s what he had to say… What has been your most exciting thing in your baseball career? The most exciting thing in my baseball career has been getting to play on JV as a 7th grader. It was a great experience. I adjusted well and quickly felt comfortable with my teammates and getting to play against other opponents. My first hit on JV was just honestly an insane accomplishment in my life and most likely one of the most exciting moments in my career. Have you thought about playing on varsity as an eighth grader? Are you confident in your ability to do so? Yes I have thought about this topic a lot and it is very exciting to me. It\u2019s going to be an amazing time getting to play up the middle wit my older brother, Antonio. It is a great experience for me learn. \u00a0I will work hard and get ready to take my place at short when my older brother graduates this year. \u00a0This opportunity is going to be very fun and a great learning experience for my baseball career. \u00a0I am also thankful to varsity coach Manzella for allowing me to showcase my skills and prove I am ready. How would you describe your time playing with the Camelot Knights? My time with the Camelot knights has been very good ever since I came to the organization. I\u2019ve been provided with an extreme amount of chances from my coaches (Joe Palumbo, Dom Delvecchio and Steve Kurz ). They gave me exposure to great competition and great coaching. \u00a0I like to be pushed hard and they can do it. This is most definitely the right place for me to expand and grow as a player. On the mound it\u2019s important to have a catcher I\u2019m comfortable with and that is what I have in JJ Palumbo (my catcher). I really worked great with him through the fall season and I know no matter what pitch I\u2019m going to throw, he will be ready for it What are your goals for 2019?\u00a0What do you need to work on in the offseason? My goals in 2019 are getting ready for the season on varsity and being prepared to play against juniors and seniors. It\u2019s going to be hard to adjust, but as the player I am, I think I can handle it. Last year the Varsity team had a very tough loss in the Suffolk County Championship against Center Moriches, but this year we will be looking to take the title home. Who are your favorite players in the MLB and why? Fransico Lindor because he is also a shortstop and plays the game of baseball much like I do. He\u2019s a very quick and a skilled athlete. He is a contact hitter like me but can also hit for power, also like me. He has very good range of the field as do I and both have a very strong arm. Who are the biggest influences in your life?\u00a0 The biggest influence is my brother Antonio easily because I follow after him. \u00a0He is an All-County multi-sport athlete (Football, Track, Baseball).\u00a0He is a two time Pre -Season Under Armour All-American and committed to play baseball in college.\u00a0\u00a0He plays the roll of shortstop on the varsity level\u00a0and I followed along last year playing JV shortstop in 7th grade. \u00a0I hope the achieve the same in the years to come. \" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Axcess Baseball\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/axcessbaseball\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-12-20T03:33:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/image2.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"302\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Vinny Messana\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@axcessbaseball\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@axcessbaseball\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Vinny Messana\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Vinny Messana\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#\/schema\/person\/f547cb10f01b2dcfa9613585604f881f\"},\"headline\":\"Up Next: Cristino Tufano\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-12-20T03:33:03+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/\"},\"wordCount\":707,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/image2.jpeg\",\"keywords\":[\"Babylon baseball\",\"Cristino Tufano\",\"Up Next\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Archive\",\"NEWS\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/\",\"name\":\"Up Next: Cristino Tufano - Axcess Baseball\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/image2.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-12-20T03:33:03+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/image2.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/image2.jpeg\",\"width\":302,\"height\":1024},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Up Next: Cristino Tufano\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/\",\"name\":\"Axcess Baseball\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"aXcess Baseball\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/axcess-logo-home-footer.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/axcess-logo-home-footer.png\",\"width\":650,\"height\":178,\"caption\":\"aXcess Baseball\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/axcessbaseball\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/axcessbaseball\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/axcess_baseball\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#\/schema\/person\/f547cb10f01b2dcfa9613585604f881f\",\"name\":\"Vinny Messana\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/aae52fd44a445c2c294bf32a7889ab6d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/aae52fd44a445c2c294bf32a7889ab6d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Vinny Messana\"},\"description\":\"Vinny is the President of Axcess Baseball. He is a 2013 graduate of Adelphi University and he is currently the Long Island area scout for the San Diego Padres\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/author\/vmessana\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Up Next: Cristino Tufano - Axcess Baseball","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Up Next: Cristino Tufano - Axcess Baseball","og_description":"Playing in a small-school district such as Babylon has its inherent challenges in regards to getting noticed. In such cases, a player must often generate buzz from summer ball. That has been the case with Cristino Tufano. The 13-year-old is coming off a monster season with the Camelot Knights. His season, along with the fact that the school has a smaller enrollment gives him an opportunity to move up to varsity as an eighth-grader this season. This past season, he batted .472 with 17 home runs and 51 RBI. He also performed on the mound, with his high-octane fastball. He fired a no-hitter during the Columbus Day tournament as well as throwing a shutout in Cooperstown against California. I had a chance to speak with him and here’s what he had to say… What has been your most exciting thing in your baseball career? The most exciting thing in my baseball career has been getting to play on JV as a 7th grader. It was a great experience. I adjusted well and quickly felt comfortable with my teammates and getting to play against other opponents. My first hit on JV was just honestly an insane accomplishment in my life and most likely one of the most exciting moments in my career. Have you thought about playing on varsity as an eighth grader? Are you confident in your ability to do so? Yes I have thought about this topic a lot and it is very exciting to me. It\u2019s going to be an amazing time getting to play up the middle wit my older brother, Antonio. It is a great experience for me learn. \u00a0I will work hard and get ready to take my place at short when my older brother graduates this year. \u00a0This opportunity is going to be very fun and a great learning experience for my baseball career. \u00a0I am also thankful to varsity coach Manzella for allowing me to showcase my skills and prove I am ready. How would you describe your time playing with the Camelot Knights? My time with the Camelot knights has been very good ever since I came to the organization. I\u2019ve been provided with an extreme amount of chances from my coaches (Joe Palumbo, Dom Delvecchio and Steve Kurz ). They gave me exposure to great competition and great coaching. \u00a0I like to be pushed hard and they can do it. This is most definitely the right place for me to expand and grow as a player. On the mound it\u2019s important to have a catcher I\u2019m comfortable with and that is what I have in JJ Palumbo (my catcher). I really worked great with him through the fall season and I know no matter what pitch I\u2019m going to throw, he will be ready for it What are your goals for 2019?\u00a0What do you need to work on in the offseason? My goals in 2019 are getting ready for the season on varsity and being prepared to play against juniors and seniors. It\u2019s going to be hard to adjust, but as the player I am, I think I can handle it. Last year the Varsity team had a very tough loss in the Suffolk County Championship against Center Moriches, but this year we will be looking to take the title home. Who are your favorite players in the MLB and why? Fransico Lindor because he is also a shortstop and plays the game of baseball much like I do. He\u2019s a very quick and a skilled athlete. He is a contact hitter like me but can also hit for power, also like me. He has very good range of the field as do I and both have a very strong arm. Who are the biggest influences in your life?\u00a0 The biggest influence is my brother Antonio easily because I follow after him. \u00a0He is an All-County multi-sport athlete (Football, Track, Baseball).\u00a0He is a two time Pre -Season Under Armour All-American and committed to play baseball in college.\u00a0\u00a0He plays the roll of shortstop on the varsity level\u00a0and I followed along last year playing JV shortstop in 7th grade. \u00a0I hope the achieve the same in the years to come. ","og_url":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/","og_site_name":"Axcess Baseball","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/axcessbaseball","article_published_time":"2018-12-20T03:33:03+00:00","og_image":[{"width":302,"height":1024,"url":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/image2.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Vinny Messana","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@axcessbaseball","twitter_site":"@axcessbaseball","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Vinny Messana","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/"},"author":{"name":"Vinny Messana","@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#\/schema\/person\/f547cb10f01b2dcfa9613585604f881f"},"headline":"Up Next: Cristino Tufano","datePublished":"2018-12-20T03:33:03+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/"},"wordCount":707,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/image2.jpeg","keywords":["Babylon baseball","Cristino Tufano","Up Next"],"articleSection":["Archive","NEWS"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/","url":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/","name":"Up Next: Cristino Tufano - Axcess Baseball","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/image2.jpeg","datePublished":"2018-12-20T03:33:03+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/image2.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/image2.jpeg","width":302,"height":1024},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/2018\/12\/20\/up-next-cristino-tufano\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Up Next: Cristino Tufano"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/","name":"Axcess Baseball","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#organization","name":"aXcess Baseball","url":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/axcess-logo-home-footer.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/axcess-logo-home-footer.png","width":650,"height":178,"caption":"aXcess Baseball"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/axcessbaseball","https:\/\/x.com\/axcessbaseball","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/axcess_baseball\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#\/schema\/person\/f547cb10f01b2dcfa9613585604f881f","name":"Vinny Messana","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/aae52fd44a445c2c294bf32a7889ab6d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/aae52fd44a445c2c294bf32a7889ab6d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Vinny Messana"},"description":"Vinny is the President of Axcess Baseball. He is a 2013 graduate of Adelphi University and he is currently the Long Island area scout for the San Diego Padres","url":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/author\/vmessana\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39136"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39136\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39144,"href":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39136\/revisions\/39144"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.axcessbaseball.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}