Devil Cats

DEVIL CATS – 2023 Season Outlook

Manager: Gene Kelly (4^th season)

Coaches: Thomas Neuman and Tyler Catalfamo

2022 Finish: 10-14; 4^th place

The Devil Cats look to build on last year’s playoff-qualifying season and to go deeper into the postseason in 2023. With a strong contingent of new additions joining a solid returning core, the team is poised to compete for the championship this year.

The team has a talented pitching staff and, with improved run support, should deliver an increased win total. With catcher Hudson Livesey (RPI) having departed to play in the Miami Marlins organization, a new contingent of backstops will share the catching load.

The team’s youth will be evident in 2023, and this will be a team strength. New players include Matthew Arnold (St. John Fisher), Quin Barton (Keene State), Caden Bernardo (Maine), Reis Brammer (Herkimer CC), Mason Brown (HVCC), Ethan Caizza (Skidmore), Jack Gialanella (Wesleyan), Luke Helmstadt (HVCC), Ben Huckans (St. John Fisher), Ben Lavery (St. John Fisher), Stephan Koval (RPI), Naz Lozada (Herkimer CC), Jeff Maddalone (WPI), Aidan McCue (Utica), Aidan McPhail (HVCC), Brendan Pajak (SUNY Brockport), Shaw Pedemonti (Skidmore), and Shane Wetherington (Pittsburgh-Bradford).

Returning pitchers Thomas Neuman (RPI), Roberto Barron (Penn State-Harrisburg), Christian O’Brien (St. John Fisher), Joe Rizzo (Russell Sage), Tyler Lambert (St. John Fisher), and Rob Goldstein (RPI) bring their prior ATL experience to a deep pitching staff.

The team has a number of multi-position players, so the starting lineup is expected to be dynamic, changing from night to night. Returning bats include Robert Fratangelo (Clarkson), who will see mound time in addition to his role as a catcher-outfielder; Liam Gregory (Gettysburg), coming off a solid rookie season in which he hit over .300; John Wells (St John Fisher, a versatile infielder who supplied many clutch at-bats in 2022, and Alek Zdziarski (Edgewood), who will rotate between the infield and outfield.

This Devil Cats team will compete hard and will make a strong run at its first league championship this season.