A collection of the best high school baseball players in Massachusetts looks to prove itself against nation’s elite - The Boston Globe (2024)

The rest of the roster: RHP Robert Brown III (Phillips Andover), LHP Brody Burnila (Bishop Feehan), LHP Chris Jaillet (Andover), RHP Davis Kahn (Milton Academy), LHP Tyler Kropis (Seekonk), LHP Scott Longo (Milton), RHP Connor Niemiec (Deerfield Academy), RHP John Paone (Lawrence Academy); C Brett Gallo (St. Sebastian’s), C Bradley McCafferty (Austin Prep), INF Charlie Criscola (Uxbridge), INF Tom Pender (Roxbury Latin), INF William Shaheen (St. John’s Prep), OF Danny Flynn (Phillips Andover), OF Will Norris (Andover), Jackson Richard (BC High), and Gabriel Malaret (Dexter Southfield).

O’Connell will be assisted by Jamie Walsh, an assistant on his own staff, and BC High coach Steve Healy. Former Braintree and current Blackstone Valley Tech athletic director Mike Denise will also make the trip.

“We’re real excited about going to Omaha, be there six days, and see how Massachusetts kids can do against the nation’s elite,” said O’Connell, who took a Massachusetts team to Dallas Baptist University for last year’s tournament, finishing 1-2 overall, but making an impression on organizers with their compete level and respectful play.

The selection process started last October, with conversations with college and professional scouts, and AAU and high school coaches. There are 14 players on the roster who have committed to Division 1 college programs, and another four with D1 offers. Seven players come from MIAA schools and 11 represent private.

“We feel like we have an outstanding group of players,” O’Connell said.

Massachusetts opens Bracket A pool play against Team Georgia on June 28 at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, then faces Team Arizona and Team Michigan on June 29 at Charles Schwab Field, home of the College World Series. Games will be televised on ESPN+ and more information can be found at www.hsb-ncs.com. The top three teams in each bracket will advance to the semifinals, along with one wild card team.

Agganis All-Stars

Agganis All-Star week starts Sunday morning in Lynn, with the opening ceremony at Manning Field (9 a.m.), followed by the girls’ lacrosse (11 a.m.) and boys’ lacrosse (1 p.m.) all-star games. At the opening ceremony, all nine all-star teams will be introduced, and the 2024 Agganis Foundation Scholarships will be presented along with five major awards to student-athletes.

The scholarship recipients: Lucas Bereaud, Swampscott (North Carolina), k-Abby Bettencourt, Peabody (Brown), Jessica Bremberg, Saugus (Saint Anselm), a-Rachel Dana, Lynn Classical (UMass Boston), Nick Griffin, St. John’s Prep (Michigan), Nina Ly, Lynn English (UMass Amherst), pr-Luke McQueen, Lynnfield (University of the West of England), d-Victoria Quagrello, Swampscott (Middlebury), Javier Patricio, Lynn English (Brown), Axel Velasquez, Lynn English (Penn), Rachel Villanueva, Lynn English (UMass Boston).

Key: k-George D. Behrakis Scholarship; a-Greg Agganis Scholarship; pr-Agganis Foundation President’s Scholarship; d-Thomas L. Demakes Scholarship.

The softball (noon) and baseball games (2 p.m.) will take place at Fraser Field on Sunday.

On Monday there is a boys’ basketball (5:30 p.m.) and girls’ basketball (7 p.m.) doubleheader at Lynn Classical. On Tuesday, there is a girls’ soccer (5 p.m.) and boys’ soccer (6:30 p.m.) doubleheader at Manning Field.

The headliner is the 62nd Agganis Football All-Star Game, to be held Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Manning Field. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for students, and can be purchased at agganisfoundation.com or at the gate.

Since 1955, and the passing of the legendary Harry Agganis, the foundation has awarded 1,062 scholarships totaling $2.5 million.

Gatorade honors

Kendall Bodak, a recent Monson High graduate who has committed to Clemson, is the state’s Gatorade Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year for 2023-24. The 5-foot-1-inch senior midfielder lead the Mustangs (23-0-1) to the MIAA Division 5 title last fall, collecting 14 goals and 12 assists. Ranked as the nation’s No. 21 recruit in the Class of 2024, she missed the final eight games of the regular season while earning a bronze medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile as a member of the US U-19 women’s national team.

“She’s the type of midfielder who is so skilled that she can control play without being flashy,” said Amherst-Pelham coach Don Fraser. “She reads the game so efficiently that she is several steps ahead of everyone else.”

Milton Academy junior Alfred Debah was tabbed the state’s boys’ soccer player of the year, Dexter Southfield senior catcher Matt Conte the baseball player of the year, and Taunton senior Sam Lincoln was named softball player of the year..

Debah, a 6-foot-1 midfielder committed to Wake Forest, led Milton Academy to a 19-1-2 and the NEPSAC Class A championship with 16 goals and six assists, including a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over Taft in the Class A final.

Conte is a 6-foot-1, 210-pound catcher committed to Wake Forest. The top prospect hit .459 with four home runs and 15 RBIs and made just one error on 165 defensive chances to help Dexter go 12-9-1 and make the Central New England Prep School Baseball League semifinals.

Lincoln, a 6-0 lefthanded pitcher committed to Texas Tech, led Taunton to a fourth straight state Division 1 championship by throwing a shutout in the title game. She finished 16-0 with a 0.26 ERA and 228 strikeouts in 105 innings, while sporting a .429 batting average, swatting four home runs, and knocking in 18 runs.

Craig Larson of the Globe staff contributed to this story.