Holmdel H.S. 2024 Baseball Preview

HOLMDEL, NJ -- The Holmdel High School baseball team will open its season on Monday, April 1 at Raritan High School in Hazlet, the first of back-to-back games on Monday and Wednesday against the same opponent. The Hornets will host Raritan on April 3.

Holmdel is coming off a 10-13 season, and coach Chris Arecchi is hoping the Hornets can repeat and then sustain the level of success they had early in the 2023 campaign, when they started out 7-2.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE FREE TAPINTO.NET NEWSLETTER

Senior right-handed pitcher Joe Barbarino is a Division 1 Fairleigh Dickinson University-Teaneck commit who struck out 39 batters in 38 2/3 innings last season with a 3.44 ERA earned-run average. He will be the right-handed half of a top of the rotation that will also include senior lefty Luke Buda, who fanned 36 batters in 38 2/3 innings and posted a 3.62 ERA.

Junior outfielder Nick Rakoski batted .333 with eight doubles, 15 runs batted in, 22 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. Junior catcher Matt Iulo was one of the team's top hitters as a 10th-grader with a .413 batting average, eight doubles, 15 RBI, 18 runs scored and six stolen bases. Senior outfielder James Vallillo batted .319 with five extra-base hits, 12 RBI, 13 runs and six steals.

Senior Christian Ferranti and junior Tyler Reddy are both first basemen who return from last year's squad.

"With a good mix of returning talent and excited newcomers, we are hoping to build upon last season's early successes and finish in the top half of our division," said Arecchi, whose team competes in the Shore Conference's A Central Division.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE TAPINTO APP FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS. AVAILABLE IN THE APPLE STORE AND THE GOOGLE PLAY STORE .

Six players new to the varsity who were competing for playing time in the pre-season were Dylan Zammit (soph RHP), Logan Cardinoza (jr. Util), Jack Vallillo (soph INF/P), Cam Estok (jr. INF), Raum Desai (soph INF) and Harrison Eng (soph C/OF).

For more local news, visit TAPinto.net