Kings of the diamond: the high school baseball Daily News Baseball All-Stars
Local athletes made names for themselves with star-studded performances and trophy-towing moments this past spring.
After combing over statistics and results, and with the guidance of local athletic directors and coaches, we at the Daily News selected All-Stars for baseball, softball, boys and girls lacrosse, boys volleyball, boys and girls tennis and boys and girls track and field.
Although the sports and skill sets may vary, there’s no denying that this group put up otherworldly numbers this spring while helping their respective teams find success – whether that be on the diamond, field, court or track.
Without further ado, the Daily News presents its 2023 All-Stars for baseball:
Austin Campbell, Franklin
A Hockomock League All-Star, this junior left-handed pitcher and outfielder went 9-0 with a save while striking out 91 and walking 28 as the Panthers reached the Division 1 state final for a second straight year. Campbell posted a 1.05 ERA in 59.2 innings along the way. “Austin had a monster breakout season for us this year,” said Franklin coach Zach Brown. “He really gave us a solid one to punch with (fellow Daily News All-Star) Alfred (Mucciarone).”
Damien Carter, Milford
This Hockomock League All-Star shined as both a right-handed pitcher and a utility infielder in his junior season, helping lead the Scarlet Hawks to the Division 1 Round of 16. At the plate, Carter hit .379 (25-for-66) with a .529 on-base percentage, six triples, two home runs, 14 RBIs and 25 runs. On the mound, Carter was 5-3 with a 2.62 ERA, striking out 61 and walking 21 over 43 1/3 innings of work.
Charlie Collins, Natick
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Collins befuddled Bay State Conference batters this spring, going 7-2 with 79 strikeouts and a 1.94 ERA over 65 innings pitched. The BSC Carey MVP, batters hit for just a .172 average against the Redhawks’ captain. He also hit .301 with a home run and 16 RBIs. "Charlie was a workhorse on the mound this season, and was a tremendous leader,” said Natick coach Billy Gassett. “He was counted on to pitch in big fans after big game and was a true captain.” Collins is headed to Colby College to play baseball for the Mules.
Evan Cornelius, Milford
A Daily News All-Star in football, Cornelius repeated the feat on the diamond this spring. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Cornelius was effective as a pitcher (46 IP, 87 K, 2.13 ERA) and a hitter (.314 BA, 2 2B, 14 RBIs, 18 R) in helping lead Milford to the Division 1 Round of 16, earning Hockomock League All-Star honors in the process. A Milford Post 59 Legion player as well, Cornelius volunteers at his church. He is headed to Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, where he will play baseball for the Tars.
Connor Cowern, Ashland
A first-team Tri-Valley League All-Star, this senior captain and three-year starter helped lead the Clockers (13-10) to the Division 3 state quarterfinals. The shortstop hit .468 (29-for-62) with six doubles, two home runs and 17 RBIs. He also had an on-base percentage of .534 and a .661 slugging percentage for an OPS of 1.195. Cowern will attend St. Anselm College and play baseball for the Hawks.
Will Fosberg, Natick
This senior catcher was a stable presence behind the plate, earning a second straight Bay State Conference All-Star nod after hitting .344 (21-for-61) with three home runs and 16 RBIs. Fosberg, who attended The Winchendon School for his first two high school years, also threw out 58 percent of runners (14 of 24). "Will was instrumental to the success of the team and the pitching staff,” said Natick coach Billy Gassett. “He caught every inning this season and last, controls the run game the best of any catcher in the state, and has a true passion for the game.” Fosberg will play baseball at Northeastern University.
Luke Frauton, Medway
The football team’s quarterback and hockey team’s center also set the pace for the Mustangs on the diamond this spring, earning Tri-Valley League All-Star honors as a senior lefthanded pitcher and outfielder. In addition to hitting .417 with 16 stolen bases and OPS of 1.054 and earning TVL Defensive MVP, Frauton struck out 55 batters over 45 innings pitched, posting a 2.17 ERA. The two-time TVL All-Star (as well as TVL football All-Star) was also a two-year baseball captain for Medway. Frauton heads to Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), where he will study data science and play baseball for the Engineers.
Jake Haarde, Lincoln-Sudbury
The junior shortstop and captain and returning Daily News All-Star was dynamite again this spring, hitting .420 (34-for-81, 3rd in DCL Thorpe) with a league-leading 24 runs, 15 RBIs (t-4th in DCL Thorpe) and a league-high 18 steals to earn Dual County League All-League honors, given to the top 13 players. For his L-S career, Haarde has batted .402 with 46 runs and 35 RBIs while starting every game the last two years. He is also a returning DCL All-Star as a football wide receiver/cornerback, and hopes to play college baseball.
Cooper Hagen, Westborough
The 6-foot-2, 160-pound left-handed pitcher kept batters guessing this spring, racking up 75 strikeouts and 24 walks in 52 1/3 innings while posting a 1.61 ERA. A team captain and first-team Mid-Wach A All-Star, Hagen also was a reliable center fielder when not pitching for the Rangers, providing a dependable middle-of-the-order bat. “In my opinion, Cooper was the best pitcher in our league this season,” said Rangers coach Scott Kittredge. “Considering the quality of Mid-Wach A overall and the depth of talent on the mound, that’s no small feat.” Hagen will continue his baseball career at St. Anselm College.
Nick Larche, Holliston
The senior third baseman earned a second straight first-team Tri-Valley League All-Star nod, batting .479 (35-for-73) with a.587 on-base percentage, 26 RBIs, 26 runs and 15 stolen bases. In three years on varsity, Larche collected 75 hits and 50 RBIs while batting .380. He was a four-year varsity football player and two-year varsity football starter as well. “Nick was one of the best hitters in the league and a huge reason we were able to win a TVL title,” said Holliston coach Joe Santos. Larche will head to Penn State University to study civil engineering with eyes on getting a job for a contractor or a construction company.
Ryan Maiorano, Bellingham
The two-time Tri-Valley League Small Pitcher of the Year and first-team TVL All-Star, Maiorano posted a 1.17 earned run average, striking out 60 batters in 36 innings for the Blackhawks. At the plate, he batted .311 with two home runs and eight stolen bases. A three-year varsity player, Maiorano posted a 1.56 ERA in 80 2/3 total innings while striking out 146 batters and posting a career batting average himself of .324. The class secretary and National Honor Society member who helps with Unified Basketball, Maiorano will head to Fairfield University, where he will study business analytics and play baseball.
Alfred Mucciarone, Franklin
A returning Daily News All-Star, the UMass Lowell-bound senior saved his best for last in a Panthers uniform. Mucciarone went 8-1 with a save while striking out 102 and walking 15 as Franklin reached a second straight Division 1 state final. He finished with a 1.24 ERA in 67 2/3 innings, thus finishing his high school career 19-3 with 186 Ks, 32 BBs and a 1.59 ERA in 153 2/3 innings. “A tremendous leader on and off the field,” said Franklin coach Zach Brown. “Highly decorated career and will be greatly missed.”
Ryan Reynolds, Hopedale
Name an accolade, and the Blue Raiders’ lefthanded pitcher and center fielder earned it this spring while helping Hopedale reach the Division 5 state quarterfinals. The Dual Valley Conference Player of the Year to go with Hopedale team MVP, Reynolds batted .405 with seven doubles, four triples, 28 runs, 20 RBIs and 19 steals in 20 chances. He also posted a 2.79 ERA while going 3-3 in 42 2/3 innings on the mound, picking off 11 runners at first base in the process. His coach, Kevin Bresciani, called Reynolds “one of the best high school outfielders I have ever seen.”
Tade Riordan, Blackstone Valley Tech
The senior pitcher and center fielder was an all-around dynamo in earning his second straight Colonial Athletic League All-Star nod. On the mound, Riordan went 5-3 while striking out 49 and posting a 1.79 ERA in 50 2/3 innings. Offensively he hit .458 with two home runs, 13 extra-base hits, 18 RBIs, 26 runs and 18 steals. “Tade is a dynamic two-way player,” said BVT coach John Burke. “He is a special talent.” A member of the Worcester Bravehearts this summer, Riordan will play Division I baseball at New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Anthony Ruggiero, Nipmuc
A Dual Valley Conference All-Star, the junior Ruggiero batted .361 (22-for-61) while smacking five home runs with 20 RBIs for the Warriors, who went 13-9 in reaching the Division 3 state tournament. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound centerfielder has already committed to play baseball at Northeastern University. “I’ve been around high school baseball in this area a really long time and I don’t think I’ve seen a prettier left-handed swing,” said Nipmuc coach Anthony Leonelli this spring. “He has that prototypical pretty, Ken Griffey (Jr.) type of swing. It’s really fun to watch.”
Charlie Simulis, Hopkinton
This first-team Tri-Valley League All-Star and team MVP, this senior infielder and pitcher led the Hillers to a 14-7 mark and the No. 4 seed in the Division 2 state tournament. A three-year varsity player who suited up for Nokona Baseball, Simulis also played for the Hillers’ golf team. An umpire and a food runner at Hopkinton’s Start Line Brewery in the summer, Simulis is heading to Clemson University where he will be studying business.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Shining on the baseball field, the 16 All-Stars for spring 2023
