Hillsdale baseball welcomed 14 freshmen to the team this year, replacing the 15 players the team graduated in May and one player who transferred out.  

“We are going to be a very useful team, and there’s a lot of things that come into play when you have a team of mostly freshmen and sophomores,” head coach Tom Vessella said. “The structure of our roster looks really strong. I’m really excited to get these kids in.”

Freshman Niko Michaelides is looking forward to the season and said practicing at the collegiate level improves the individual and strengthens the team. 

“The transition has been great,” Michaelides said. “The coaches and players are great. The pace of practice is way faster, which means everyone is able to get more work in the small amount of time we have.”

Sophomore Luke Miller said the incoming class is talented and will be given chances to prove their readiness this fall before the regular spring season. 

“We have three fall games, so the freshmen will all get the chance to play in those games,” Miller said. “They’re going to get the chance to show their stuff and see whether they can make the transition quicker and be able to win games.”

Freshman Brodie Romnek said the freshmen class is focused on becoming better and performing at a higher level.

“We expect to work hard and get better every day,” Romnek said. “We need to push each other and do our jobs to help the team win.”

The full list of freshmen can be found on the Chargers’ website: Nate Albanese, Gibson Cary, Jake Figman, Will Lehman, Robert Matteson, Niko Michaelides, Mana Nicholas-Bublick, Billy Porotsky, Brodie Romnek, Brenden Smith, Tyler Sowers, Gaard Swenson, Carson Tucker, and Dylan Whitfield. 

Vessella’s team mentality is based on merit and ability. He plans to start and play his best players, regardless of class. 

“Our philosophy when it comes to the lineup is that the best players play,” Vessella said. “Class isn’t really a consideration for us. If you’re the best, you’re going to help us win. That’s what we are going to put in the lineup.”