2018 Jefferson Baseball Season Preview
The Cannoneer Baseball Team looks to improve in 2018 after a short spring season last year. This season the Cannoneer program brings back several sophomore contributors along with a talented freshmen class to make up their 28 man roster. 2018 will feature a 46-game schedule which includes 8 games in Myrtle Beach, 10 Mid-State Conference Games and 28 Region III Eastern Division games. Playoff seeding is determined by the 28 Region III Eastern Division games which the top four teams make it to the best of three Sub-Regional weekend, with the winners going to the Region III Final Four in Little Falls, NY. 2018 hopes to be the Cannoneers trip back to the Final Four, which they were seeded 4th back in 2016.
The Cannoneer coaching staff saw changes in the off season with the departure of Assistant Coach Dan Magovney. Replacing Magovney is Daniel Granger, who was a right handed pitcher for the Cannoneers in 2014 before transferring to SUNY Brockport. Granger would receive his Bachelors in Sports Management and works as a Recreation Assistant at Jefferson running the Intramural program and working in the weight room. Another key addition to the coaching staff is former Cannoneer NJCAA All-American Kyle Simmons. Simmons was the Cannoneer shortstop in 2013-2014 and was a two time All-Conference, two time All-Region, and 2013 All-American during his time on the Coffeen Street campus. Simmons would finish his playing career at Oswego State, and was a member of their 2017 run to Appleton, Wisconsin playing for a DIII National Championship in the NCAA Division III College World Series. Returning this season is Keith Harley, whom played for the Cannoneers in 2010-2010, and Associate Head Coach David Navarra, which 2018 marks his 9th season on the coaching staff.
Jefferson returns three offensive players who had successful freshmen seasons in Joshua Navarra (Watertown, NY), Robert Schmuck (Forrest Hills, NY) and Naim Bibovic (Brooklyn, NY). Joshua Navarra coming off an All-Conference season returns and will play first base as well as pitch in 2018. Other key returners the Cannoneers will look to offensively are Tim Gaudioso (Fairport, NY) and Conner Loveless (Cato, NY). The Cannoneers will showcase a lot of young talent as well in 2018 with freshmen Wilber Guzman (Mount Vernon, NY), Hunter Holliday (Camden, NY) and Zachery Scannell (Liverpool, NY).
Behind the plate, the Cannoneers lost the bulk of their innings from the pervious two years with the departure of Emmanuel Olivo (Oswego State) and Darren Palmer (SUNY Cobleskill). Transfer Nicholas Lavin (Watertown, NY) adds depth to the catching position with sophomore David Burgess (Bedfordale, Australia) along with all-state freshmen Kevin Kapfer (Harrisville, NY).
On the mound for the Cannoneers, sophomore Benjamin Wilcox (Oyster Bay, Australia) leads the pitching staff of 16 members. Wilcox committed to Oswego State and will be one of the main work horses for the Cannoneers this spring. In addition to Wilcox, sophomore Randolf Flores (Brooklyn, NY) looks to add on a successful freshmen campaign from a year ago. Key new comers to the staff are local standouts William Magovney (Watertown, NY), Noah Ingerson (Clayton, NY) and Dakota Deasy (Mexico, NY). Along with Wilcox, the Cannoneers add two freshmen Australian pitchers to the staff in Fraser Boyd and Chris Layman.
The Cannoneers are departing to start their 2018 season next week in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Their opening day double header features games versus Northampton and Camden at 3pm and 6pm. Be sure to check our athletic website and social media links for updated scores and news all season long.