By Joshua Kummins from New England Baseball Journal ...

“This is a time of year to be excited.”

That is how Northeastern head coach Mike Glavine describes the fall. The slate is clean for every team, and it is time to begin to put the pieces together for a new season.



The Billerica, Mass., native skipper is eager to see what next steps his program will take when the 2020 season arrives, following a four-game run in the Huskies’ seventh straight Colonial Athletic Association tournament appearance. His roster is filled with veterans looking to make an impact as well as a freshman class that is one of the strongest and deepest of his tenure.

“For me, you have a lot of different goals in the fall,” Glavine said. “Building your team chemistry is right at the top. It’s about building your identity for that season, it’s ingraining the culture into the new guys and making sure it’s being protected every day by the returning players.

“Then, on the field, you’re trying to create competition, see what kind of players you have, what things they worked on over the summer and how the new guys adjust to college baseball for the first time.”

A slew of freshmen are expected to contribute immediately, especially on the pitcher’s mound. Leading the way is the top prospect in last year’s New England draft class (and MLB.com’s No. 140 overall) in North Andover, Mass., native right-hander Sebastian Keane.



Along with Keane (the Red Sox’ 11th-round draft pick in June), Cam Schlittler (Walpole, Mass.) and former Winchendon postgraduate Jake Gigliotti (Auburn, Mass.) are two other locals with upside but definite pitchability as freshmen.

“Those guys are just talented,” Glavine said. “That’s certainly a great problem to have and a great thing to stand out. Obviously, Sebastian is so polished, but at the same time he’s so eager to learn, listen and just works hard. He’s such a team kid and a joy to coach every day because he always has a smile on his face.

“Cam is the same way, and he’s already up to 200 pounds. He’s a 6-(foot-)4, 6-5 righty who has gotten so much stronger and has so much potential, but he can pitch for us right now. He’s got a low-90s fastball and a really good slider, and he’s developing strength.”

Those rookies had an early chance to ply their craft in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League over the summer, including Keane and Gigliotti with the North Shore Navigators. Several of their new, returning teammates did the same.

Senior infielder Ian Fair (Walpole, Mass.) posted a team-leading .348 average with nine RBI in 26 games for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, the same Cape Cod Baseball League team for which redshirt senior Kyle Murphy (Billerica, Mass.) struck out 25 batters in 24 1/3 innings. Junior Brandon Dufault (Windham, N.H.) spent his summer a few exits east with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, averaging just under a strikeout per frame.

Senior Scott Holzwasser (Sudbury, Mass.) was an All-NECBL second baseman for the Newport Gulls, ranking eighth in the circuit with a .346 average. His teammate was Milton, Mass., native Sam Jacobsak, a rising junior who allowed just four earned runs and fanned 30 in 21 2/3 innings.

Also in the Futures League was now-sophomore outfielder Jared Dupere, an Amesbury, Mass., native with breakout potential after logging 21 extra-base hits for the Nashua Silver Knights.

“During the summer, we want our guys to go and perform well, but we also want them to develop,” Glavine said. “It’s a lot of fun, really, for me because you have those exit interviews and talk about what you want them to work on and you hope they’re able to do that as they go out and play against top guys from all over the country. When they have success, it puts them in a better place mentally as well as physically, so we’re hoping all that pays off this year.”

NORTHEASTERN AT A GLANCE
> 2019 result: 28-29 (12-12 Colonial, tied for third place, 2-2 in conference tournament)

> Coach: Mike Glavine (Billerica, Mass., sixth season, 149-132)

> Key returners: Ian Fair (Walpole, Mass.), r-jr., IF; Scott Holzwasser (Sudbury, Mass.), sr., IF; Kyle Murphy (Billerica, Mass.), sr., RHP; Corey DiLoreto (Reading, Mass.), r-soph., IF; Jeff Costello (Lexington, Mass.), jr., OF; Jake Rosen (Northborough, Mass.), sr., IF; Spenser Smith (Wellesley, Mass.), soph., IF; Jared Dupere (Amesbury, Mass.), soph., OF; Sam Jacobsak (Milton, Mass.), jr., RHP; Brandon Dufault (Windham, N.H.), jr., RHP; David Stiehl (Manchester, Conn.), sr., RHP

> Looking ahead: Glavine is excited to watch one of his most talented freshman classes continue to grow. There are several “pitchable” options within the group right away, and strides already have been made across the board.

A reigning Super 8 state champion, the 6-foot-3 Keane is a known commodity, but he isn’t the only newcomer who should see immediate time. Schlittler, Gigliotti and Floridian Thomas Balboni all should have the opportunity to pitch right out of the gate.

“We feel like the staff is going 12-14 guys deep, so there’s going to be a lot of competition,” Glavine said. “I think we have a good combination of veterans but we’re definitely going to have an impact from this class.”

In addition, left-handers Matt Downing (Cheshire, Conn.) and James Quinlivan (Medway, Mass.) will sit out this season as they recover from Tommy John surgery.

Catholic Memorial’s JP Olson (Stoughton, Mass.) is a local name to watch among the first-year position players. “This kid has a lot of tools,” Glavine said. “He’s a 6.6-6.7 runner, he’s got a plus arm, he can catch and play the outfield. He’s raw, but he works his butt off.”

On the infield, New Jersey native Zack Bailey has shown some power and another Floridian, Matt Lord, is a speedy, plus-plus defender. Milton Academy’s Ryan Cervone (Lexington, Mass.) is a lefty-hitting outfielder who also could see playing time.

> Strengths: Despite graduating first baseman Jake Farrell (Westwood, Mass.) to the New York Yankees organization, the Huskies could return seven starters from last year’s No. 3 offense in the CAA. The team’s prospects at the plate and defensively are exciting, with the biggest potential change being redshirt sophomore Corey DiLoreto (Reading, Mass.) moving from the outfield to first base.

Glavine said DiLoreto has returned to campus “stronger and faster” and also cited gains made across the infield with Fair, Holzwasser, senior Jake Rosen (Northboro, Mass.) and sophomore Spenser Smith (Wellesley, Mass.) all back as well. The latter is poised to continue in an everyday role at shortstop after adding 10-15 pounds during the offseason.

“(Scott is) a menace on the bases, and offensively, he’s made some adjustments on his swing,” the coach said of Holzwasser. “We lose Jake, but we return a lot, so we’re hoping our lineup can be productive from one through nine, no easy outs.”

Just two other New England teams stole 100 bases a year ago, and Northeastern could make a run for that number again as Holzwasser and junior outfielder Jeff Costello (Lexington, Mass.) lead the way.

On the pitching side, the Huskies will build around Murphy after Sean Mellen (Norwood, Mass.), Andrew Misiaszek and Tyler Brown (Hudson, N.H.) were among the team’s graduates.

> Needs improvement: There could be some growing pains behind the plate as the Huskies look to replace the catching tandem of John Mazza (Lexington, Mass.) and Michael Geaslen (Andover, Mass.). Redshirt junior Teddy Beaudet (Franklin, N.H.) is the most experienced option, despite starting just four games last year.

With Misiaszek graduating and Murphy leading the rotation on a permanent basis, Glavine’s club will have to sort out the look of the bullpen. The puzzle won’t be completely put together for some time, but some rookies and others looking for increased roles could play a role at the back end as well as starting midweek games.

While the likes of seniors David Stiehl (Manchester, Conn.) and Brian Rodriguez and redshirt junior Josh Winkler back on the mound, the Huskies will look to, among others, senior Rick Burroni and juniors Owen Batchelder (Amherst, N.H.) and Henry Ennen (Dorchester, Mass.) to make strides.

> Breakout candidates: Dupere hit four home runs in 22 starts last year as a freshman out of Governor’s Academy. In addition to the defensively-sound Beaudet finding his way behind the dish following a summer stint with the NECBL’s Winnipesaukee Muskrats, Glavine expects Dupere to make a big jump after working in center field this fall.

“He’s someone who was in and out of the lineup last year, but his tools are undeniable. He’s got power he has speed and a really good arm, so I think he’s ready to be an everyday player and have a big impact.”

> Class of 2020 commitments: Michael Gemma (Milton, Mass.), RHP, Catholic Memorial; Braden Green (Stratham, N.H.), SS, Exeter High; Wyatt Scotti (Marstons Mills, Mass.), RHP, St. Mark’s School; Jack Thorbahn (Duxbury, Mass.), RHP, Thayer Academy.

> Class of 2021 commitments: Dennis Colleran (North Attleboro, Mass.), RHP, North Attleboro High; Phil Diblasi (Derry, N.H.), RHP, Boston College High; Jack Doyle (Weymouth, Mass.), SS, Weymouth High; Luke Masiuk (Trumbull, Conn.), OF, Trumbull High; Owen Zadrozny (Cumberland, R.I.), RHP, La Salle Academy.