Garden City, N.Y. - Seven recruits have signed national letters of intent to play baseball at Adelphi University in 2014, Head Coach Dom Scala announced on Wednesday.
The newest class of Panther baseball players includes pitcher Mike Ceparano (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East), first baseman/outfielder Tyler Decker (Adams, N.Y./Jefferson Community College), outfielder John Fogarty (Westbury, N.Y./Clarke), outfielder/pitcher Chris Lemorocco (West Islip, N.Y./St. John the Baptist), second baseman Zack Levinson (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan Wagner), pitcher TJ Santiago (Linden, N.J./Linden) and catcher Danny Taliercio (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West).
Santiago and Ceparano will arrive in Garden City as Scala's top additions to the pitching staff. Santiago, a righty who will wrap up a standout career at Linden High School in New Jersey, brings a mid-to-high 80s fastball.
"TJ reminds me of a pitcher we had a few years back Jonathan Gonzalez who had a great career here at Adelphi," said Scala, referring to Gonzalez who went 7-0, posted a 1.91 earned run average and fanned 99 batters in 84.2 innings in 2011. Scala admires Santiago's "very loose and whippy arm action which gives him a very heavy and moving fastball." He also possesses an above average change-up and split finger fastball to go with his athletic frame.
Ceparano, who tossed a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts for Half Hollow Hills East last April, has superior mechanics, a well-developed change-up and will join Santiago in competition for a starting role immediately.
Decker, a sweet swinging left handed gap-to-gap hitter, possesses a monstrous 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame. The Adams, N.Y., native hit .333 and drove in 42 runs in 45 games as a freshman at Jefferson Community College. "He has knocked in runs wherever he has played," Scala said, and plans to use Decker's bat in the middle of the lineup once power-hitting first baseman Anthony Zarrella graduates.
Fogarty patrols the outfield for Clarke High School and has a lean body type that Scala believes will mature over the next few years. "John is a very talented athlete that is under the radar," Scala said. "If he projects, he could be a five tool guy by the time he is a junior. He will compete in center field next year."
Lemorocco, who can pitch and play the outfield, committed after being highly recommended by first-year assistant coach Bill Iannciello. "He hit the ball hard and the opposite way every game he saw him play," Scala said, noting Lemorocco as a "hard nose, gritty" player with a strong body. "Couple that with a 86 mph fastball and a very good change up and Chris may get a chance to play both ways next year."
Levinson, a Dustin Pedroia-esque second baseman from Staten Island, embodies all the intangible qualities Scala seeks in a player. "The more you see Zack play, the more you love him," Scala said. "His heart is as big as I ever saw in a kid. He will push our guys for a job."
Taliercio is a "big strong left-handed hitting catcher that can throw on the dime," Scala said. The Smithtown West backstop has quick feet behind the plate and great pop with wood bat.
The Panthers, who open the 2013 season against Bloomfield at home on February 25, will announce more recruits later in the season.
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