Bonnies Baseball Enters 2026 With Talent To Contend in Atlantic 10

With a host of new players joining the roster this spring, the new season brings the usual optimism that can only accompany this time of year, but perhaps even more so given the influx of talent for St. Bonaventure baseball. 

The newcomers have a mix of experience at different levels – four junior college All-Americans are Bonnies for the first time while four transfers come from four-year schools. A group of six freshmen also round out the roster. 

“The biggest question mark about this team is we don’t have a lot of guys who are proven at the Division I level, guys who are coming back with unbelievable numbers. But we believe in the talent,” Bonnies head coach Jason Rathbun said. “I feel really good about the guys we have brought in. I know we have some guys coming in who don’t have the Division I numbers yet, but we know they can play.”

The Bonnies open up the new slate with four games in two days Feb. 13-14 at UNC Asheville, then make non-conference trips to Middle Tennessee, Navy, Kent State and Marshall before making their way back to the Empire State to play at Binghamton March 10 in the final tune-up before Atlantic 10 play kicks off at George Mason March 13-15. 

PITCHING STAFF
St. Bonaventure comes into the season with a much deeper staff of arms than in recent years, hoping that pays off in improved numbers across the board.

The Bonnies will have to make up for the loss of right-handed starter Michael Salina who, even though he missed much of last season due to injury, was selected in the fourth round of the MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres to become the highest draft pick in program history. 

While early season non-conference action will help solidify staff positioning, the Bonnies enter the season with a good idea of what to expect out of their staff.

“We have three starters with plus stuff,” Rathbun said. “David James’ full arsenal is a four-pitch mix; he competes in the zone and his stuff has electricity to it. Hopefully he is ready to be that Friday guy for us and set the tone. Nolan Feidt has electric stuff, a unique arm slot and can touch 92-94. We’ve seen him grow a lot in a short amount of time. Joey Calabretti is a competitor and when you’re going into a Sunday trying to win a series, that’s the type of guy you’re looking for.”

James made 10 starts and 13 appearances in his Bonnies debut last year, striking out 47 batters over 50 innings. He has experience against the highest level of competition, making starts at Tennessee and Vanderbilt last year along with six starts in A-10 play. As a senior, the Ontario native’s task this year will be overcoming the road block of battling the second and third time through the order where trouble popped up at times last year.

The coaching staff is high on Feidt, a lefty from Niagara County CC who went 4-0 there last year with a 2.73 ERA, striking out 31 in 29.2 innings. 

Calabretti will feature as a two-way player this season, starting on the mound in the series finale of many series after playing first base in the opening two games. He’s a Seton Hall transfer who struck out 12 in 11.2 innings and also played 32 games as a position player. After originally being recruited by the Bonnies in high school, he now joins the program after two seasons playing in the Big East. 

“If those three guys can give us five solid innings apiece, we are going to be in a really good spot,” Rathbun said. 

Part of the reason for that sentiment is the addition of new and old faces to the bullpen who should have the ability to pitch multiple innings when called upon. 

Above, senior relievers Tristan Ciampa and Derek Duval give the Bonnies veteran presences in the bullpen.

Senior Tristan Ciampa returns for his second stint with the Bonnies after serving as the team’s top reliever in 2024 with two wins and five saves in 19 appearances. He struck out 39 in 45.2 innings that spring before transferring to UMass Boston last season. Like many former junior college players, he was awarded an extra year of Division I eligibility for this spring and will don the Brown and White for his final collegiate season.

Another transfer, right-hander Derek Duval comes to Bonaventure as a newcomer to the program, but a familiar face to the coaching staff who recruited him out of his native Rotterdam, N.Y. He made 15 bullpen appearances last year at College of Charleston following a stint at Florence Darlington Technical College where he earned his team’s Reliever of the Year award. 

“They pound the strike zone. Having those two guys at the back end of the bullpen, knowing they can give us three or four innings is huge,” Rathbun said. 

The Bonnies also hope to benefit from a return to form by junior righty James Capellupo who missed much of last season due to injury. Capellupo began last season in the starting rotation before moving to the bullpen where he seemed to find a groove before injury cut his season short.

Junior college southpaw Mark Holm registered a sparkling 1.02 ERA as a freshman in 2024 at Niagara County CC, then helped the program to a 51-2 record and a spot in the NJCAA World Series with a 1.38 ERA and 0.92 WHIP last spring. 

Veteran righty Gilbert Saunders III recorded four wins, a save and a 4.58 ERA in an impressive spring last year out of the Bona bullpen and will be another option this spring. He also produced a team-best 2.92 ERA in nine A-10 games, holding conference hitters to a .239 average against. 

Alex Barger returns for a third season with the program after making 24 appearances over the last two years. 

Junior right-hander Enger Paulino spent last year at Northern Essex CC where he recorded a 3.21 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. He will start games right off the bat during early season southern trips and will have the opportunity to either lock in as a starter or potential long man out of the bullpen. 

Freshman Jack Kelly hails from Rochester and is a projectable arm for the program, either serving as a reliever or midweek starter, and Owen Smith is another young arm coming off a strong summer following a redshirt season last year. 

Ryan Kucy is a converted infielder who pitched well in limited action last year and is a matchup option vs. righties. Lefties Jaxson Ross, Tom Wilkie, Andrew Ayers and Ty Corey also provide southpaw options in the bullpen along with senior Ryan Klementowski and freshman Eamon Giblin. 

CATCHERS
The Bonnies will rely on veteran Antonio Cordeiro as the team’s starter behind the plate this season as he enters his third year with the program.

He’s fresh off an outstanding summer that saw him earn All-Appalachian League accolades after hitting .326/.460/.562 with a .992 OPS for the Danville (Va.) Otterbots. Behind the dish last year, he recorded a .986 fielding percentage and threw out 19 attempted base stealers, the most of any Atlantic 10 catcher.

He will surpass 100 career games played this spring, cracking seven homers and driving in 43 runs over his first two seasons. 

Sophomore Brian Carrothers will serve as the team’s top backup catcher while redshirt junior Ashton Ross will be another option behind the plate. 

Ross figures to get the first crack at being the team’s primary DH after an impressive fall at the plate. 

INFIELDERS
The Bonnies will lose All-Atlantic 10 middle infielder David Marshall who graduated following last season, but they’ll add two junior college All-Americans and a power conference transfer to the mix in 2026.

“We have a very athletic, fast infield,” Rathbun assessed. “We have a bunch of guys who were shortstops in high school. We feel good about it.”

Up the middle, senior Chris Hoalcraft is back for a fourth season with the program and was one of the team’s top hitters last year, posting a .284/.363/.443 slash line with seven homers and a team-high 47 RBIs while starting 48 of the team’s 49 games. He has the ability to play multiple positions and is penciled in at shortstop to begin the year.

At second base, Joey Bruno takes over the starting job after a First Team NJCAA Division II All-America campaign at Lansing CC where he collected 79 RBIs in two seasons and hit .460 with a .537 on-base percentage with just 10 strikeouts last year. He also is a threat on the bases, stealing 30 bases in 33 attempts the last two years. 

Junior Manuel Castro slots at third after a phenomenal All-America season with a .465 average, .806 slugging percentage and .540 on-base for Northern Essex CC last year. The Region 21 Player of the Year, he ranked 10th nationally in batting average with 24 extra-base hits and 53 RBIs along with 34 stolen bases in 39 attempts. He also led the Bonnies at the plate in the fall. 

Calabretti figures to be the regular starter at first when he’s not on the mound and adds a power threat in the middle of the lineup.

Junior college transfers Joey Bruno and Manuel Castro should be impact players in the Bona infield.

Junior Gavin Constantine gives the Bonnies a solid defensive option at both second and short and played in 29 games last year, also recording 12 RBIs at the plate. 

Senior Ryan Kucy could again see time on the infield while both Ashton Ross and Brian Carrothers can play first. The coaching staff is also high on the bat of freshman Christian LaMothe, a California native who hit well in the fall. Fellow freshman Eamon Giblin also adds depth on the infield. 

OUTFIELDERS
The Bonnies will need to replace centerfielder Jayce Tharnish, last year’s top hitter, and his expected replacement, senior transfer Taiga Sakuma who was lost for the year following an injury, but the team still expects solid production from its outfield. 

Redshirt junior Conner Vercollone was a breakout success last year as he led the club with 10 home runs while posting 40 RBIs following a redshirt season. This year, he will slide to left field looking to build on last year’s numbers.

In center, the team has high hopes for yet another junior college All-American transfer, Anthony Fernandez. The Rhode Island native batted .345 with a 1.012 OPS as a sophomore last year at Monroe University and brings a plus-arm, speed and defense to centerfield. He will slot in the No. 3 spot in the lineup, bringing a lefty bat to the Bonnies starting nine.

Right field remains a bit of a battle, but a strong fall from senior Alex Hebenstreit will earn the 6-foot-7 Virginia native the first opportunity at that starting role. He led the team in doubles during the fall and smacked two home runs in limited action last season after jumping from the JUCO ranks. 

Freshman Christopher Florentino impressed during the fall as well and could figure into the right field equation. Hoalcraft has also played there in the past. 

Associate head coach B.J. Salerno ‘09 enters his 13th season on the coaching staff along with Jackson DeJohn ’23 who is in his second season as hitting coach after a graduate assistant role last year. Jackson Root joins the staff as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator this season.

When the Bonnies debut at home, they'll officially open the newly renovated Fred Handler Park at McGraw-Jennings Field. The home of the Bonnies has been undergoing a $1.5 million facelift with improvements including a new backstop and netting system extending down the third base line; bleacher seating with backrests for over 400 fans; ADA accessible seating behind home plate; a two-story press box with enhanced broadcast and media capabilities and updated sound system. When the project is completed this spring, the Bonnies will boast one of the top homes in the Atlantic 10.

Even better to do so with a squad that could make a return to the A-10 Tournament this spring.

“This team is serious about winning," Rathbun said. “We’re excited about what we have.”

Follow the Bonnies at their new home on Twitter - @BonniesBASE. The team is also on Instagram @BonniesBaseball