Grand Street’s Gerry Gonzalez will get the ball Friday night against George Washington. (William Thomas)
PSAL baseball beat writer Zach Braziller breaks down the second-seeded Grand Street Campus Wolves in advance of Friday’s Class A championship game at MCU Park in Coney Island.
Grand Street Campus
Nickname: Wolves
Head coach: Melvin Martinez
Record: 20-1, Brooklyn A East
Batting order: CF Basael (Ralphy) McDonald, 2B Eli Rodriguez, SS Jose Cuas, C Kevin Martir, 3B Ernesto Lopez, 1B Kelvin Flores, P Gerry Gonzalez, RF Santo Duran, LF Charlie Garcia
Key reserves/pitchers: P Alex Cuas, P Miguel Rodriguez, IF/OF Dari Rodriguez and P/IF Justin Liriano
Team notes: Making its first finals appearance in program history. … Won Brooklyn A East division crown for second straight year after being moved from Queens A West as part of realignment … Alma mater of New York Yankees Triple-A pitcher Dellin Betances and Boston Red Sox minor league Willams Jerez.…. Swept No. 6 John Adams, 13-4 and 8-4, in the PSAL Class A semifinals, knocked off No. 7 James Monroe, 4-2, in the quarterfinals, No. 15 Taft, 4-1 in the second round, and No. 31 Environmental Studies, 7-2, in the first round.
SCOUTING REPORT
(from league coach under condition of anonymity)
“Those guys are playing with a lot of confidence. Every year it was something else, but they finally got past [the semifinals]. … The top seven [in their lineup] is really tough. The Xaverian guy [transfer Kevin] Martir, I would stay away from him. He killed Adams. You can pitch to some of the other guys. … You better get the first kid [Basael McDonald out]. He’s an automatic triple. … [Gerry] Gonzalez can do well against [George Washington]. He mixes his pitches up and he throws harder than you think.”
PLAYER CAPSULES
Basael (Ralphy) McDonald
Year: Junior
Position: Center fielder
Notes: Third-year starter. … Blazing-fast with surprising power – as his nine extra-base hits illustrate – he stole 42 bases this year, six more than his total a year ago. … Moved to center field this spring and has anchored the Grand Street outfield.
Martinez’s take: “He is the sparkplug of the team. He’s just unbelievable. He’s like a Jose Reyes. He steals bases, hits line drives in the gaps. He takes over the game with his speed. Defensively, he can rob you. He’ll definitely be the No. 1 player in the city next year.”
Eli Rodriguez
Year: Sophomore
Position: Second baseman
Notes: Son of former Major League pitcher Frank Rodriguez. … One of the better sophomores in the city, Rodriguez has surprising pop for his size. … Has struggled in the playoffs, batting just .250, but drove in 21 runs, scored 22 times and stole 22 bases during a surprisingly productive regular season. … Selfless player happy to move runners over but also capable of knocking them in.
Martinez’s take: “He’s one of those players who gets overlooked. Everyone’s so worried about Jose Cuas, Kevin Martir, Ernesto Lopez and he can actually hurt you. He has a lot of power and he can be the secret weapon of the team.”
Jose Cuas
Year: Senior
Position: Shortstop
Notes: Four-year starter who has signed with Maryland. … Toronto Blue Jays took him in 40th round of MLB First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday, but he is unlikely to sign. … Had five RBIs in PSAL Class A semifinal-clinching victory over John Adams. … Sure-handed 6-foot-4 shortstop with impressive range and strong arm.
Martinez’s take: “He’s a five-tool player. He can beat you offensively, he can beat you defensively, and he has a high baseball IQ.”
Kevin Martir
Year: Senior
Position: Catcher/third baseman
Notes: Like Cuas, has signed with Maryland. … Transferred from Xaverian in the fall. … Could be rare player to win a CHSAA Class AA and PSAL Class A city championship in back-to-back seasons. … After solid regular season, has enjoyed big postseason, with a pair of home runs in semifinal sweep of John Adams. … Tied for team lead in home runs with Ernesto Lopez at five.
Martinez’s take: “Big power bat, very intimidating, and he’s very, very aggressive. He’s filled the four-hole beautifully when we lost Williams Jerez.” .
Ernesto Lopez
Year: Senior
Position: Catcher/third baseman
Notes: Four-year starter like Cuas, won PSAL Class A triple crown .610 batting average, 26 RBIs and five home runs. … Has signed with JUCO Louisiana State University-Eunice. … Has split catching duties with Martir and shown a quality club at third base when not behind the plate. …. Will be the PSAL Wingate award winner, given to each sport’s top senior, according to Martinez.
Martinez’s take: “Probably the most overlooked great talent in New York City. He won the [PSAL Class A] triple crown, he won the Wingate Award – he deserves it.”
Kelvin Flores
Year: Junior
Position: First baseman
Notes: Improving hitter in first year as starter. … Batted just .270 during regular season, but did notch 14 RBIs, an impressive ratio. … Smooth defender at first base.
Martinez’s take: “He’s definitely going to be my cleanup hitter next year. He’s a big lefty, he’s a power bat. He’s gotten some big hits for us.”
Gerry Gonzalez
Year: Senior
Position: Pitcher/designated hitter
Notes: Committed to Louisiana State University-Eunice along with Lopez. … Staff ace and a lethal bat down in the order. … In second year at Grand Street after transferring from Xaverian. … Became pitcher rather than thrower this spring, relying on an assortment of pitchers.
Martinez’s take: “Gerry’s dangerous. He batted .550 this season. If any pitcher makes a mistake, he’ll hit a bomb. He could easily be batting third, fourth or fifth for any other ‘A’ division team.”
Santo Duran
Year: Junior
Position: Right fielder
Notes: Hits to all fields and batted .423 during regular season. … Has gotten big hits in the playoffs, including five RBIs in semifinal sweep of John Adams.
Martinez’s take: “He has unbelievable speed. Next year he’ll be my second hitter. He’s an amazing defensive player and he also gets big hits. Another sleeper.”
Charlie Garcia
Year: Junior
Position: Right fielder
Notes: Speedy outfielder and slap hitter. … First-year-starter.
Martinez’s take: “He’s a scrappy player. He fits in nicely in the nine-hole for us.”
PITCHING
Notes: Gerry Gonzalez will get the start Friday. He’s been the team’s pitcher, going 5-0 and winning twice this postseason. … Sophomore Alex Cuas has gotten over elbow problems and will be asked to close. … Left-hander Miguel Rodriguez lost 15 pounds from the fall to the spring and compiled a 6-0 record.
Martinez’s take: “Gerry’s been our money man the whole year. Alex Cuas been good since he was a freshman last year. He threw a great game after not throwing for three weeks against Monroe [in the quarterfinals]. Than we have Miguel Rodriguez, who we pitched against weak teams before we lost Willy Santana to academic [ineligibility], and has really pitched well. He has good pop on his fastball.”
COACH
He finally got past his semifinal demons last weekend in his fourth attempt, as Grand Street swept John Adams. Martinez, who played at St. Francis College, has always fielded talented teams, but his clubs often underachieved in the playoffs.
This one hasn’t – it’s peaking at the right time. Martinez deserves at least some of the credit. He didn’t let the Wolves panic after a league-opening loss to Midwood and the result was 20 straight wins against PSAL foes. He integrated Martir into this group well and showed faith in Miguel Rodriguez early in the year, which paid off later on when Santana was lost to grades.