Lehman’s Gabriel Pena, a four-year starter, has excelled out of the five spot in the order for the Lions. (Damion Reid)
PSAL baseball beat writer Zach Braziller breaks down the eighth-seeded Lehman Lions in advance of Friday’s Class A championship game at MCU Park in Coney Island at 7 p.m.
Lehman
Nickname: Lions
Head coach: Adam Droz (seventh year)
Record: 18-4, Bronx A West
Batting order: LF Jonathan Pagan, CF Angel Zapata, P Tyler Gurman, C Andy Ramos, 2B Gabriel Pena, SS Jhosse Estrella, DH Julio Velazquez, 3B Felix Fernandez, 1B Laurence Marsach, RF Frank Ulloa (not hitting)
Key reserves: P Dymin Morillo, IF Brandon Colon
Team notes: Lehman is eyeing its first city title in program history in its third championship game appearance. … Upset No. 1 James Monroe and No. 4 James Madison in the last two rounds. … Finished second in prestigious Monroe Holiday Tournament to Monroe. … Won 10 of its last 11 since a 7-6 loss to Morris May 6. … Lowest seed to reach the title game in last five years.
SCOUTING REPORT
(from league coach under condition of anonymity)
“In the beginning, I thought they were a scrappy little team, but they have power from one through nine [in their lineup]. That’s a power lineup. … The one they call the Germinator [Tyler Gurman], that kid is a ball player. Without him, they struggle a little bit. He’s their spark plug. … Defensively, they aren’t great, but they are good up the middle. … I like the way they are playing. It’s going to be hard to beat team. Tottenville has a tough task tomorrow.”
PLAYER CAPSULES
Jonathan Pagan
Year: Junior
Position: Left field
Notes: First-year varsity player hasn’t needed any time to adjust to this level, leading Bronx A West with 24 runs scored and batted .465. … Was kept on JV last year to get ready to produce immediately. .. Can hit for power, average, and uses his legs to create infield hits. … Stole team-high 17 bases in 18 attempts.
Droz’s take: “Great pop, speed, he gets on the bases and we get going. He’s gonna be an awesome player next year.”
Angel Zapata
Year: Junior
Position: Center field
Notes: With Zapata and Pagan back next year, Lehman’s outfield – and top of its lineup – is loaded. … Started year in five slot, but moved up because of patience and ability to put ball in play. … Has surprising power, but greatest strength are instincts in the field and at the plate.
Droz’s take: “He gets great jumps on the ball in the outfield. He’s our leading man there. He can do a lot of things. He’s a great all-around player.”
Tyler Gurman
Year: Senior
Position: Pitcher
Notes: Nicknamed Gurminator. … Transferred from Iona Prep before his junior year. … Became staff ace when right-hander Laurence Marsach battled arm troubles. … Put up impressive numbers – 27 RBIs, 24 runs scored, three home runs, 5-2 record – all around. … Patient at the plate, poised on the mound. … Team’s unquestioned leader.
Droz’s take: “He’s just a gamer, our go-to guy. Tyler sets the tone. He can pick up the team in a heartbeat. He’s probably one of the smartest baseball players we’ve ever had.”
Andy Ramos
Year: Junior
Position: Catcher
Notes: Started at third base last year, moved behind the plate this spring when Felix Fernandez emerged at hot corner. … Left-handed hitter that mashes, swings early and often in count. … Led Lehman with 33 RBIs and 11 doubles. .. Quietly valuable.
Droz’s take: “We knew he could catch and he’s done a great job. He blocks the ball well and has a decent arm. We’re starting to think that’s his main spot. Andy hits whatever is thrown at him.”
Gabriel Pena
Year: Senior
Position: Second base
Notes: Lehman’s only four-year starter. … Began season in ninth spot in order, but forced his way up. … Versatile infielder and turns double play quickly and without fear. … Consistent hitter that likes to go the other way. … Hit .413 during season and .444 during playoffs.
Droz’s take: “He’s the kind of kid that likes to study the game. He’s really produced for us in the playoffs. He’s not the biggest kid in the world, but his bat is big enough.”
Jhosse Estrella
Year: Junior
Position: SS
Notes: Followed up so-so regular season by breaking out in the playoffs with a .500 average and four RBIs and three runs scored. … Smooth shortstop, he can make all the throws.
Droz’s take: “He’s starting to be a little more patient and find the holes. He’s very athletic and has a strong arm. He’s starting to rise to the occasion.”
Julio Velazquez
Year: Senior
Position: DH
Notes: Saw limited playing time until midway through the year and has produced. … Drove in 11 runs in just 30 at-bats during regular season and five during the playoffs while hitting .375. … Played linebacker on the football team last two seasons.
Droz’s take: “He got that one shot, where some other player wasn’t doing well, we put him in, and he succeeded. He’s our No. 1 rah-rah guy. He gets everybody fired up on the bench.”
Felix Fernandez
Year: Senior
Position: Third base
Notes: New to program, his ability to handle third base enabled Ramos to move behind plate. … Has been consistent bat at bottom of lineup, driving in 17 runs. … Has surprising power for his size (5-foot-9, 140 pounds), and can go the other way with authority. … Reliable defender with quick reflexes.
Droz’s take: “In the playoffs he’s come up with some big hits. He’s a very good defensive player.”
Laurence Marsach
Year: Senior
Position: First base/pitcher
Notes: Entered season as the expected ace, but struggled with injury woes and control problems. … Still went 6-0 on mound, but wasn’t used much during second half of season. … Three-year starter, has been through ups and downs with program. … Has excelled in nine-hole, driving in five runs in best-of-three semifinal series against James Madison. … Credited recent success to working on making better contact with coaching staff in batting practice drills.
Droz’s take: “He’s started to be a little more patient, worked on his stance. He’s a lot more comfortable. When you’re more comfortable, you become a lot more confident.”
Frank Ulloa
Year: Senior
Position: Right Field
Notes: Ulloa won’t bat, but will still make a contribution. … Solid defensive player with powerful arm and tracks line drives well. … Threw out runner in finals-clinching win over Madison.
Droz’s take: “With Tyler pitching, it gives us an opportunity to put our best defensive player out there. He just knows how to play right field. He can go back well on balls, come in, he has a strong arm.”
BENCH
Notes: Brandon Colon is Mr. Versatile, a capable pinch-hitter, pinch-runner, and defensive replacement anywhere on the infield. … Dymin Morillo, Lehman’s No. 2 starter, exceeded expectations, going 7-1 on the mound. The southpaw relies on slow stuff, but can pop a fastball from time to time.
Droz’s take: “I’m confident in everyone to do a specific job. The first pinch-hitter will be Colon. He’s a good situation hitter. [If I need a pitcher], it will be Dymin. He won’t show a lot of emotion. He’ll go out there, it will look like he’s not really pumped up, but deep down inside he’s fired up. He does his job.”
COACH
Fiery, intense and no-nonsense, Droz rules with an iron fist. His players, however, like the discilplinarian. He treats them like men, expecting them to act accordingly. Alas, the Lions are tough and strong-willed, one reason they were able to bounce back from so many tough defeats during the regular season.
Droz gradauted from Lehman in 1991, played baseball at Iona College, and became the JV coach in 1997 before taking over for Jim Cunningham, now the John F. Kenendy athletic director, in 2004.
He’s one win away from etching his name in the Lehman record books — the program is still in search of its first baseball title.
“That would be extremely important to me and extremely important to the school and extremely important to the actual players,” Droz said. “It’s important to everyone all around.”