By PATRICK WALSH
One year ago, Connor Gresens skipped his junior football season to focus on the upcoming baseball season. A decision that would pay off and lead him to the 2022 Class A1 Player of the Year award. This year, Gresens repeated that feat, being named to his second straight Class A1 Player of the Year award.
“The most important thing for me was to stay disciplined,” said Gresens. “These past two winters I’ve been going to the gym every day, I’ve done my throwing routine and I’ve hit in the cage with a coach. Even if the reps weren’t perfect, the fact that I kept coming back every day put me above the competition.”
“He really wanted to pursue baseball at the college level,” Irondequoit head coach Joe Kuhn said. ” He took his junior year off from football and I told him that arm strength and arm talent are the biggest separators in order to really be successful beyond the high school level, and instead of getting lost and playing video games, he put a ton of time in with baseball.”
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Gresens, a Wisconsin-Platteville commit, spent most of his time in the field as a catcher, threw out six base runners, back picking one and only allowed four passed balls in the 97.2 innings caught this year.
“I kind of took an unorthodox approach. I’m not a pitcher, but the last two winters I’ve been training like a pitcher and getting arm strength that way. I lived on the Driveline program, using Plyoballs and just lifting like a pitcher.”
Although Gresens wasn’t a main pitcher heading into the 2023 campaign, he turned into Coach Kuhn’s most utilized pitcher. The senior hurled 33.2 innings, allowing just three earned runs all year for a 0.62 ERA. He was also 3-for-3 in save opportunities. Despite being the team’s top catcher, Gresens was put into pressure situations, such as recording back-to-back saves against Canandaigua on April 17 and 19.
“As a guy who really didn’t pitch much until the end of last year and this year, I was kind of a guy who went up without an approach on the mound,” said Gresens. “I just needed to prove that I am better than the guy in the box and that definitely helps motivate you to get a couple more miles per hour.”
Kuhn noted how Gresens separates himself from the pack.
“I think what separates him is how good he is at every aspect of the game. He was, by far, the best defensive catcher we saw all year, he only allowed three earned runs all year while leading our team in innings pitched, he appeared in the most high-pressure situations, he batted .400 and is just a threat every time he steps in the box.”
At the plate, Gresens batted .397, with a .500 on-base percentage, racking up seven doubles, one long ball, nine steals, 18 runs driven in and scoring 23.
“I tend to overthink everything when I am in the box,” said Gresens. “I’m one of those guys that I’ll watch videos all day long and my coach and I had to focus on just going to the opposite field, so my approach every time was to just go to the right-center gap.”
Gresens also noted how he would help his teammates when they were struggling throughout the season.
“Coach and I talked about how my senior year that I have to be kind of a player-coach,” said Gresens. “Whenever guys would be struggling and I would see something, I tried to give them my input and not in an annoying way, but I figure if I can get them to perform at the highest level, then we would be better off.”
“He’s the ultimate leader for us,” said Kuhn. “Every practice he brings tremendous energy and he brings that to every inning of every game. As great as his stats are, he affects the game just as much by the way he carries himself in the dugout and at practice.”
Greece Athena coach Tim Sova noted how Gresens is different than other players he has coached against.
“In terms of hitting and defense, he (Gresens) has continued the success he had last year, but the pitching element, the numbers he put up this year pitching-wise, were just another added dimension.”
Churchville-Chili comrades Michael Sardou, Cooper Romich and Parker Farnham earned spots on the A1 team. Sardou batted .400, raking 28 hits, two home runs, 30 RBI and scored 23 runs. At the belt, Sardou racked up five wins. Farnham compiled a .424 batting average, including two bombs, three triples, 11 runs driven in and 20 runs scored. Romich batted .359, launching one home run, driving in 21, scoring 23 and soaking up 11 hit by pitches.
Spencerport’s Zachary Lamberton and Frank Grad IV are the other two teammates that made the team. Lamberton batted .274, driving in 11 and scoring 10. On the mound, Lamberton hurled 53.1 innings, compiling a 6-1 record, striking out 53 and having an ERA of 1.18. Grad had a .403 batting average, racking up two triples, two home runs, 15 RBI and scoring 12 runs. In his 67 at-bats, Grad only struck out twice.
Connor Osier made the team from Greece Athena. Osier hurled 52 innings on the bump for a 5-1 record. He struck out 83 and had an ERA of 1.06. Hitters averaged .099 against Osier. At the plate, Osier drove in 18 and scored 10.
Josh Butka from Webster Thomas also made the squad. Butka had a .400 batting average, smacking three triples, driving in 10 and scoring 19.
Greece Arcadia’s Parker Drees made the A1 team. Drees finished with a .421 batting average, connecting on 32 hits, including one home run. The senior drove in 16 and swiped 18 bags on the year. Wilson Magnet’s Kiesal Cuevas, who struck out 18 in a perfect game effort, rounded out the A1 team.
*Section V coaches decided the All-Class teams.
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