Staten Island, NY | Head Coach Michael Mauro and the College of Staten Island baseball program is proud to announce the celebratory signing of Smithtown High School West senior Alex Gross. The pitcher is expected to come in and lend an immediate impact on the hill in time for the 2018-19 season.
A star on the Junior Varsity and Varsity baseball levels while at SHSW, Gross was recently named an All-League player with the Bulls. He is expected to be a valuable part of the Dolphins’ rotation and bullpen according to the coaching staff, as he comes with a great deal of experience at the high school level, logging over 135 career innings of work. He is very excited to be joining the Dolphin’ staff.
“I chose the College of Staten Island because it is close to the city and my dad’s old neighborhood in Brooklyn, and because I see the excellent work ethic of the team and the organization,” he said. “When I met Coach Mauro, Coach Daddio, and the Athletic Director Charles Gomes for the first time, I felt at home and like I was already part of a family.”
Gross, an Honor Roll student all four quarters during his junior and senior years, has had a tremendous baseball career to date. He has started 28 games with the Bulls, going 12-10 all-time with a 2.01 ERA, registering 114 strikeouts next to just 35 walks over his career. Alongside his play with the Bulls, he is a member of the Smithtown Storm baseball club and before that he played for the TNT Nationals in Long Island. His vast experience and his approach on the mound is something that has his coaching staff is very keen on.
“We got to see Alex on video two years ago and Pitching Coach Pat Daddio went to watch him throw and we feel he can step right in today and help our staff,” said Mauro. “He’s a big kid who throws three different pitches with great poise and control. He doesn’t walk a lot of batters and I envision him coming in and helping us right away. He’s a great kid who we looking very forward to being a part of our program.”
The son of Lawrence and Susan Gross, Alex has an older brother Tyler, who was a four-year varsity swimmer and, and younger brother, Ryan.
The Dolphins are coming off of an 18-16 campaign in 2018, one that came with a fourth-straight CUNYAC Championship, a feat accomplished for only the second time in CUNYAC history. They are bringing in one of their biggest freshmen classes in 2018-19, making up for the absence of six graduating seniors.
