Here's where 7 Seacoast baseball stars are as MLB teams open spring training in 2024

Pitchers and catchers have reported to Major League Baseball spring training camps across the state of Florida and in Arizona. Full-team workouts begin in earnest next week for the upcoming 2024 season.

Over the years, the Seacoast has sent its share of talented into the professional ranks.

Here's a look at seven baseball players who honed their skills across Seacoast baseball fields over the years.

St. Thomas Aquinas High School graduate Ryan McKenna is preparing for his 10th season in the Baltimore Orioles organization.

Currently, Sam Fuld of Durham is in the front office of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Portsmouth High School teammates Mike Fransoso and Mike Montville are minor-league hitting coaches.

Former Exeter High School teammates Cody Morissette and Ben Malgeri are chasing down their dreams of reaching the big leagues and advanced to the Double-A level last summer.

And Quinn McDaniel, a 2020 graduate of Marshwood High School, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants last summer and began his professional career.

Mike Fransoso, hitting coach, Arkansas Travelers, Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners

Fransoso, a 2009 graduate of Portsmouth High School, is in Peoria, Arizona, to begin his fifth season coaching in the Seattle Mariners organization.

Fransoso helped Portsmouth High School to undefeated Division II championships as a junior and senior, and was part of the program's national-record 89-game win streak. He spent last year as hitting coach with the Everett AquaSox in Everett, Washington, the High-A affiliate of the Mariners.

This year, Fransoso, who starred at the University of Maine, makes the jump to Double-A, where he will serve as hitting coach for the Arkansas Travelers in the Texas League. He has moved up one level in each of his years with the Mariners.

“I've had the same core of players for three of four years,” Fransoso said. “It’s exciting to move up the ladder and see the development of these players. We have an exciting group to work with. Hopefully, a few of them will crack into the big leagues this year.”

Fransoso, now 33, joined the Mariners organization in 2019 after retiring from a seven-year professional baseball career.

“The Mariners are a first-class organization in every sense of the word,” said Fransoso, a 2013 draft pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates. “They have really great people in the organization that not only cares about the players, but the staff. We’re doing some great stuff on the field.”

Bleacher Report ranked the Seattle Mariners minor league system as the ninth best in baseball at the end of last season.

“Our minor league system has been really, really good the last few years, and it’s continuing to get better,” Fransoso said. “Hopefully, these guys are going to have an impact on bringing a World Series to Seattle in the future.”

Fransoso played for three seasons in the Pirates organization, reaching the High-A level. He then played for the Rockland Boulders in the independent Can-Am League, and with the Somerset Patriots in the Atlantic before hip injuries forced him to stop playing at the age of 29.

He still has the “ultimate goal” of getting to the highest ranks of professional baseball.

“Obviously, I didn’t get there as a player, but now I am trying to take that same journey as a coach,” Fransoso said. “Ultimately, for now, it’s about helping these guys achieve their dreams to get to the big leagues and help the big league team win.”

Sam Fuld, general manager, Philadelphia Phillies

Fuld, 42, was named the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies prior to the start of the 2021 season, and is entering his fourth season in that role. The Phillies, in December 2022, extended Fuld's contract through the 2025 season.

Under Fuld, Philadelphia advanced to the World Series in 2022, falling to the Houston Astros in six games. It was the eighth time the Phillies advanced to the World Series, and their first since consecutive appearances in 2008 and 2009.

After an eight-year MLB career with four teams — the Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins — Fuld was hired by the Phillies at the end of 2017 as their major league player information coordinator. A new role was introduced in 2020, which had Fuld leading the Integrated Baseball Performance Department.

Fuld, a Durham native, played for Phillips Exeter Academy and Stanford University before embarking on his pro career.

Ben Malgeri, outfielder, Erie SeaWolves, Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers

Malgeri, who helped the Exeter High School baseball team to Division I state championships in 2017 and 2018, is ready for his fourth season in the Detroit Tigers organization.

“I stuck to the pretty solid routine I’ve had the past couple of off-seasons, getting my lifts in, getting my legs going, and hitting six days a week;” said Malgeri, who has been in Lakeland, Florida, for the past week ahead of Sunday’s official reporting day. “Just trying to keep the body and mind in shape going into spring training. I am feeling better than I’ve ever had and I am ready for the next season.”

Malgeri spent the majority of the 2023 season with the Erie SeaWolves, the Tigers’ Double-A affiliate in the Eastern League.

After spending the first 29 games with the Western Michigan Whitecaps in High-A, Malgeri was promoted to Erie.

He batted .233 with 13 home runs with 34 RBIs over 99 games, helping the SeaWolves to their first Eastern League championship.

“I thought my numbers were better than 2022, but certainly not my best,” said Malgeri, who played all three outfield positions last year, but mostly in right. “I am looking to improve on (those numbers) this year. I don’t necessarily want to give specific numbers to aim for, I just want to take it one pitch at a time and compete every single day.

“At times I get too caught up in the numbers, opposed to going out there and playing the game,” Malgeri said. “My goal this year is to take one pitch at a time, battle every pitch and whatever the numbers are at the end of the year that’s what they'll be.”

Malgeri turned 24 in January, and he knows this is an important summer for him.

“It’s definitely an important season, but every season is,” Malgeri said. “I am going to treat this year like any other year and play my game.”

Malgeri was selected by the Tigers in the 18th round of the 2021 draft, and expects to start the season back with Erie.

“Really no telling, but I would expect to start there,” Malgeri said. “Wherever they tell me to go, I’am going to go and play. (Playing professional baseball) is definitely surreal at times, but it’s always where I expected to be, and I expect to take it further.”

Erie will have a 10-game road trip to Portland and Manchester in the beginning of August.

Malgeri would love to play in both cities, located within an hour of his childhood home in Stratham. But he also would love to take that next step toward the major leagues and be in Triple-A Toledo by then.

Quinn McDaniel, infielder, San Jose Giants, Low-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants

McDaniel, a 2020 graduate of Marshwood High School, got a taste of professional baseball last summer after the Giants drafted him in the fifth round. Now, he's ready for his first full season.

“I am super pumped,” McDaniel said. “I am ready to go and I am excited to get out there and play again,”

McDaniel was assigned to the San Jose Giants, the organization’s Low-A team after being drafted. He held his own, appearing in 93 games and batting .258 with six home runs, 19 RBIs and eight stolen bases.

“It was a great experience,” said McDaniel from the Giants’ spring training complex in Scottsdale, Arizona. “There were some ups and downs. I started off hot, and cooled down for a bit. Overall, it was definitely a great experience.

“I always knew I belonged and truly think I can compete with the best,” McDaniel said. “Physically, it took a little bit of time to adjust to the speed of the game, but other than that I felt like I belonged every day.”

McDaniel expects he’ll start this season either back at San Jose or at High-A Eugene in Oregon. McDaniel has put on about 10 pounds in the offseason and is now around 185 pounds after starting his professional career at 170.

“I feel the strongest I’ve ever have,” said McDaniel, who predominantly played second base last season and expects to be back there with maybe a little center field this year.

Ryan McKenna, Baltimore Orioles, outfielder

McKenna, a 2015 graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas who was selected by the Orioles in the fourth round shortly after his high school graduation, is coming off this third season in the big leagues with the Orioles. McKenna, a reserve outfielder for most of his MLB career, appeared in 89 games in the regular season.

The Orioles won the American League East last year with a record of 101-61, and were swept by the Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series. McKenna, who was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk in the final week of the regular season, was not on the postseason roster.

Although not active roster, McKenna was in the Baltimore dugout during its season-ending series against the Rangers, who went on to win the World Series.

McKenna enjoyed success last season with the resurgent Orioles, posting career highs in several categories, including batting average (.254), on-base percentage (.316), slugging (.677), RBIs (18), and stolen bases (five).

McKenna is under contract with the Orioles for the upcoming season, and will have a chance to earn a roster spot with Baltimore.

Mike Montville, hitting coach, Norfolk Tides, Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles

Mike Montville, after three years with the Worcester Red Sox, was named the hitting coach of the Norfolk Tides, the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.

“It’s an exciting time to wear orange,” said Montville, a 2010 graduate of Portsmouth High School, where he was part of the baseball program’s national record 89-game win streak and was twice named New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year. “The Orioles have done a great job (with their minor league system), and for them to put some trust in me to put me in the position they did is exciting. I am really looking forward to it.”

Montville, who helped lead Portsmouth High School to Division II state championships in 2008, 2009 and 2010, is excited for a fresh start with a new organization.

“There are some things you can’t control, and there’s turnover at times,” Montville said. “I feel it was a hard situation for me at first (with leaving the Red Sox). But it turned into a really good positive thing for me. I think this is going to be really, really good for me.”

Cody Morissette, infielder, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins

Morissette, a 2018 graduate of Exeter High School, is healthy and ready to get back to being the player the Marlins saw when they drafted him in the second round out of Boston College in the 2021 MLB Draft.

Morissette broke his right ankle on a foul ball in his 84th and-final game in 2022 with the Beloit Sky Carps, the Marlins’ High-A affiliate. The injury not only delayed his promotion to Double-A Jupiter that season, but lingered through the offseason and into the start of the 2023 season.

Morissette was assigned to High-A Jupiter at the start of the season as he worked his way back. Just 59 at-bats into the season, Morissette was promoted to Double-A Pensacola, where he spent the rest of the season.

Still feeling the effects of a surgically repaired right ankle, Morissette batted .223 while hitting 16 home runs and driving in 52.

The highlight of Morissette's season last summer was hitting for the cycle, in front of his mother, Kristen, who was in attendance for the first time in his professional career.

“Crazy how baseball works sometimes,” he said after going 4-for-6 with three RBIs in Pensacola’s 12-9 win. “First time seeing the parents since January, my mom’s first time seeing me play professionally, and I hit for the cycle.”

Now, fully healthy and coming off a winter offseason program, which added 10 to 12 pounds of muscle, Morissette is ready to put the last two years behind him.

“I am finally healthy, and I feel like I am back to being the baseball player I was before the injury,” said Morissette, who has been at the Marlins spring training complex in Jupiter for the past two weeks. “I had to deal with a lot of the ups and downs of that injury last year. My ankle feels good and I feel like myself again, that’s the biggest thing. I am healthy and ready to go.”

Morissette has been taking groundballs at both second and third base so far this spring.

“I want to keep my versatility open and continue to get better at those positions,” Morissette said. “I am excited for (2024). I really had a good offseason.”

Now 24, Morissette feels this is a “big year” for him.

“I definitely dealt with some injuries and some struggles last year,” Morissette said. “Mentally and physically, I am ready to go. We all want to make it to the big leagues, and this year if I go out and do what I can that I’ll put myself in a good position to have an opportunity.”

Morissette said he hasn’t felt this good since right before he broke his ankle.

“I started to figure it out, and I hit a foul ball off my ankle, and the next thing you know I am getting surgery,” Morissette said. “Now, I feel like I did two years ago, and I am really excited for that. I just want to go out there, compete, and get back to the baseball player I know that I can be, I know that I am.

“The last couple of years I struggled, and I am not afraid to admit that,” Morissette continued. “(This year) I just want to go out there each day, enjoy the journey, enjoy  competing, and be the baseball player hat I know I am.”

Morissette played in 119 games last season during his time at Jupiter and Pensascola. He played the final 104 games with Pensacola, and that’s most likely where he’ll start this season.

“Nothing is guaranteed,” Morissette said. “I am just down here working out, hoping to get some opportunities and earn a spot in Double-A again, go there and prove myself.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: 7 Seacoast baseball stars start spring training in 2024