BOSTON – Suffolk baseball has nearly a brand-new make-up as 21 fresh faces joined Anthony Del Prete's squad for the 2024 season. Fourteen Rams rookies are true freshmen, while seven student-athletes transferred their talents to Boston from other institutions.
Depth was the key ingredient for Del Prete on the recruiting trail over the offseason as the skipper, who enters his 10th season as Suffolk's head coach, aims to lead Suffolk back to a conference championship, its first in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.
Behind the dish, transfers Max Martin and Adam Braid, who started their collegiate careers at Stonehill and Johnson & Wales, respectively, will be in the mix along with freshman Stephen Nardelli and Christopher White, who is back after a season-long injury.
Utility All-MASCAC Second-Team selection Alex Sorenti-Burns for Worcester State a year ago was brough in to provide stability to the lineup.
Freshmen outfielders Colin Flynn, Eric Paradis and Jack Mihalchik bring athleticism to an outfield that brings back junior Max Iorio and senior Garret Roberts.
Sophomores Joe Norris and Sam Armbruster add versatility to the infield that is anchored by veterans Harry Painter and Jonny Gilbride. First-year incomer Sebastian Lampert adds another bat to the line-up.
The Rams pitching rotation will be led by Roberts and junior Pierce Salbego, while graduate transfers Greg Kaufmann (UConn), and Brett Bucklin (Worcester State) and sophomore TJ Dimitriou (Babson) provided much needed length on the hill. Freshmen John McDevitt, Patrick Desmond, Ian Maude and Will Talbert will compete for innings as well.
Suffolk is set to throw the first pitch of the 2024 season tomorrow, Sunday, March 3 in a double feature with Lasell at East Boston Memorial Park. Game one is scheduled to start at 12 p.m.
RAMS ROOKIES RESUMES
ADAM BRAID | JR. | C | L/R | 60- | 185 | PEABODY, MASS. / JOHNSON & WALES / MALDEN CATHOLIC
BEFORE SUFFOLK – JOHNSON & WALES (2022-23)
Began his collegiate career at Johnson & Wales ... Played 12 games over two seasons with the Wildcats ... Compiled a .353/.522/.588 slash line ... Had six hits including one double and one homer ... Brought in seven runs ... Walked six times, three times each season ... Put together a perfect fielding percentage with 34 putouts and three assists ... GNAC All-Academic Team in 2023.
BEFORE SUFFOLK – MALDEN CATHOLIC
Letterwinner at Malden Catholic and captained the team as a senior ... Also lettered in basketball.
BRETT BUCKLIN | GR. | RHP | R/R | 5-10 | 170 | LYNN, MASS. / WORCESTER STATE / LYNN CLASSICAL
BEFORE SUFFOLK – WORCESTER STATE (2021-23)
Started his collegiate career at Worcester State ... Made 25 appearances, three starts, over three seasons ... Put together a 2-5 record ... Had one save ... Logged a 4.83 career ERA ... Sat down 42 batters including 22 in 2023.
BEFORE SUFFOLK – LYNN CLASSICAL
Four-year letterwinner at Lynn Classical ... Led Lynn Classical to two NEC Championships ... All-NEC as a senior ... Also lettered in golf ... Played in the Babe Ruth World Series twice, 2016 and 2018.
THOMAS CAMPBELL | FR. | RHP | R/R | 5-11 | 175 | NASHUA, N.H. / NASHUA SOUTH
BEFORE SUFFOLK – NASHUA SOUTH
Letterwinner at Nashua South.
PATRICK DESMOND | FR. | RHP | R/R | 5-10 | 185 | HAMPTON, N.H. / WINNACUNNET
BEFORE SUFFOLK – WINNACUNNET
Letterwinner at Winnacunnet and captained the team ... Led Winnacunnet to two state championships ... Also lettered in football ... All-State in football.
TJ DIMITRIOU | SO. | LHP | L/L | 6-1 | 170 | NORWOOD, MASS. / BABSON / XAVERIAN BROTHERS
BEFORE SUFFOLK – BABSON (2023)
Started his collegiate career at Babson in 2023 ... Made four appearances out of the bullpen ... Had a 3.37 ERA ... Struck out two batters in 2.2 innings of work.
BEFORE SUFFOLK – XAVERIAN BROTHERS
Letterwinner at Xaverian Brothers ... Helped Xaverian Brothers to the 2021 Division 1 Baseball State Championship ... Led Catholic Conference in ERA as a junior with a 0.69 ... Also lettered in basketball ... President of the Sports Journalism Club.
MIKE DONVITO | FR. | RHP | R/R | 6-3 | 200 | BOCA RATON, FLA. / ST. JOHN PAUL II ACADEMY
BEFORE SUFFOLK – ST. JOHN PAUL II ACADEMY
Four-year letterwinner at St. John Paul II Academy ... Led St. John Paul II Academy to two district championships ... Compiled a career ERA of 2.26 ... Member of National Honor Society.
COLIN FLYNN | FR. | OF | R/R | 5-10 | 165 | DORCHESTER, MASS. / BOSTON COLLEGE COLLEGIATE CHARTER
NOAH GRECO | FR. | INF | S/R | 5-10 | 175 | NORTH HAVEN, CONN. / NORTH HAVEN
BEFORE SUFFOLK – NORTH HAVEN
Letterwinner at North Haven ... SCC All-Academic Team in 2022 ... Recipient of the Todd Carr Award ... Member of Italian Honor Society, Chinese Honor Society ... Belonged to the Community Service Club ... High Honor Roll student.
GREGORY KAUFMANN | GR. | RHP | R/R | 6-1 | 195 | TRUMBULL, CONN. / UCONN / TRUMBULL
BEFORE SUFFOLK – UCONN BASEBALL CLUB
Competed for UConn's Club Baseball team as an undergraduate.
SEBASTIAN LAMPERT | FR. | 1B/P | L/R | 6-3 | 230 | PORTSMOUTH, N.H. / PORTSMOUTH
BEFORE SUFFOLK – PORTSMOUTH
Letterwinner at Portsmouth ... All-State ... Also lettered in basketball.
CAM MARTIN | SO. | LHP | L/L | 5-9 | 175 | WINTRHOP, MASS. / COLBY SAWYER / WINTHROP
BEFORE SUFFOLK – COLBY SAYWER (2023)
Started his colligate career at Colby Sawyer in 2023 ... Threw 1.0 inning out of the bullpen ... Had two strikeouts ... Compiled 0.00 ERA.
BEFORE SUFFOLK – WINTHROP
Letterwinner at Winthrop and captained the team ... All-Conference ... Also lettered in football.
MAX MARTIN | JR. | C | R/R | 6-0 | 180 | WALPOLE, MASS. / STONEHILL / WALPOLE
BEFORE SUFFOLK – STONEHILL (2022-23)
Started his colligate career at Stonehill ... Appeared in 32 games ... Made 51 played appearances ... Had six hits, including one double ... Brought in four runs ... Compiled a.951 fielding percentage with 83 putouts and 14 assists on 102 total chances ... Caught five runners stealing from behind the dish.
BEFORE SUFFOLK – WALPOLE
Letterwinner at Walpole and captained the team as a senior ... Super 8 Participant as a sophomore ... First-Team All-Bay State as a senior ... Also lettered in basketball ... Honor Roll student.
IAN MAUDE | FR. | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 170 | MARLBEHEAD, MASS. / MARBLEHEAD
BEFORE SUFFOLK – MARBLEHEAD
Letterwinner at Marblehead and captained the team as a senior ... Led Marblehead to back-to-back conference championships in 2021 and 2022 ... NEC All-Conference as a senior ... NEC All-Star as a junior ... Two-time Salem News All-Star ... Four-year Honor Roll student.
JOHN MCDEVITT | FR. | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 175 | AUBURN, N.H. / THE DERRYFIELD SCHOOL
BEFORE SUFFOLK – THE DERRYFIELD SCHOOL
Letterwinner at The Derryfield School and captained the team as a senior ... Two-time First-Team All-State ... Also lettered in basketball and captained the team for two seasons ... Named to All-Defensive Team.
JACK MIHALCHIK | FR. | OF | R/R | 5-7 | 170 | WILKES-BARRE, PA. / WILKES-BARRE AREA
BEFORE SUFFOLK – WILKES-BARRE AREA
Letterwinner at Wilkes-Barre Area and captained the team.
STEPHEN NARDELLI | FR. | C | R/R | 5-10 | 175 / BROCKTON, MASS. / CARDINAL-SPELLMAN
BEFORE SUFFOLK – CARDINAL-SPELLMAN
Letterwinner at Cardinal-Spellman and captained the team for three seasons ... Two-year Enterprise Prospect to Watch ... Also lettered in hockey and served as captain for two years ... MIAA State All-Academic Hockey Team in 2023 ... Played football as a freshman and sophomore ... Member of National Honor Society ... Four-year Principle's List student.
JOE NORRIS | FR. | INF | R/R | 5-7 | 170 | PLYMOUTH, MASS. / BRIDGTON ACADEMY
BEFORE SUFFOLK – BRIDGTON ACADEMY – PLYMOUTH NORTH
Letterwinner at Bridgton in 2023 ... Four-year letterwinner at Plymouth North and captained the team ... Led Plymouth North to fourth conference championships ... All-Scholastic … Patriot League All-Star.
ERIC PARADIS | FR. | OF | R/R | 5-8 | 160 | WOBURN, MASS. / WOBURN
BEFORE SUFFOLK – WOBURN
Letterwinner at Woburn ... Also lettered in ice hockey ... Member of National Honor Society ... President of Business National Honor Society ... Belonged to DECA.
JACK RAIMO | FR. | RHP | R/R | 5-8 | 160 | READING, MASS. / READING
BEFORE SUFFOLK – READING
Letterwinner at Reading ... Helped Reading to the 2023 Middlesex League Championship ... Middlesex League All-Star in 2023.
ALEX SORENTI-BURNS | GR. | UTIL | R/R | 5-10 | 200 | SAGAMORE BEACH, MASS. / WORCESTER STATE / BOURNE
BEFORE SUFFOLK – WORCESTER STATE (2021-23)
Three-year letterwinner at Worcester State ... All-MASCAC Second-Team in 2023 ... Compiled a .302/.419/.448 slash line over 69 games, 212 plate appearances ... Had 64 hits including 14 doubles, one triple and five homers ... Brought in 43 runs ... Walked 28 times ... Stole 11 bases ... Put together a .968 fielding percentage with 165 putouts and 17 assists in 188 total chances ... Dean's List.
BEFORE SUFFOLK – ANNA MARIA (2020)
Began his collegiate career at Anna Maria in 2020.
BEFORE SUFFOLK – BOURNE
Four-year letterwinner ... All-conference honoree ... Also a three-year winner in track & field ... All-South Coast Conference in shot put ... Honor Roll student.
WILL TALBERT | FR. | RHP | R/R | 6-3 | 170 | CABOT, VT. / MONTPELIER
BEFORE SUFFOLK – MONTPELIER
Letterwinner at Montpelier and captained the team as a senior in 2023 ... Also lettered in basketball.