Pretty good decade for Lackawanna League baseball. It saw a couple teams reach the state championship game and of the 46 District 2 titles up for grabs from 2010-2019, the Lackawanna League took home 25.
So, who were the best players?
With the Times-Tribune All-Region teams serving as the pool of players, let’s assemble the Lackawanna League’s All-Decade Team. We’ll break it down position-by-position over the next few days.
Up next: the outfielders.
Here are the candidates, sorted by the year they made the All-Region team. You can vote for your top five at the bottom of the post.
Joe McCarthy, Scranton
Decade stats: .419, 62 RBIs, 65 runs, 70 hits, 9 doubles, 6 triples, 9 home runs
All-Region bio (three teams): From 2010 — “Leadoff hitter posted a .394 average with four homers and 24 RBIs as Scranton captured the Division I and District 2 Class AAAA titles. … First All-Region selection.” From 2011 — “Often mentioned in same breath with Bochicchio in discussion of area’s top player. Hit .382 with two doubles, two triples, two homers. His 24 runs tied for second in Division I, and 21 RBIs tied for fourth. Helped Scranton win D-I title. Second All-Region selection.” From 2012 (pitcher) — “Times-Tribune Player of the Year. University of Virginia recruit went 5-2 (1-0 in the playoffs) with a 1.65 ERA to lead the Knights on the mound. Struck out nearly a batter per inning (42 Ks in 42.1 innings) and allowed only 29 hits. At the plate, hit a Division I-best .500 while scoring 22 runs, and driving in 17. Voted the coaches’ Division I Player of the Year. Third All-Region selection.”
Josh Schroeder, West Scranton
Decade stats: .406, 32 RBIs, 35 runs, 41 hits, 11 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs
All-Region bio (two teams): From 2010 — “Hit .400, scoring 11 runs while driving in 10 for the Invaders. … First All-Region selection.” From 2011 — “Second All-Region selection for steady hitter who batted .411, second year in a row over .400. Second in Division I in RBIs with 22, runs with 24, doubles with eight and home runs with 5. Important cog as West reached District 2 Class AAA title game.”
Brett Podhyski, Holy Cross
Decade stats: .510, 17 RBIs, 19 runs, 26 hits, 4 doubles, 4 home runs
All-Region bio: From 2010 — “Kept Division II pitchers on their toes, hitting .510 with four home runs, 19 runs scored and 17 RBIs for the Crusaders. … First All-Region selection.”
Tim Fisch, Scranton
Decade stats: .441, 19 RBIs, 43 runs, 49 hits, 3 doubles
All-Region bio: From 2011 — “Proved last year’s .412 average was no anomaly by hitting .467, good for fifth in Division I batting race. With his 12 RBIs, he also was fifth in runs scored with 22, and second in hits with 28. Helped Knights win another D-I title.”
Chris Gaetano, Scranton Prep
Decade stats: .400, 39 RBIs, 47 runs, 72 hits, 24 doubles, 1 triple, 11 home runs
All-Region bio (three teams): From 2011 — “Topped Division I with his .532 batting average. Drove in 14 runs and scored 17 runs. His 25 hits were fourth in D-I. Led the division with nine doubles and was tied for third with five homers.” From 2012 — “Anchored the Cavaliers’ lineup with a .417 batting average (20 hits). Scored 15 runs and drove in 11 RBIs. His seven doubles and four home runs were each good for third most in the Lackawanna League. Second All-Region selection.” From 2013 — “Division I Monmouth recruit batted .395 in the heart of the Cavaliers lineup. Slugged seven doubles and two home runs. … Defensive standout in right field. … Batted .571 (4-7) with three runs scored, one RBI and a double in the District 2 Class AAA playoffs. … First-team Lackawanna League Division I coaches’ all-star. … Third All-Region selection.”
Ray Grapsy, North Pocono
Decade stats: .408, 53 RBIs, 42 runs, 60 hits, 9 doubles, 2 triples, 12 home runs
All-Region bio: From 2012 — “Slugger provided the muscle in the Trojans’ potent lineup. Led the Lackawanna League in hits (28), RBIs (29) and home runs (8). Batted .459 for the season and scored 22 runs while also pounding four doubles and one triple. First All-Region selection.”
Chris Talipski, Old Forge
Decade stats: .388, 22 RBIs, 35 runs, 38 hits, 8 doubles, 1 home run
All-Region bio: From 2012 — “Held down one of the better offenses in the Lackawanna League. Led Old Forge in batting average (.435), hits (20), and doubles (5). Scored 20 runs and drove in 15. First All-Region selection.”
Josh Slocum, Abington Heights
Decade stats: .350, 21 RBIs, 24 runs, 41 hits, 10 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run
All-Region bio: From 2013 — “Consistent threat in a Comets lineup that made it to the PIAA Class AAA semifinals. Batted .415 with 27 hits, 17 runs scored, six doubles, one home run and a team-best 15 RBIs. … Batted .417 in the PIAA playoffs, with two RBIs and a double. … First-team Lackawanna League Division I coaches’ all-star. … First All-Region selection.”
Joey Natale, Lakeland
Decade stats: 30 RBIs, 71 runs, 62 hits, 12 doubles, 2 triples
All-Region bio: From 2013 — “The Chiefs’ athletic leadoff hitter batted .377 with 23 hits, 24 runs scored, 16 RBIs, six doubles and two home runs. … In the postseason, batted .333 with seven runs scored and five runs batted in. … First-team Lackawanna League Division III coaches’ all-star. … First All-Region selection.”
Randy Darrow, North Pocono
Decade stats: .478, 53 RBIs, 42 runs, 66 hits, 15 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs
All-Region bio: From 2014 — “Had the best offensive year for any player in the Lackawanna League. Led the league in hits (27) and tied for the lead in HRs (four). … Batted .600, with 22 RBIs, 14 runs and 10 extra-base hits. … Lackawanna League Division II coaches’ player of the year and first-team all-star. … First All-Region selection.”
Kevin Bannon, Scranton Prep
Decade stats: .347, 18 RBIs, 18 runs, 25 hits, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run
All-Region bio: From 2014 — “Helped the Cavaliers become a tough matchup in the difficult Division I, finishing the season with a .423 batting average, 22 hits, 13 runs and 15 RBIs. … Tied for Division I lead in doubles (seven) and added one triple. … Lackawanna League Division I coaches’ first-team all-star. … First All-Region selection.”
Joe Addvensky, Delaware Valley
Decade stats: .369, 29 RBIs, 36 runs, 58 hits, 8 doubles
All-Region bio: From 2014 — “Table setter for the Division II champion Warriors. Led the team with a .426 average, 20 hits and 15 runs scored. … Also added five RBIs and two doubles. … Lackawanna League Division II coaches’ first-team all-star. … First All-Region selection.”
Jake McCarthy, Scranton
Decade stats: .393, 32 RBIs, 72 runs, 72 hits, 14 doubles, 3 triples, 5 home runs
All-Region bio: From 2015 — “Virginia recruit batted .442 with 20 runs. Had seven extra-base hits, including three home runs. … League’s best offensive player. … Pittsburgh Pirates 23rd-round draft selection. … Division I coaches’ all-star.”
Colin McCreary, Abington Heights
Decade stats: .273, 21 RBIs, 28 runs, 39 hits, 5 doubles, 2 triples, 1 home run
All-Region bio: From 2015 — “The sophomore batted .333 with 17 hits, 11 RBIs and nine runs. … Was at his best in the postseason, where he drove in eight runs and had three extra-base hits. … Division I coaches’ all-star. … Standout athlete.”
JP Walsh, North Pocono
Decade stats: .443, 40 RBIs, 46 runs, 70 hits, 11 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs
All-Region bio (two teams): From 2015 — “Junior right fielder batted .354 with 17 hits, nine RBIs and eight runs. Also had four doubles. … One of the best hitters in the league, and also one of the best defensive outfielders. … Division II coaches’ all-star.” From 2016 — “Monmouth commit led league in batting (.517) and hits (30), and was second in RBIs (22) and runs (21). Had nine extra-base hits. … Second All-Region selection.”
Lawrence Cicileo, Delaware Valley
Decade stats: .407, 35 RBIs, 33 runs, 59 hits, 13 doubles, 1 triple, 6 home runs
All-Region bio: From 2016 — “Batted .462 with 24 hits, 16 runs, 15 RBIs and nine extra-base hits. … In six games against top Division II teams North Pocono and Wallenpaupack, batted .590 (13 of 22).”
Adam Kelly, Honesdale
Decade stats: .359, 39 RBIs, 34 runs, 46 hits, 11 doubles, 1 triple, 10 home runs
All-Region bio: From 2016 — “Capped career by batting .356 with 16 hits, 13 runs, 19 RBIs and eight extra-base hits, including five home runs while splitting time between center field and shortstop.”
Morgan Theobald, Wallenpaupack
Decade stats: .291, 8 RBIs, 33 runs, 30 hits, 4 doubles
All-Region bio: From 2017 — “Batted .354 with 17 hits and 21 runs to help the Buckhorns claim the District 2 Class 5A championship and reach the PIAA tournament semifinals. … Overall, he stole 18 bases.”
Brendan Mozeleski, Old Forge
Decade stats: .353, 52 RBIs, 66 runs, 71 hits, 14 doubles, 4 triples, 3 home runs
All-Region bio (two teams): From 2017 — “Helped the Blue Devils to a District 2 Class 2A cham- pionship and into the PIAA quarterfinals. … Batted .323 with 20 hits, 21 runs and 12 RBIs. Had five extra-base hits. … Also went 8-0 with a 1.68 ERA and 55 strikeouts.” From 2018 — “Batted .469 with 23 hits, including three home runs. Scored 20 runs and had 23 RBIs. … Also was 3-2 on the mound with 3.58 ERA and 45 strikeouts. … Second All-Region selection.”
Griffin Loureiro, West Scranton
Decade stats: .331, 18 RBIs, 32 runs, 39 hits, 4 doubles
All-Region bio: From 2017 — “A very tough out in the leadoff spot for the Invaders. … He batted .436 with 17 hits, 15 runs and 10 RBIs with an overall on-base percentage of .486. Also stole 14 bases.”
Corey Pezak, Valley View
Decade stats: .323, 27 RBIs, 35 runs, 50 hits, 11 doubles, 3 triples
All-Region bio: From 2018 — “Steady center fielder who came up with a number of timely hits during the Cougars’ postseason run. … Batted .373 with 22 hits, including eight doubles and one triple, 16 runs and nine RBIs.”
Bryden Jerauld, Montrose
Decade stats: .336, 37 RBIs, 30 runs, 45 hits, 11 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs
All-Region bio: From 2018 — “Meteors’ cleanup batter hit safely in 11 of the team’s 13 games, including the final 10. … Ranked second in Lackawanna Division V with .442 batting average and 21 RBIs. … Had 19 hits, including three HRs.
Joey Barcia, Abington Heights
Decade stats: .248, 10 RBIs, 13 runs, 27 hits, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs
All-Region bio: From 2019 — “Helped Comets capture Lackawanna League Division I title. … Batted .339 with three doubles, two triples, two homers, eight runs and seven RBIs. … Solid defensive center fielder. … First All-Region selection.”
Steve Borgia, Dunmore
Decade stats: .296, 35 RBIs, 36 runs, 50 hits, 15 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs
All-Region bio: From 2019 — “Led Division III in doubles (8) and triples (3) and tied for lead in hits (25). … Batted .347 with 17 runs and 17 RBIs. … Steady center fielder who made several acrobatic catches. … First All-Region selection.”
Zach Walsh, North Pocono
Decade stats: .338, 15 RBIs, 23 runs, 25 hits, 3 doubles, 2 triples
All-Region bio: From 2019 — “Leadoff hitter batted .347 with three doubles, two triples and 15 RBIs. … His 20 runs ranked second in Division II. … Threw out Crestwood runner at home to preserve shutout in District 2 Class 5A first round.”
CLICK TO VOTE HERE
In case you missed it, check out the candidates for the Lackawanna League’s top catcher, top corner infielders and top middle infielders of the decade.
Check back next week for voting on the pitchers and utility players.
Related posts:
Conor Foley goes beyond the box score with in-depth coverage of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. He has worked at The Times-Tribune since graduating from University of Scranton in 2011, and he has covered the RailRiders since 2017. Contact: cfoley@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9125; or @railridersTT