The Saint Joseph’s Hawks 2023 season was both historic and heart-wrenching. Led by long-time Head Coach Fritz Hamburg, the Hawks have clearly turned a corner as a program with the right ingredients for sustainable success. Not only did the Joe’s experience its third consecutive winning season in 2023, Coach Hamburg led the team to its first-ever Atlantic 10 regular season championship. Atlantic 10 coaches picked Hamburg for 2023 A10 coach of the year, and he was further honored by the Mid-Atlantic Scouts Association as their selection for 2023 coach of the year. The program has gradually developed into a yearly conference title contender and it looks like the 2024 season will continue that trend. On top of the collegiate success, the team is finding and producing pro-level talent at an expanding rate. Catcher Andrew Cossetti was a 2022 11th-round pick by the Twins, while outfielder Brett Callahan was a 13th-round pick last July; those two draft picks are the start of a trend for the Hawks. After seeing Joe’s this fall on ‘Scout Day,’ I can safely say that more draft selections are on the table for both the 2024 and 2025 drafts.
*Saint Joseph’s Head Baseball Coach Fritz Hamburg (center) accepts the award for 2023 Coach of the Year by the Mid-Atlantic Scouts Association; November, 2023.
Conference: Atlantic 10
2023 Record: 28-24 | A10 Regular Season Champions
Head Coach: Fritz Hamburg | 16th year
Top Prospect ‘24 Draft: Ryan Cesarini, OF
Top Prospect ‘25 Draft: Ryan Weingartner, SS
It wasn’t the start or finish Coach Hamburg and his team were hoping for. The 2023 Hawks struggled out of the gate with a 1-7 start, and after a mid-April loss to Saint Louis, the team was staring at a 12-18 record. Following that loss, Joe’s went on an eight-game win streak and closed out the regular with an improbable 15-3-1 (yes, there was a tie) run that won them the A10 regular season crown. Unfortunately, the team was bounced from the tournament after three games, which included an 8-23 loss to Saint Louis and finally a 10-15 loss to Dayton. Saint Louis and Dayton were able to capitalize on Joe’s inconsistent pitching staff, which was an area of concern for the majority of the 2023 season. Coach Hamburg brought in accomplished Army pitching coach Jeremy Hileman to help bolster things on that side of the ball, and the staff looks improved on paper. While pitching, especially the relief corps, will be the biggest question mark for the 2024 team, Joe’s will also need to restructure their lineup and fill some roles offensively after a few notable departures.
The Hawks figure to have an experienced and productive offense, with five returnees who either logged an OBP over .400 or slugged double-digit homers in 2023. However, Joe’s will be losing a healthy dose of power after the departures of OF Brett Callahan (Tigers), INF Nate Thomas, and SS Luca Trigiani (now with William & Mary), all of whom recorded an ISO above .220 while combining for 28 long balls last spring. After getting an up close and personal view during St. Joseph’s scout day, several hitters looked equipped to replace that lost production. Because it was scout day, most of the action was focused on draft-eligible players, but a quality group of underclassmen made strong impressions as well. Overall, the offense for Coach Hamburg’s group looks strong on paper and will be a driving force toward a potential repeat performance as A10 regular season champs.
The Hawks' offense will be driven by a trio of Ryans, outfielders Ryan Cesarini and Ryan Picollo, as well as shortstop Ryan Weingartner. This triumvirate combined for 68 extra-base hits and 28 homers last spring, and I think they’re a good bet to surpass those totals in 2024. Let’s start with Ryan Cesarini. The junior from Archibald, PA, led the A10 conference in batting last season (.392) and finished third in OPS (1.088). He enters 2024 as the Hawks’ top draft prospect thanks to a strong track record of performance and impressive tools. Cesarini doesn’t offer much in the way of physical projection, listed at 5’10-205 with a stocky, filled-out frame. Jared Dupere, a 13th-round draft pick out of Northeastern by the Giants in 2021, is a solid body comp for Cesarini, but Cesarini has surprising athleticism and quick actions on the diamond. On scout day, Cesarini showed phenomenal speed with a 60-yard dash time just above 6.40 and home-to-first times in the 4.10-4.20 range. It’s unusual to see plus-level speed from a player with this kind of body; Dupere certainly didn’t display that kind of quickness. Perhaps a better physical comparison for Cesarini (and an admittedly unfair one) is Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho.
At the plate, the lefty-hitting Cesarini has a crouched, compact stance with his hands tucked in tightly behind his helmet. Instead of a traditional stride, he rotates his front knee inward and points the toe of his foot directly into the ground before dropping back down and rotating swiftly into contact. He has quick, adjustable hands and plenty of bat speed to impact the ball on contact. It’s not the most athletic-looking swing, and it’s definitely unorthodox, but Cesarini has a special feel for making contact, which is aided by above-average plate discipline. Cesarini’s raw power teeters right near the above-average to-average line. He’s capable of turning on balls from the belt down for home run contact, which he showcased on a no-doubt blast during a simulated game. I’ll need additional looks before I’m able to make an honest evaluation of his defensive ability. You’d think Cesarini would be a capable centerfielder, given his speed and athleticism, but he split time between left field and DH last spring and only played the corners this summer in the NECBL. We’ll see how he’s deployed moving forward, but as of now, Cesarini has the potential to be a mid-to-late day two draft pick (rounds 6-10) based on what I’ve seen, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he were popped early on day three like Brett Callahan was last July.
Joining Cesarini in the outfield is senior Ryan Picollo, whose 6’4-225 frame stands as a stark contrast to Cesarini's. Picollo has a sturdy, rangy build with a good mixture of athleticism and strength. Despite solid power production last spring (10 HR, .227 ISO), Picollo had a difficult time getting the bat on the ball, as he struck out 55 times in 203 plate appearances. Picollo’s final line of .238/.292/.465 is emblematic of his issues maintaining a consistent approach. When Picollo avoids chasing pitches out of the zone and stays short to the ball, there’s big-time thump and above-average power to his pull side. While Picollo isn’t a burner, he’ll show solid average speed that is more noticeable on the defensive side of the ball. He’s a steady defender with quality arm strength that makes him a dependable option in right field. Picollo showed both the good and the ugly during scout day, with a rocket line drive double to left field but also in-zone whiffs on fastballs. While he may not clear up the rough edges of his game, Picollo possesses the tools and experience to take a step forward and settle in as a much-needed offensive catalyst for the Hawks in 2024. Finally, here’s a fun fact about Picollo: his father, JJ Picollo, oversees baseball operations for the Kansas City Royals as executive vice president and general manager.
The final Ryan set to lead the offense is quite likely the most important. Ryan Weingartner quickly secured the starting second base job during his freshman year and ended the 2024 campaign with a .323/.401/.531 line, which included 10 homers and 17 stolen bases. Not only will Coach Hamburg and company ask Weingartner to build on that breakout debut offensively, but they’ll also ask him to hop over to the other side of the second base bag to hold down shortstop. Weingartner looked the part at short during my initial look, but I’ll need to see how things play out at full game speed this spring to determine his long-term outlook.
An A10 All-Rookie team selection, Weingartner is far from imposing at the plate with a wiry, 5’11-185 build, but he more than makes up for it with a quick bat, uphill swing path, and a “passive-aggressive” approach. He showed an easy, confident swing during BP and had two hard-hit balls during the simulated game. A follow-up performance this spring and summer (he’s playing for the Harwich Mariners on the Cape) could vault him into the mid-day two conversation for the 2025 draft.
Looking beyond the Ryan’s, the Hawks have a couple more promising power options in corner infielder Owen Petrich and catcher Carter Jagiela. Petrich is a transfer portal addition from Delaware where he received minimal playing time the past two years. The 6’2-215 Petrich is a physical corner bat who played third base on scout day. At the plate, Petrich displayed above-average pop from the right side but struggled to handle spin during this brief look. He is highly capable of punishing mistakes, which he demonstrated by hitting multiple hard-hit balls, including the opposite-field homer seen in the clip below. Meanwhile, Jagiela is entering his sophomore year, and his size (6’4-220) and physicality immediately stand out. Jagiela has plus-level power to his pull side with an uphill swing path. He’ll need to iron out some things behind the plate, but he has plenty of arm strength for the catcher position. Jagiela should have plenty of time to hone his craft, as his likely role will be as a backup to senior Justin Igoe. Igoe played in only seven games as an underclassman, but he made up for lost time in 2023 as the full-time starter, finishing the year with a respectable .304/.411/.432 line. With a shorter, stout build, Igoe is a patient hitter with average power and an up-the-middle approach. He only hit three homers last year, but he adds length to the lineup and racks up quality at-bats. Igoe gets the job done behind the plate, though his arm is fringy, which led to an 85% success rate for base stealers last season.
Petrich Packs A
Punch
Delaware transfer Owen Petrich will look to revitalize St. Joseph’s power production in 2024.
Because my viewing came on scout day, the majority of the action involved draft-eligible players, so it was difficult to get a feel for the Hawks class of freshmen. With that said, outfielders Darius Adkins and Joey Gale are intriguing athletes, while middle infielder Tim Dickinson was a consistent performer at Malvern Prep, one of the top high school programs in the state of Pennsylvania. Playing time is likely to be tough to come by in 2024 for this crop of newcomers, but Coach Hamburg and his staff have a knack for getting timely production from their freshmen when needed.
On paper, Coach Hamburg has plenty of options to fill out his weekend rotation. RHP Domenic Picone, RHP Will McCausland, and LHP Ryan DeSanto led the Hawks in starts and innings pitched a year ago, and all three will return in 2024. McCausland and DeSanto were each selected for the A10 All-Rookie Team and remained sharp over the summer in the New England Collegiate Baseball League and the Valley League, respectively. Neither pitched on scout day, but I did see DeSanto last fall and tabbed him as an under-the-radar draft prospect for 2025. The sophomore duo won’t light up radar guns (upper 80s/low 90s in ‘23), but they have performed in games, and both have uniquely interesting traits under the surface when taking a peak at their trackman data. McCausland’s fastball has swing-and-miss traits thanks to a low vertical approach angle, a low release height, and good extension in his delivery. He also has a trio of decent secondary options that he can land for strikes consistently, with the slider showing the most potential of the bunch. DeSanto is about as funky as it gets, with a crossfire finish to his delivery and an extreme over-the-top arm slot. He gets elite IVB on his high spin fastball, which gets on hitters in a hurry with his size and deception. DeSanto will flash a bat-missing curve with 12-6 action and an intriguing changeup with good arm-side fade. Picone was also pitching as Hawk for the first time in 2023 after spending the previous three years at Rhode Island. He’s one of the smaller pitchers you’ll see at the D1 level, standing in at 5’8-180, but he had a respectable 4.50 ERA across 70 innings last spring. His fastball sits in the 88-92 range and plays well up in the strike zone, while his mid-80s cutter/slider hybrid is his best putaway offering.
Junior RHP Matt McShane is another arm that could be a starting option for Coach Hamburg. McShane thrived (2.40 ERA) as a multi-inning reliever as a freshman, but his stuff was down when I saw him last fall. That carried over to the spring, and his performance (5.46 ERA, 4.9 K/9, 10.9 H/9) took a step back as a result. McShane was much better (19.1 IP, 1.40 ERA, 11.6 K/9) with Bourne on the Cape this summer, and the average velocity on his fastball (92-93 MPH) and both breaking balls increased significantly compared to the spring.
McShane was the first pitcher to take the mound on scout day but didn’t face live hitters. The fastball was lively in the 90-92 range, coming from a high slot and a good, flat angle. McShane complimented the fastball with a slider that sat around 82 MPH, an upper-70s curveball, and what appeared to be a low-80s changeup. McShane threw some above-average sliders with late gyro-movement that he commanded better to his glove side. McShane did a really good of tunneling the fastball and slider, increasing the effectiveness of each pitch. He had trouble getting a consistent feel for the curve and changeup, though the curve did flash some sharp vertical break. Given McShane’s build at 6’3-215, his ability to spin multiple breaking balls, and his history of pitching multiple innings at a time, McShane has some traits to serve him in a weekend starter role. However, there’s some effort during his release, and there have been issues maintaining the quality of his stuff, which could indicate a late-inning relief role in the future. At his best, McShane appears to be the team's top draft prospect for 2024, but we’ll need to see how he holds up this spring.
Junior RHP Luke Gabrysh is a wild card for this Joe’s pitching staff. Standing at a lean and projectable 6’3-200, Gabrysh possesses the size and arsenal of a quality starting option. However, his effectiveness has been limited as he’s struggled to throw strikes, evident in his elevated walk rate of 20.4% through 27.1 career innings. On scout day, Gabrysh showcased impressive velocity, sitting consistently at 92-94 with his fastball and touching 95 MPH once. His go-to secondary was a 78-82 MPH slider, boasting remarkable raw spin (2,700+ RPM) and horizontal movement. Additionally, his mid-80s changeup showed plenty of promise with good arm-side movement and depth. Gabrysh allowed hard contact on multiple belt-high fastballs over the middle as he struggled to consistently command the pitch in the zone. The command of his secondaries appeared superior to his fastball command in this brief appearance. Overall, it’s one of the better three-pitch mixes on the Hawks staff in terms of raw stuff, but the ability to execute remains an open question. Regardless, Gabrysh provides some high-upside depth for the rotation with the kind of loud stuff you could envision closing out games. If things click for Garbrysh this spring, he’d make for a dynamic weapon down the stretch for St. Joseph’s and would likely fetch draft interest on day 3.
While the weekend rotation boasts a surplus of seasoned arms, the bullpen is marked by uncertainty. A notable portion of the relievers returning from last spring finished the year with ERAs north of 9.00. Gabrysh certainly has the raw ability to help bolster the pen if that’s where he ends up, and that’s also true for righty Alec Rodriguez, who is back as a grad student. Rodriguez looked poised for a breakout season last spring but was unable to fill the zone enough to be a reliable option. He’s a good athlete with a high-effort delivery and a slingy arm action that can be difficult to repeat. Rodriguez’s heater has a lot of movement with both riding and running life, which may actually be a contributing factor to his control issues. The velocity on his fastball remained solid as he averaged 92 MPH (max 95) and touched 94 MPH multiple times. His best pitch is a wipeout slider in the low 80s that generates well above-average whiff rates. Rodriguez had a decent changeup last spring that he used against lefty batters, and I thought I saw a couple of cutters at 87 MPH during this outing, which I believe would be a new pitch. As with Garbrysh, there’s no doubt Rodriguez possesses the repertoire to be a high-leverage relief option, but a significant improvement to his 2023 walk rate (18.7%) is required. RHP Colin Yablonski is a grad transfer from Coastal Carolina who sat 90-92 MPH on scout day with an above-average curveball in the upper 70s. He’s shown a little more velocity in the past, so he could just be warming up. Yet another grad year righty is Mike Picollo, who was an unsigned 33rd-round draft pick by the Mets in 2018 and is also the older brother of Ryan Picollo. He’s a low/side slot righty with a mid-to-upper 80s fastball and a late-breaking slider that should be tough on right-handed bats. He hasn’t had much success at the college level, but he did a great job repeating his funky delivery on scout day. Senior David Owsik displayed two quality secondaries, a 78-79 MPH sweeper and an 80 MPH changeup, complementing an 88 MPH fastball. While I didn’t see freshman RHP Luke Parise take the mound, his development is worth tracking. Listed as both a pitcher and catcher, Parise is a good athlete who receives high praise for his competitiveness and makeup.
Undoubtedly, the bullpen stands as a potential Achilles' heel for St. Joseph's in 2024. However, the depth of diverse options and present arm talent suggest that a reversal of fortunes is on the table. All in all, Coach Hamburg’s club is well-equipped to secure a conference title and a trip to regionals in 2024.