Baseball: These Section 1 underclassmen have made an impact in Class A, B and C in 2024

The jump to the varsity level is hard, but these young underclassmen have stepped up to the occasion and served as big contributors to their teams in 2024.

Sometimes, the older stars get the attention, but the spotlight is on these middle school-aged to sophomore baseball players who are doing more than just holding their own for their teams and playing big parts to their respective programs.

This is a look at some of the eighth-to-10th-grade underclassmen who have made their mark this spring in Class A, B and C.

Class A

Max Amador, So., UTIL, Briarcliff: A versatile player who has bounced around through a variety of positions based on team need, Amador is batting .370, with four doubles, a triple, eight RBIs, 20 runs scored and eight stolen bases. He also has an on-base percentage of .469 and has helped out on the mound. Amador has a 2.33 ERA, with one win, a save and seven strikeouts across six innings.

Carter Bucci, So., P, Ardsley: After making his varsity debut last season as the Panthers' top pitcher, and posting a 2.30 ERA, Bucci remains a key player for Ardsley. He battled through offseason surgery and has been finding his groove back on the mound as the season goes on, working with a pitch count that has been gradually lifting through the year. Bucci has made five appearances, striking out 20 batters and holding opponents to a .204 batting average across 13.2 innings.

Connor Buckley, So., P, Pearl River: After seeing a good amount of game action as a freshman last season, Buckley continues to be a reliable arm for the Pirates as a sophomore. This season, he has two wins on the mound, a 2.85 ERA, and 27 strikeouts across 27 innings pitched.

Thomas Campanella, So., 1B/P, Tappan Zee: He is batting .346, with 10 runs scored and a .512 on-base percentage. Campanella is also one of the Dutchmen's go-to arms, with a 3-0 record and 24 strikeouts in seven appearances and 20 innings of action.

Haris Cucaj, So., C, Tappan Zee: The sophomore catcher is batting .304, with three doubles, a home run, and nine RBIs.

Ramzi Done, So., P, Lakeland: After emerging as a promising young arm for the Hornets last season, Done continues to be a reliable pitcher for the Hornets as a sophomore. He has a 3.04 ERA this year, with 21 strikeouts across 23 innings. Outside of a tough two innings on the mound against John Jay, Done has a 2.00 ERA in 21 innings this year.

Xander D'Onofrio, Fr., C, Briarcliff: He brings power in the middle of the Bears' lineup and has stepped in as Briarcliff's starting catcher since day one. He's batting .286, with three home runs, 13 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .407. He has also been solid defensively behind the plate.

Jake Hentze, So., P, Hen Hud: Hentze has emerged as a valued arm in the Sailors' pitching rotation. He has made five starts in a total of six appearances, with a 2.78 ERA and has shown a lot of potential.

Kaleb Hetzel, So., P/1B, Tappan Zee: An all-around contributor with his bat and arm, Hetzel is 5-0 on the mound, with a 1.59 ERA and 34 strikeouts across 26.1 innings. He is also batting .508, the second-highest average on the team, with 10 doubles, two triples, one home run, 17 runs and a team-best 32 RBIs.

Nolan Hutson, So., SS, Rye: He entered the final week of the regular season with a .367 batting average and .470 on-base percentage. Between his hitting, savvy baserunning and fielding, Hutson has provided a big boost for the Garnets this season. The leadoff threat scored 23 runs and tallied 24 stolen bases. Defensively, he's only committed three errors at shortstop and has started every game.

Jacob Malfant, So., SS, Panas: He got a taste of varsity life last season as a reserve, but this year he's thriving in a much bigger role. Malfant is batting .405, with 14 runs scored and a team-high 10 stolen bases. He has also provided a solid glove and stepped up to help fill a void left behind by the graduation of standout Sam Stafura. Malfant has a .921 fielding percentage at a premium position.

Anthony Marsico, So., OF, Tappan Zee: After a breakout freshman season, Marsico continues to swing the bat well in his sophomore year. He is batting .309, with six doubles, a home run, and 22 RBIs, the second-most on the team. He also has 14 runs scored and five stolen bases.

Joe Piscitelli, So., OF, Nanuet: He's played six different positions throughout the year and his presence on a veteran-heavy team has helped solidify the Golden Knights' outfield defensively. Aside from his versatility, he has a .390 on-base percentage, six stolen bases, and is error-free this season.

Johnny Sbrega, So., OF, Hastings: He is batting .300, with a .417 slugging percentage. Sbrega is also 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts and has scored 20 runs. He recently delivered in the clutch in an extra-inning battle against Blind Brook, producing a walk-off hit to lift his team to victory in the regular-season finale.

Marcus Spataro, Fr., P/C, Sleepy Hollow: He's been a promising bright spot for the Horsemen this season, quickly making the jump as a starting catcher and pitcher for Sleepy Hollow. Spataro is 3-1 on the mound, with a 1.58 ERA, 23 strikeouts and only seven hits allowed across 18 innings. He also provides a big presence in the infield, despite his age, and he's batting .280 with eight RBIs.

Jacob Storch, So., SS/P, John Jay-Cross River: After making a solid first impression as a freshman last season, Storch continues to contribute. This year, he is batting .382, with nine doubles, a triple, nine RBIs and 22 runs scored from the leadoff spot. He has also drawn 10 walks, been hit-by-pitch four times and stolen 18 bases. He also helps out on the mound when needed.

Theo Suniewick, Fr., P, Hastings: He's made an impact from day one for the Yellow Jackets. He is batting .327, with 17 RBIs in his first varsity season. Suniewick has also thrown out six runners and has handled the Yellow Jackets' pitching staff from behind the plate, as they post a team ERA of 2.30.

Drew Wooster, Fr., P, Pearl River: He contributed right out of the gate for Pearl River, posting a 0.76 ERA, with 14 strikeouts across 18.1 innings on the mound this season. He also has one win and a save as a pitcher.

Class B

Declan Bruder, So., 2B, Pleasantville: A three-year varsity player, Bruder is enjoying a career-best year for the Panthers. He is batting .383, with a .500 on-base percentage, 26 RBIs and 24 runs scored while hitting third in the batting order for a majority of the season. He is a threat to change the dynamics of the game once he gets on base and has 15 stolen bases.

Lucas Carrozza, Fr., 3B, Pawling: Carozza is batting .366, with three home runs, a .472 on-base percentage and 1.081 OPS.

Jackson Crystal, So., CF, Bronxville: He stepped up big for the Broncos when they had to shift players around due to injuries. Crystal has held down center field, while batting .333, with 21 hits, five doubles, a triple, 12 runs, 14 RBIs, eight stolen bases and an .827 OPS.

Jake Donnelly, So., INF/P, Bronxville: A solid middle infielder and gutsy relief pitcher for the Broncos, Donnelly is batting .270, with 17 hits, two doubles, 10 runs, six RBIs, 10 walks, six stolen bases and a .696 OPS. He's been a go-to guy in relief as well, making 13 appearances on the mound, with a 3.04 ERA, two saves and 18 strikeouts across 25.1 innings of relief pitching.

Anthony Ficarrotta, So., 3B/1B/P, Dobbs Ferry: A standout on the basketball court for the Eagles, Ficarrotta has also proven to also be a valued contributor on the diamond. Ficarrotta is batting .377, with nine extra-base hits and 18 RBIs. He also has a 5-1 record on the mound, with 32 strikeouts and 13 walks allowed in 27 innings.

Max Fredman, So., OF/DH, Croton-Harmon: Fredman is enjoying a breakout year, quickly carving out a prominent role for the Tigers since and delivering in two-out or clutch situations. Fredman is batting .438, with a .571 on-base percentage, 1.030 OPS, and 13 RBIs. He has scored 17 runs, drawn 12 walks and has only struck out five times all year.

Connor Hayes, So., SS, Valhalla: A three-year varsity player, Hayes has been hitting well all season long and is batting .435 for the Vikings.

Anthony Lamberty, So., P, Pawling: He's risen up the ranks and established himself as the Tigers' go-to arm. Lamberty has a 4-3 record with a 3.40 ERA and is a grinder on the mound.

Logan Martucci, Fr., 2B, Pawling: A fixture at second base, Martucci is batting .349, with 12 RBIs and is another underclassmen contributor on a young Tigers team.

Afton Middlebrook, Fr., OF, Pawling: He is batting .466, with 27 hits, 16 runs scored, 14 RBIs and a .551 on-base percentage in 18 games. Middlebrook has only struck out twice this year.

Aaron Pierre, So., OF/DH, Putnam Valley: He turned a corner in the second half of the season and helped the Tigers make a push to win the league title. Pierre is batting .400 over the last nine games heading into the postseason after a slow start to the year. Overall, he is batting .288 this season, with three doubles, a triple, 11 RBIs, 11 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.

Davey Ryan, So., P/3B, Rye Neck: He's played a big part in the Panthers' success with his all-around play. Ryan has a 4-1 record on the mound, with two saves, a 2.01 ERA, and 37 strikeouts over 31.1 innings. Offensively, he's batting .383, with eight extra-base hits, 14 runs, eight RBIs, 13 stolen bases, 10 walks, a .465 on-base percentage and .981 OPS.

Derek Sullivan, So., SS/3B, Albertus Magnus: Last year, he helped the Falcons reach their first-ever state final four as a starting freshman, and he continues to contribute this season. Sullivan entered the final week of the regular season batting .356, with a .522 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage. Sullivan scored 14 runs, and has the third-most hits on his team (19) and second-most walks (14).

Reed Supranowitz, Fr., OF/P, Pleasantville: He has made a good first impression in his first varsity season for the Panthers and has provided a positive impact in a variety of ways. Supranowitz is batting .286 in the No. 2 hole, with a .514 on-base percentage. He has two home runs, 11 RBIs and 18 runs scored, and he's provided pitching when needed this season.

Jack Van Sise, So., C/1B, Pleasantville: In his second season on varsity, Van Sise has developed into an offensive threat, in addition to his work behind the plate. He's batting .339, with seven doubles, two home runs and 22 RBIs from the clean-up spot. Defensively, he has thrown out 33 percent of runners.

Tyler Wein, Fr., 1B/C/DH, Albertus Magnus: Wein has made an impressive first impression for the Falcons, immediately becoming an instrumental piece to their success. Wein entered the final week of the regular season leading the team in batting average (.509), hits (27), RBIs (23), doubles (7), home runs (2), on-base percentage (.581) and slugging percentage (.754).

Class C

Justin Acevedo, So., C/SS/3B/P, Hamilton: A sparkplug on the mound and in the batter's box for the Red Raiders, Acevedo is batting .596, with 21 RBIs and 17 runs scored. On the mound, he's tallied 55 strikeouts over 35 innings.

Connor Brice, So., INF/P, Tuckahoe: After playing a part in the Tigers' run to the state finals last season as a freshman, Brice continues to be one of the Tigers' key contributors as a sophomore. This year, he is batting .412, with 21 hits and 13 RBIs, and also helps out on the mound when needed.

Luca DelConte, Fr., 1B/P, Tuckahoe: After the graduation of a talented senior group, DelConte is one of several newcomers making their mark this year. He is batting .325, with 15 RBIs and also helps out on the mound when needed.

Brandon Dittelman, Fr., 1B/P, Leffell School: Schreiber is batting .300 at the top of the order and he also pitches for the Lions.

Brady Schreiber, Fr., P/OF/1B, Leffell School: He's helped the Lions with his arm and his bat. Schreiber is batting .438 this season, and he also has a 1.90 ERA on the mound.

Follow Eugene Rapay on Twitter at @erapay5 and on Instagram at @byeugenerapay.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Baseball: These Section 1 underclassmen have made an impact in Class A, B and C in 2024