Baseball
The Jesuit baseball program has a tradition of excellence that includes six state titles (1994, 1997, 2000, 2014, 2019 [pictured at right], and 2022 [pictured below]), dozens of District and Region titles, and several nationally ranked teams, including the 1997 National Champions. Hundreds of alumni have played baseball collegiately and professionally, including Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Al Lopez Sr. '27, legendary New York Yankee Lou Piniella '61, and recent major leaguers Sam Dyson '06, Joe Hudson '09, Lance McCullers '12, Kevin Quackenbush '07, and Shane Robinson '03. (See below for a full listing of Tigers in MLB.)
In 2011, Jesuit began playing at gorgeous Paul Straub Field at Hyer Family Park. The facility features the Joseph Capitano Sr. '56 Trophy Hall and was named Field of the Year by the National High School Baseball Coaches Association. Prior to the 2015 season, former University of Tampa star Miguel Menendez was named head coach, and he enters his 9th season in 2023.
In 2022, the Tigers captured their sixth State Championship, and their second under Menendez (2019), with a 6-0 victory over Eau Gallie at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers. The Tigers had defeated Hollins (16-1) in the Region Final and Naples (5-2) in the State Semifinal. Pitcher Wes Mendes '23 (10-1, 1.16 ERA, team-leading batting average .422) was named Class 5A Player of the Year, as Menendez was named Class 5A Coach of the Year. Mendes also was named a 1st Team All American by the National High School Baseball Coaches Association, the only junior named to the 1st Team.
Jesuit completed 2022 ranked No. 17 nationally by Perfect Game, finishing 24-8 overall after a scorching final stretch to the season. The Tigers won their last nine games while outscoring their opponents by 8.5 runs per game, a +76 run differential in that span.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
* Twitter: @JesuitBaseball
* Instagram: @jesuit_tigers_baseball
* Livestream: on Twitter @JesuitStreaming
* Also, download the GameChanger app for pitch-by-pitch action of each game
ROSTERS
*For the most updated schedules check the website Athletic Calendar*
Jesuit Baseball 2022 Varsity roster
| # | NAME | YEAR | POSITION | THROWS | BATS | HEIGHT | WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clay Thompson | 2023 | OF | R | R | 6' 1" | 160 |
| 2 | Jack Martinez | 2022 | INF | R | R | 5' 10" | 170 |
| 3 | AJ Nessler | 2022 | INF | R | L | 5' 9" | 185 |
| 4 | McCall Biemiller | 2024 | LHP | L | R | 6' 2" | 165 |
| 5 | Josh Hines | 2023 | C | R | R | 5' 10" | 175 |
| 7 | John Abraham | 2023 | RHP | R | R | 6' 2" | 195 |
| 8 | Jackson Hartland | 2022 | INF | R | R | 5' 10" | 190 |
| 9 | Carter French | 2022 | OF/LHP | L | L | 6' 3" | 180 |
| 10 | Mikey Clifford | 2023 | INF | R | R | 6' 0" | 160 |
| 11 | Wes Mendes | 2023 | OF/LHP | L | R | 6' 1" | 185 |
| 12 | Bryce Fraga | 2023 | C | R | R | 5' 10" | 150 |
| 13 | Jamie Arnold | 2022 | LHP | L | L | 6' 2" | 180 |
| 14 | Deuce Guggino | 2022 | INF | R | L | 5' 7" | 155 |
| 16 | Aden Knowles | 2024 | RHP | R | R | 6' 2" | 190 |
| 19 | Brooks Chamberlin | 2023 | RHP | R | R | 6' 4" | 185 |
| 21 | Jalen Smith | 2022 | 1B | R | R | 6' 3" | 230 |
| 22 | Drew Hunt | 2022 | RHP | R | R | 6' 4" | 190 |
| 24 | Jake Kulikowski | 2023 | OF | L | L | 6' 0" | 185 |
| 25 | Ryan Denison | 2022 | RHP | R | R | 6' 4" | 220 |
| 27 | Jacob Lozano | 2024 | INF | R | R | 5' 10" | 155 |
| 31 | Grant Jordan | 2023 | INF | R | R | 5' 10" | 175 |
| 32 | Preston Shembekar | 2022 | RHP | R | R | 5' 10" | 180 |
| 33 | Zane Pestalozzi | 2024 | OF | R | R | 6' 2" | 180 |
| 34 | D.J. Pirela | 2024 | OF | R | R | 5' 9" | 150 |
| 35 | Jake Rupp | 2022 | 1B | L | L | 6' 4" | 220 |
Jesuit Baseball 2022 JV roster
| # | NAME | YEAR | POSITION | THROWS | BATS | HEIGHT | WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Will Burke | 2024 | INF/P | R | R | 5' 9" | 150 |
| 2 | Jack Clark | 2024 | OF/INF | R | R | 5' 11" | 150 |
| 3 | Jack Earnest | 2024 | OF/INF | R | R | 6' 2" | 170 |
| 4 | Creighton Koontz | 2024 | OF/INF | R | R | 6' 2" | 185 |
| 5 | Chris Hemmings | 2025 | P/OF | R | R | 6' 0" | 170 |
| 7 | Max Hunt | 2025 | P/OF | R | R | 6' 4" | 185 |
| 8 | Jackson Thomas | 2024 | OF | R | R | 5' 11" | 170 |
| 9 | Omar Morris | 2024 | OF | L | R | 6' 0" | 170 |
| 10 | Dean Spoto | 2024 | INF | R | R | 5' 8" | 150 |
| 11 | Justin Marshall | 2024 | C/1B | R | R | 6' 1" | 185 |
| 12 | Mason Miller | 2024 | P | R | R | 6' 1" | 170 |
| 14 | Dalton Townsend | 2024 | P | R | R | 6' 2" | 185 |
| 16 | Ryan Thompson | 2025 | P | L | L | 6' 0" | 160 |
| 17 | Jonny Sosnowski | 2024 | P | R | R | 6' 1" | 200 |
| 19 | Yvan Douglas | 2023 | C/1B | R | R | 5' 11" | 185 |
| 20 | Davis Stine | 2024 | P | R | R | 6' 2" | 195 |
| 27 | Vincent DeCarlo | 2025 | C/INF | R | R | 5' 11" | 170 |
| 31 | Ryan Kulikowski | 2024 | P | L | L | 5' 9" | 170 |
| 33 | Nick Deakin | 2025 | P/1B | R | R | 6' 4" | 190 |
COACHING STAFF
Varsity Head Coach
Miguel Menendez, mmenendez@jesuittampa.org
Varsity Assistant Coaches
Louie Martinez, Tim Nalls '97, Eric Sims '95, Ryan Stanley '02, Mike Swenson, Brian Tollberg
JV Head Coach
Carmelo LoSauro '10, closauro@jesuittampa.org
JV Assistant Coaches
Carm LoSauro, Michael Swenson '17
TIGERS IN THE SHOW - 13 JESUIT ALUMNI HAVE PLAYED MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Sam Dyson ’06 made 71 appearances out of the bullpen in 2018 for the San Francisco Giants with a 4-3 record and 2.81 ERA. In seven big league seasons with four teams, Dyson has 312 appearances with 57 saves and a 3.45 ERA, the best ERA of any Jesuit alumnus in MLB.
Joe Hudson ’09 became the 13th Jesuit High School alumnus to play major league baseball in 2018, as a catcher with the Los Angeles Angels. Hudson became the 5th Jesuit Tiger active in MLB during the 2018 season.
Al Lopez ’27 is the only Jesuit alumnus in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, inducted in 1977 as the first Tampa native in the Hall. Lopez played 19 big league seasons with four teams from 1928-47 and held the MLB record for most games as a catcher, 1,918. He managed the Indians and White Sox for 17 seasons, winning the pennant in both Cleveland and Chicago and finishing second 10 times.
Dave Magadan ’80 played 16 major league seasons with seven teams, including the first seven with the New York Mets, from 1986-2001, playing in the playoffs in 1988 with the Mets. Magadan, who played 3rd and 1st base, has the highest on-base percentage (.390) and OPS (.767) of all Jesuit alums to play MLB.
Sam Marsonek ’96 played in one major league game, with the New York Yankees in 2004, allowing two hits and no runs in 1 1/3 innings vs. the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on July 11, the day after his 26th birthday, finishing off a 10-3 New York victory in Yankee Stadium.
Lance McCullers ’12 had a 10-6 record in 22 starts with a 3.93 ERA in 2018 for the 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros. McCullers, who was instrumental in helping pitch the Astros to the championship in 2017, has a 29-22 record (his .570 winning percentage is tops among Jesuit alums in MLB) in 80 career starts with a 3.69 ERA, all with the Astros.
Jason Michaels ’94 played 11 major league seasons with four teams – the first five with the Philadelphia Phillies – from 2001-11. Primarily a leftfielder, Michaels appeared in the 2007 postseason with the Cleveland Indians. He ranks second among Jesuit alumni in MLB on-base percentage (.335), slugging percentage (.407), and OPS (.742).
Lou Piniella ’61 played 18 MLB seasons, including 11 with the New York Yankees. He ranks first among Jesuit alums in MLB home runs (102), doubles (305), RBI (766), and average (.291), with a .305 postseason average. Piniella had a stellar 23-year managerial career that includes a World Series title with Cincinnati in 1990 and a historic 116-win season with Seattle in 2001.
Kevin Quackenbush ’07 played the previous four seasons (2014-17) with the San Diego Padres, and in 2018 made 10 appearances as a relief pitcher with the Cincinnati Reds. Quackenbush has 203 career MLB pitching appearances (all out of the bullpen) and a 4.38 ERA.
Brad Radke ’91 pitched for 12 big league seasons, all with the Minnesota Twins, and is a member of the Twins’ Hall of Fame. A model of consistency, Radke won 11 or more games 10 times, pitched 200+ innings 9 times, and was a 20-game winner in 1997. He holds most of the pitching records for Jesuit alumni in MLB.
Shane Robinson ’03 played 25 games in the outfield in 2018 for the New York Yankees. In his 9th big league season on his 4th team, Robinson played in the postseason in 2012 and 2013 with the St. Louis Cardinals, hitting a home run in the 2013 National League Championship Series.
Ken Suarez ’61 played seven seasons in the big leagues, primarily as a catcher, with the Kansas City Athletics (2), Cleveland Indians (3), and Texas Rangers (2) from 1966-73. His best season was his last, when he played in 93 games and had 11 doubles among his 69 hits in 278 at bats. For his career he played in 295 games.
Marc Valdes ’90 pitched from 1995-2001 with the Florida Marlins, Montreal Expos, Houston Astros, and Atlanta Braves. He joined the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999-2000 but did not make an MLB appearance. Made 144 career MLB appearances, including 22 starts, and his best season was 1997 with Montreal, 4-4 with a 3.13 ERA.