2024 Queens College Baseball Season Preview

FLUSHING, N.Y. – Opening Day has arrived for the Queens College baseball team as the Knights open the 2024 season in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for the third straight year. 

The 2023 season saw the Knights record a program record of 34 wins to go with capturing the program’s first East Coast Conference title in 25 years, and first NCAA D2 Tournament victory, while a program record seven Knights earned ECC All-Conference honors and three Knights earned All-Regions honors.

The Knights are led by 11th year head coach Chris Reardon ’98 and he is assisted by John Smith, Alex Nikolic, Paul Sasso, Carlos Pena, Julien Arcos, and Tom Daly. 

Roster Outlook

The 2024 roster consists of 32 student-athletes comprising of five seniors, 14 juniors, five sophomores, and seven freshmen hailing from Arizona, California, New York, and New Jersey, and the squad's first international student from Canada. 

Catchers

Four catchers will see time behind the backstop with senior Nick Barreiros (Seaford, N.Y.) and junior Mike Freda (Dix Hills, N.Y.) as part of the returning crew. 

Joining the duo will be junior Thomas Napolitano Jr. (Scottsdale, AZ.) a transfer from D2 California State University – Los Angeles, and rookie Bobby Gitto (Massapequa, N.Y.) a graduate of Massapequa High School. 

It was a career year in 2023 for Barreiros as he batted .232 with 22 hits, three doubles, three home runs with 13 RBI including a pivotal 3-5 AB with one double, one home run, three RBI, and two runs scored as Queens went onto force the Game 7 in the ECC Championship. 

As the season went on last year, Freda would see more playing time including earning a start in game one of the ECC Tournament against STAC, and the Dix Hills native would make the most of his opportunity as he posted 1-3 AB with a RBI and two runs scored.

The Arizona native Napolitano Jr. brings experience having played collegiate ball for three years. While in high school he led the state in home runs, and was ranked as a Top 10 catcher in Arizona by PBR, and was voted as a Top 50 player as well. 

Hailing from Massapequa High School, Gitto brings a championship background having helped Massapequa win the Nassau County Championship for the past two years and the Long Island Baseball Championship crown during his junior year. The Massapequa Park native has earned All-Conference honors as well and will be looking to earn valuable time and learn from the experienced core in front of him. 

Infielders

Leading the infield will be three returners who helped the Knights to a record-breaking season in 2023 in junior first baseman Matt Filip (Maspeth, N.Y.), junior second baseman Marc Cisco (Long Island City, N.Y.), and redshirt junior shortstop Francis Segarra (Bronxville, N.Y.) who complied a total of 143 hits, 120 runs scored, 81 runs batted in, and 87 walks. The duo of Filip and Cisco would earn ECC All-Conference honors for the second straight year.

Segarra would lead the Knights with a team-high .387 batting average, but a mid-season injury would derail a potential recording break year for the shortstop. Entering 2024 Segarra is back to full health and the Knights will look to the Bronxville native to pick up where he left off.

Filip and Cisco have put together star-studded careers heading into their third year in Flushing with both Monsignor McClancy graduates having their names filled throughout the program’s record book and this year expectations remain as high as ever. 

In 2023 Cisco would set two new single-season records as he earned a program-record 45 walks and 60 runs scored.

Cisco would go on to earn First Team Regional honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), Division II Conference Commissioners Association (CCA), and American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) for the second straight year. 

They will be joined by transfer students in senior Jaden Rivera (Queens Village, N.Y.) a transfer from D2 Felician University, junior Robert Jacobsen (Temecula, CA) a transfer from Mt. San Jacinto College (CA), junior Elquin Rodriguez (Washington Heights, N.Y.), a transfer from SUNY Sullivan and Napolitano Jr. who will see time at first base as well.

Two rookies Adam Gonzalez (Commack, N.Y.) a graduate of Commack High School, and Anthony Ippoliti (Seaford, N.Y.) a graduate of Seaford High School make up the rookie infield squad. 

Rivera joins the Knights for his final year after arriving from East Region foe Felician University who won the CACC Tournament and made the NCAA Baseball East Regional Tournament in 2023. 

Jacobsen who will see time in the hot corner comes to Flushing after helping MSJC make their first postseason appearance since 2016 and earned the Conference Gold Glove award (Infield). In two seasons with the Eagles, the Temecula native held a .282 batting average knocking in 67 hits, 18 doubles, four triples, one home run with 44 RBI, and 60 runs scored with 31 walks. 

E. Rodriguez comes to Queens after a successful 2023 year with SUNY Sullivan County which saw the Generals win the NJCAA DII Region XV Baseball Championship where he held a .273 batting average with 36 hits, five doubles, one triple, 19 RBI, 25 runs scored with 18 walks and five stolen bases. 

Rookies Gonzalez and Ippoliti will provide depth in the infield as Gonzalez enters Flushing with two-year varsity experience having helped Commack High School win the Long Island Championship crown and earned All-League honors. While Ippoliti a three-year varsity player at Seaford High School earned All-County honors. 

Outfield

The outfield will be led by sophomore Jorsixt Jimenez (Flushing, N.Y.) who will be looking to pick up where he left off in 2023 as he helped the Knights win their first ECC crown in 25 years and became the second Knight in back-to-back years to win ECC Rookie of the Year, First Team All-Conference honors. Following his conference accolades, Jimenez would go on to be named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), Division II Conference Commissioners Association (CCA), and American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) First-Team All-Region squads.

In 53 games Jimenez batted .371 with 72 hits, 17 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 44 runs scored, 25 walks, and a program-record 56 RBI. He would break the record for most RBI in a single game with eight against SCSU on April 2 and recorded 22 multi-hit games and 14 multi-RBI games. 

Sophomore Joey Patane (Commack, N.Y.) joins Jimenez as the second returner from the 2023 team. In his first year, the Commack native batted .351 with 13 hits, five doubles, six runs scored, five RBI, and earned four walks. 

In the ECC Baseball Tournament, Patane went 3-4 AB with a double and two runs scored in the Elimination game vs. Mercy before recording 2-2 AB with a double and run scored in the ECC Championship game against Molloy.

The duo will be joined by graduate student Phillip Krpata (Farmingdale, N.Y.) a transfer from St. Joseph’s College (LI.), junior Leo Alvarez (Oceanside, N.Y.) a transfer from Queensborough Community College, and two freshmen in Frank Romano (West Islip, N.Y.) a graduate of West Islip High School and Michael Vilardi (Massapequa, N.Y.) a graduate of Massapequa High School.

Krpata joins the Knights after a successful three years with the Eagles of St. Joseph’s College as he earned Skyline Conference Tournament MVP helping the Eagles win the conference tournament for the second straight year in 2023. The Farmingdale native would earn First Team All-Conference honors before going on to earn ACBA Third Team All-Region and D3 All-ECAC Team honors. 

In three years with the Eagles, Krpata batted .367 recording 94 hits, 14 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 87 runs scored, 61 RBI, 41 walks, and 69 stolen bases. 

Alvarez joins the Knights from CUNY QCC where he earned CUNYAC Player of the Year and Region XV First Team honors. With the Tigers Alvarez would bat a scorching .482 with 40 hits, 14 doubles, one triple, five home runs 28 RBI, 26 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. 

As a three-year varsity player, Romano comes to Flushing after graduating from West Islip High School as he earned All-County, All-League, Second-Team All-Long Island and was named League MVP.

After a successful three-year varsity year with Massapequa High School Vilardi brings a long resume having earned All-Conference honors and being a three-time Nassau County Champion and one-time Long Island Baseball Champion. Vilardi batted .477 with 33 RBI, and 17 extra base hits to go with eight home runs. 

On the Mound

It will be a pitching staff that has been built around a mixture of veterans and newcomers that will give the Reardon and the coaching staff depth as the Knights look to continue to build on the success of 2023 as they look to reach new heights. 

Leading the way will be returners in seniors Jordan Sanabria (Woodside, N.Y.), Danny Gargano (Middle Island, N.Y.), Joshuel Rodriguez (Bay Shore, N.Y.), juniors Nick Kozerski (Hicksville, N.Y.), Evan Christopher (North Babylon, N.Y.), sophomores Christopher Naronis (Floral Park, N.Y.) and Ben Nosovitch (Carle Place, N.Y.). 

Newcomers in transfers junior Caleb Cassie (Vancouver, B.C.) from Howard College, junior Nate Rodriguez (Hamilton, N.J.) from Mercy University, Robert Nunez (Manhattan, N.Y.) from St. Peters University, sophomore John Keane (Wading River, N.Y) from Suffolk Community College and freshman Vinay Patel (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) from Belmont Abbey College make up the transfer arms. 

While Peter Nenadich III (Bayside, N.Y.) a graduate of St. Francis Prep, Michael Piccininni (West Nyack, N.Y.) a graduate of Clarkstown South High School, and Vilardi make up the rookie trio that will see innings throughout the year. 

Sanabria will look to build on his All-Conference year where he led the Knights in wins (6), to go with one complete game shutout victory as he complied 64 strikeouts in 73.0 innings of work. Sanabria would start the ECC Championship game on short rest before giving away to Naronis to complete the job. 

After a record-breaking year for the Middle Island native in 2023 where he would earn Second-Team All-Conference honors, Gargano would set the single-season record for saves recording nine to go with two wins as he pitched 31.0 innings giving up 32 hits and earned 34 punched out. 

It was a stellar first year for Naronis as he recorded five wins, the most by a rookie in a single season while pitching in 58.0 innings allowing 63 hits to go with 42 strikeouts. 

Naronis would shrug off a nervy outing in the ECC Championship game as he was called on short rest but would go onto pitch 5.2 innings allowing three hits and three earned runs to go with two strikeouts to earn the win as Queens walked it off in the ECC Championship game. 

Returners in J. Rodriguez, Kozerski, and Nosovitch provide experience out of the bullpen for the Knights while Christopher rejoins the Knights after missing the last year due to an injury. 

Cassie recorded two wins and two saves in 26.2 innings pitched allowing 49 hits, 30 earned runs with 31 strikeouts in his time with the Hawks of Howard College in 2023. The Canadian is joined by N. Rodriguez who spent two years at ECC member  Mercy University as he compiled 22 appearances earning two wins in 50.1 innings as he allowed 66 hits, 39 earned runs, and punched out 38 batters. 

Nunez, Patel, Keane, and Piccininni will log extended innings on the mound as the season and games pick up throughout the year. 

Rookie Nenadich arrives in Flushing after winning the CHSAA City Championship with St. Francis Prep, while Vilardi will have a chance to be a two-way player for the Knights after an impressive fall season. 

Myrtle Beach Trip

Queens opens the 2024 season in Myrtle Beach, SC in a four-game weekend series beginning on Friday (Feb. 23) afternoon against regionally-ranked #4 ranked Southern New Hampshire University Penmen, a Saturday (Feb. 24) afternoon doubleheader against regionally-ranked #T10 Post University Eagles. The trip concludes on Sunday (Feb. 25) afternoon against Chestnut Hill College Griffins.

Regionally Ranked #4 (NCBWA) Southern New Hampshire University Penmen Preview
Series Record: 0-8
Last Win: -
Last Loss: 2-10 (N, 2/24/23)

• The Penmen enter the weekend with an overall record of 0-3 as they opened the 2024 season competing in the Houston Winter Invitational.
• In 2023 SNHU won the East Regional for the third straight year and were one win away from the NCAA D2 Championship game.
• For the third straight year, the Knights open their Myrtle Beach trip against the Penmen, but it is the Penmen who lead the All-Time series to the record of 8-0.
• The offense is led by Jake Risedorf who is batting .500 with three hits, one double, one RBI and one run scored.
• On the mound, Frankie DeMaro has pitched 4.0 innings allowing four hits, one earned run with two strikeouts with an ERA of 2.25.
   

Regionally Ranked #T10 (NCBWA) Post University Eagles Preview
Series Record: 6-2
Last Win: 6-4 (N, 2/25/23)
Last Loss: 2-3 (N, 2/25/23)

• The Eagles enter the weekend with an overall record of 1-5 having played non-regionally school from Florida and South Carolina. 
• Last year the Eagles finished 2023 with an overall record of 36-17 and were one win away from winning the CACC and earning an NCAA Tournament bid. 
• The Knights are matching up against the Eagles for the third straight year in Myrtle Beach with Queens holding a 3-1 record. 
• The offense is led by DJ Caron batting .407 with 11 hits, two doubles, one home run, six RBI, and four runs scored. 
• On the mound, Matt Semon enters the week with an overall record of 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 10.0 innings pitched allowing eight hits, three earned runs, 11 strikeouts with five walks. 
   

Chestnut Hill College Griffins Preview
Series Record: 1-1
Last Win: 12-6 (N, 2/26/23)
Last Loss: 1-2 (N, 2/27/13)

• The Griffins open the 2024 season in Myrtle Beach and are coming off an 18-27 2023 year.
• It is the second straight meeting in Myrtle Beach against Chestnut Hill with the Knights earning their first victory over the Griffins last year to the final score of 12-6.
• Justin Geiger led the offense in 2023 batting .333 with 49 hits, five doubles, three home runs, 33 RBI, 37 runs scored, and 22 walks.
• On the mound, Marlon Rose led the way earning a team-high six wins pitching 52.2 innings in 23 appearances allowing 53 hits, 24 earned runs, 23 walks, and 43 strikeouts.
   

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Next Pitch: Queens returns home as they host the Knights Regional Invitational as they welcome Franklin Pierce University and Post University to Flushing from Friday (Mar. 1) to Sunday (Mar. 3). More information to follow next week. 

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