BOSTON – Over the off-season head coach Anthony Del Prete went to work to bring in 12 new faces to the Suffolk baseball roster card for the 2022 season. The group is divided evenly in half between true collegiate freshmen and transfers.
"Overall I'm excited about this group," Del Prete said. "They've shown the ability to come in and contribute right away."
Billy Beneke, Christo Danos, Cole Hilliard, Max Iorio, Shreyas Parikh and Pierce Salbego are all in store for their first-year on the college scene. Jonny Gilbride, Dylan January, Harry Painter, Nick Reiser, Garret Roberts and Joe Ward, meanwhile, look for a fresh start in blue-and-gold after starting their careers with COVID condensed seasons at the NCAA Division I and Division II levels, respectively. Gilbride, Painter and Roberts come to Boston from UMass Lowell, while January and Reiser made their way to title town from Franklin Pierce. Ward had roots at George Washington before becoming a Mutt.
"When it comes to first-year players, Max (Iorio) and Cole (Hillard) are both strong with the bat," Del Prete commented. "Pierce (Salbego), Shreyas (Parikh) and Billy (Beneke) will all look to help us improve on the hill."
Del Prete continued, "We'll count on both Jonny (Gilbride) and Joe (Ward) to help add depth to our lineup, while two-way players Harry (Painter) and Garret (Roberts) should contribute both at the plate and on the mound. Nick (Reiser) will jump into our starting rotation on the mound, while Dylan (January) will give us a strong presence behind the plate at catcher."
The dozen rookies will compliment a wealth of experience back in Del Prete's lineup that looks to help Suffolk claim its first Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) crown, but head back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018.
Ram Nation will get its first chance to check out Suffolk's baseball team in its season debut, a twinbill against Lasell Saturday, March 5 at East Boston Memorial Park. Game one has a 12 p.m. first pitch.
BILLY BENEKE | FR | RHP | R/R | 6-4 | 190 | READING, MASS. / READING
BEFORE SUFFOLK – READING
Letterwinner at Reading ... Led Reading to the 2021 Middlesex League Tournament Championship ... Also lettered in basketball and track & field.
CHRISTO DANOS | FR | INF | L/R | 5-7 | 145 | HAMPTON FALLS, N.H. / WINNACUNNET / WINCHENDON
BEFORE SUFFOLK – WINNACUNNET
Letterwinner at Winnacunnet ... Also lettered in soccer.
JONNY GILBRIDE | SO | INF | R/R | 5-9 | 160 | BEVERLY, MASS. / UMASS LOWELL / AUSTIN PREP
BEFORE SUFFOLK – UMASS LOWELL (2020-21)
Began his collegiate career at UMass Lowell ... Played for the Riverhawks for two seasons ... Started 35 of 44 total appearances ... Drove in 11 RBI with a .117 career batting average ... Scored 14 runs and drew 13 walks ... Compiled a .963 fielding percentage.
BEFORE SUFFOLK – AUSTIN PREP
Letterwinner at Austin Prep and captained the team as a senior ... Aided Austin Prep to the Division 3 State Championship as a junior in 2018 ... Helped Austin Prep to a runner-up D3 State Championship finish ... Two-time CCL All-Star ... Led Austin Prep in extra base hits as a senior ... Honor Roll student as a junior.
COLE HILLIARD | FR | INF | R/R | 6-2 | 175 | POWAY, CALIF. / POWAY
BEFORE SUFFOLK – POWAY
Letterwinner and two-year captain at Poway ... Led Poway to a conference championship as a junior ... Second-team all-conference selection as a senior ... President of the Best Buddies Club.
MAX IORIO | FR | LHP/OF | L/L | 6-1 | 195 | HULL, MASS. / HULL
BEFORE SUFFOLK – HULL
Letterwinner and two-year captain at Hulll ... Two-time all-star ... Two-time all-scholastic ... Also lettered in soccer and captain the team for two seasons ... Two-time all-star selection ... Earned letterwinner status in basketball ... Captained the team for one season.
DYLAN JANUARY | FR | C | R/R | 5-11 | 175 | SWAMSCOTT, MASS. / FRANKLIN PIERCE / SWAMPSCOTT
BEFORE SUFFOLK – FRANKLIN PIERCE (2021)
Began his collegiate career at Franklin Pierce.
BEFORE SUFFOLK – SWAMPSCOTT
Four-year letterwinner and two-year captain at Swampscott ... Also a four-year starter and two-time team captain in football ... Let Swampscott to the 2019 state championship.
HARRY PAINTER | FR | RHP | R/R | 6-3 | 210 | ESSEX, MASS. / UMASS LOWELL / MANCHESTER ESSEX
BEFORE SUFFOLK – UMASS LOWELL (2021)
Began his collegiate career at UMass Lowell, however, the season was shortened due to COVID-19 ... Scattered 2.1 innings over two appearances ... Allowed zero hits and runs in his collegiate debut versus Canisus (Feb. 16).
BEFORE SUFFOLK – MANCHESTER ESSEX
Letterwinner and two-year a captain at Manchester Essex ... Led Manchester Essex to a Division 4 State Championship as a senior ... Boston Globe Player of the Year ... Cape Ann League Player of the Year ... Boston Globe All-Scholastic Team as a senior ... Barreled .545 as a senior with eight homers and 32 RBI as a senior ... Also lettered in basketball ... Volunteered for the Local Little League ... DECA participant.
SHREYAS PARIKH | FR | RHP | R/R | 6-2 | 190 | CAMBRIDGE, VT. / MOUNT MANSFIELD UNION
BEFORE SUFFOLK – MOUNT MANSFIELD UNION
Letterwinner at Mount Mansfield Union and captained the team as a senior ... Led Mount Mansfield Union to a runner-up finish in the 2019 state championship ... 2021 First-Team All-Metro ... Also lettered in basketball.
NICK REISER | FR | RHP | R/R | 5-9 | 185 | NAHANT, MASS. / FRANKLIN PIERCE / SWAMPSCOTT
BEFORE SUFFOLK – FRANKLIN PIERCE (2021)
Began his collegiate career at Franklin Pierce.
BEFORE SUFFOLK – SWAMPSCOTT
Four-year letterwinner at Swampscott and captained the team as a senior ... Also a three-year letterwinner in football and captained the team his senior season ... Led Swampscott to the 2019 State Championship ... Salem News Honorable Mention honoree ... Played baseball at the club level with East Cobb New England Expos.
GARRET ROBERTS | SO | P/INF | L/R | 5-10 | 180 | STRATHAM, N.H. / UMASS LOWELL / EXETER
BEFORE SUFFOLK – UMASS LOWELL (2021)
Began his collegiate career at UMass Lowell, however the season was shortened due to COVID-19 ... Pitched in three contests and tossed 2.2 innings ... Sat down two batters ... Hit .231 in nine games, starting three ... Recorded three hits and one RBI for a slugging percentage of .231 and .231 on-base percentage ... Made five putouts for a 1.000 fielding percentage ... America East/Winter Spring Honor Roll honoree.
BEFORE SUFFOLK – EXETER
Letterwinner at Exeter and captained the team as a senior ... Led Exeter to state championships as a sophomore and junior ... Two-time Perfect Game All-American honoree ... Two-time All-State selection ... New Hampshire Scholars Member ... National Honor Society Member.
PIERCE SALBEGO | FR | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 185 | PLAINFIELD, ILL. / BENET ACADEMY
BEFORE SUFFOLK – BENET ACADEMY
Letterwinner at Benet Academy ... Member of National Honor Society.
JOE WARD | SO | OF | L/L | 5-10 | 195 | SAUGUS, MASS. / GEORGE WASHINGTON / MALDEN CATHOLIC
BEFORE SUFFOLK – GEORGE WASHINGTON (2020)
Began his collegiate career at George Washington ... Appeared in four games, starting one ... Went 1-for-5 with one walk at the plate ... Recognized on the Fall 2019 GW Athletics Academics Dean's List.
BEFORE SUFFOLK – MALDEN CATHOLIC
Three-year letterwinner and two-year captain at Malden Catholic ... Three-time MIAA Catholic Conference ALl-Star ... Boston Herald All-Scholastic as a senior ... Hit .412 as a senior with five homers and 22 RBI ... Hit for the cycle in an outing during his senior season ... Also lettered in football ... Member of National Honor Society ... Also played for the East Cobb New England Expos.