By Tom Goslowski
In the franchise’s third year of existence, the Syracuse Salt Cats joined the New York Collegiate Baseball League for the 2011 season. The Salt Cats achieved the franchise’s first NYCBL victory in just their second game of the season in a 3-2 over the Sherrill Silversmiths. After their five games of the summer, the Salt Cats sat atop the NYCBL East Division with a 4-1 record.
Unfortunately, three early injuries to the Salt Cat Pitching staff (Chris Barnett, Chris Hackett, Corey Folk) sent the Salt Cats into a tough losing streak midway through the season. The 2011 team finished with a franchise record 14 victories with seven of those coming against NYCBL playoff teams and three against the 2011 NYCBL Champion Oneonta Outlaws.
The 2012 Syracuse Salt Cats return six players from last year’s squad (Dan Fiorito, Eddie Charles, Mike Martinez Jr, Roberto Morales, Conor Thompson and Ethan Braddock), including two NYCBL All-Stars (Fiorito,Thompson). The strengths of the 2012 squad look to be the infield anchored by Thompson, Freedom Conference Player of the Year Fiortio along with newcomers Nick Carlson (University of Rochester) and Jake Cintolo (Suffolk). Dan Fiorito has been identified in the Baseball America College preview as one of the top 3 Division III 2012 Draft prospects and looks to have another big season for the Salt Cats.
The biggest question for the Salt Cats in the 2012 season is how the younger players will perform. If these young players can continue to improve throughout the summer, the Salt Cats could earn their first NYCBL postseason trip.
The New York Collegiate Baseball League, founded in 1978, is a summer wood bat development league for professional baseball. Major League Baseball funds a small portion of the league’s annual budget. The league gives college players who have not yet signed a professional contract the opportunity to develop their skills at a higher level of play, gain experience with wood bats and be evaluated by scouts. Current major leaguers Brad Lidge, Tim Hudson, Dallas Braden along with Hunter Pence have all spent time in the NYCBL.
The NYCBL. Sending players to the pros since 1978.
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