Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Stetson University Athletics

Scoreboard

Tickets, donate, shop

fall baseball signees

Baseball Ricky Hazel, Associate AD

Stetson Baseball Inks Dandy Dozen During Fall Signing Period

Hatter Chatter ... The Podcast featuring Stetson Baseball Recruiting Coordinator Joe Mercadante
insight banner
Hatter Chatter ... The Podcast is presented by Insight Credit Union

The Stetson baseball program hauled in another bumper crop of young players during the early signing period in November, with 12 high school players signing letters of intent to attend Stetson starting in the fall of 2021.

Of the dozen new players slated to join the Stetson program, 10 hail from the state of Florida with the other two among the top prep prospects from north of the border in Canada.

Hatters assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Joe Mercadante said the recruiting process for this class of new Hatters was unlike any other in his career.

“It was a different situation trying to through the NCAA dead period that we have been under since the pandemic started back in March,” Mercadante said. “It has almost been a full calendar year since anyone has been able to go out on the road to see kids play.”

With that being said, Mercadante said the players signed by the Hatters during the fall are the kind of players who will push the veterans on the team.

“Every year it seems we have brought in guys who have a chance to take a position away from someone else,” Mercadante said. “We want to motivate our guys the best we can, but the best motivation out there is knowing there is someone who is going to come in here and try to take your job.

“Most of these guys come from winning programs, and that is a big thing for us, getting guys who know how to win and expect to win. That resonates in the club house and spreads.”

Stetson head coach Steve Trimper credited Mercadante and Associate Head Coach Dave Therneau for their efforts in pulling this class together under unusual circumstances.

“Coach Mercadante and Coach Therneau did a tremendous job identifying top talent both in the classroom and on the field with this year's recruiting class,” Trimper said. “This group of student athletes will compete for roles to help us reach our program goals of championships and will be quality role models for all Hatter fans and alums to be proud of."

Stetson Baseball Signing Class of 2021

NamePos.B/THt.Wt.HometownHigh School
Juan-Pablo Correa3B/1BR/R6-5210Weston, FLWest Broward HS
Nicolas DeschampsCL/R5-11195Quebec City, QUEOntario Virtual School
Andrew EstrellaSSR/R6-1180Cutler Bay, FLMiami Christian Academy
Dillon HainesLHPL/L5-8175St. Augustine, FLEpiscopal School of Jacksonville
Simon LusignanRHPR/R6-5215Varennes, QUEFoothills Composite HS
Kyle ManitzOF/RHPR/R6-2190Sarasota, FLSarasota HS
Evan MastromauroINFR/R5-11155Port Orange, FLSpruce Creek HS
TJ MelaniRHPR/R6-0190Lake Mary, FLSeminole HS
Connor O'SullivanINFL/R6-0170Venice, FLVenice HS
Dominic Scavone3B/RHPR/R6-1195Orlando, FLBishop Moore HS
Cooper SmithLHPL/L6-2200Naples, FLCommunity School of Naples
Dominic StaglianoRHPR/R6-1180Boynton Beach, FLPalm Beach Gardens HS

Juan-Pablo Correa

Juan-Pablo Correa graphic

After spending his first three years of high school at Cypress Bay, where he played for coach Bo Diaz, Correa will play his final season this spring playing for coach Howard Stein at West Broward High. His junior season was limited by the pandemic but, for his career at Cypress Bay, he had a .325 average with six home runs and 26 RBI in just 28 games. He is a two-time All-District player as a first baseman who has also played some at third base and spent some time behind the plate. The son of Jose Correa and Paula Eckardt, Juan played travel ball for X Team in Broward County. 

Juan-Pablo Correa
He has the tools to play third base but, with his size, and he is probably going to put on another 15 to 20 pounds, he will end up playing first base. He can really hit and has plus power potential. He has also messed around some on the mound over the last few months and has been up to 93 miles per hour with his fastball. He may end up being a guy who can throw some out of the bull pen because it’s not often that guys walk in the door throwing 93 as freshmen.
Joe Mercadante

Nicolas Deschamps

Nicolas Deschamps graphic

A native of Quebec, Canada, Deschamps has been living in Mount Dora where he has been a part of the TNXL Baseball Academy while attending Ontario Virtual School. Before arriving in Florida, he attended Séminaire Saint-François in Quebec and Edouard-Montpetit in Montreal. He has played at Academy Baseball Canada and, most recently, on the World Team roster for Canada at the Future Stars Series at Fenway Park. He also plays for the Florida Hurricanes Platinum team. Helped his team to championships at the NEBC Underclass World Series and the PBR National Championship. The son of François Deschamps and Sonia Filion, he currently lives with his host family, the Herbs, in Mount Dora.

Nicolas Deschamps
Nicolas has played international competition at the highest levels and is a left-handed hitting catcher, and you always love to get those guys. He can really catch and throw. He was in a really highly-regarded showcase event over the summer where he caught some future first round picks and he looked like a pro. When you can get a guy who is really good defensively behind the plate, but who also has a chance to hit, you have to be really excited about that.
Joe Mercadante

Andrew Estrella

Andrew Estrella graphic

Estrella played at Westminster Christian and John Ferguson High Schools before arriving at Miami Christian for his senior season. Hit .294 in seven games as a junior before season was halted by pandemic. Is a fluid and athletic defender at shortstop with a strong arm. Estrella, who was born in Lawrence, MA, is the son of Andrew and Mercedes Estrella.

Andrew Estrella
He is one of those guys who is a plus defender, has all the actions, picks all the right hops and has a plus arm. You want to find guy who, if he is lucky enough to stick in pro baseball, can stick at shortstop. He has all the ability to play shortstop at the professional level, so we are excited about him. He needs to continue to work to get bigger and stronger, but he has a lot of things you have to like on the defensive side.
Joe Mercadante

Dillon Haines

Dillon Haines graphic

Haines is a left-handed pitcher who makes up for his lack of size with big stuff on the mound. During his freshman and sophomore seasons at Ponte Vedra High School he made 13 appearances on the mound, posting a 2-3 record. He also played in the outfield, hitting .290 over those two seasons with five extra-base hits. As a junior in 2020 he played at Episcopal High in Jacksonville and he also played for the 5 Star National travel team, a part of the Baseball Factory. Before the spring season was cut short, he posted a 3-0 record in three starts without allowing a run and recording 15 strikeouts in just 9.2 innings. He also hit .348 in 23 at bats. Dillon is the son of Dave and Kimberly Haines and was born in Denton, Texas, which is also the hometown of Hatters pitching coach Dave Therneau.

Dillon Haines
Dillon is going to be a pitcher for us. You are going to see him and he is only 5-8 or 5-9, but he has one of the quicker arms in the class. He has been up to 92 and has two different breaking balls. He is a full load on the mound who is going to pitch in the high 80s to low 90s as a freshman.
Joe Mercadante

Simon Lusignan

Simon Lusignan graphic

Lusignan is the second member of the signing class from Quebec. He is a big right-handed pitcher with a big arm who attended Foothills Composite High School and played for the Okotoks Dawgs Alberta Black travel team as well as for Team Canada in the Indianapolis PBR event. He has hit 94 miles per hour with his fastball, one of the five quality pitches in his repertoires. He also uses a splitter, hard slider, a slower curveball and a solid changeup. Ranked among the top 100 players in the Class of 2021 by Perfect Game. The son of Daniel Lusignan and Julie Dionne, Simon chose Stetson over offers from many of the top programs in the nation, including Vanderbilt, North Carolina, Miami, Oregon State and Louisville.

Simon Lusignan
Simon is one of the big three that really started this class for us. He is, arguably one of the top two arms coming out of Canada this year and we beat some big schools to get him. He is a guy we will have to sweat out when the draft comes around but he chose Stetson because of the academics and what we can do for him in terms of getting him ready for the future in his career.
Joe Mercadante

Kyle Manitz

Kyle Manitz graphic

Like Lusignan, Manitz is one of the top prospects in this signing class for Stetson. He has played in the outfield and at first base for coach Clyde Metcalf at Sarasota High, and has even pitched some in relief. He projects as a corner outfielder at Stetson. Has been a consistent offensive producer for one of the top prep baseball programs in the state. Hit .400 as a freshman and led the team in runs driven in. Followed up by hitting .380 as a sophomore and .333 in the pandemic shortened 2020 season, leading the team in hits and RBI. In addition to his play at Sarasota HS, he has played travel ball for Canes Florida, Ohio Elite and Power Baseball. Was selected as a 2020 preseason All-American by Perfect Game, which also had him ranked as one of the top 500 junior players in the nation. A great student who had completed requirements for his AICE diploma by the end of his junior year, he is the son of Mark and Karla Manitz.

Kyle Manitz
Kyle knows how to play the game, he is one of those guys who is a grinder. He’ll come out and hit without wearing batting gloves and compete his butt off. He comes from a storied program where he plays for coach Clyde Metcalf. Among the guys around this state who put out players who know how to win and play at a high level, Clyde is right there in the discussion. We are excited to get a player with the kind of prestige that comes with being a Sarasota High player.
Joe Mercadante

Evan Mastromauro

Evan Mastromauro graphic

Mastromauro is from just down the road in Port Orange where he plays at Spruce Creek HS. A teammate of current Stetson freshman Camden Traficante, he is a middle infielder who could also play center field. The third member of the News-Journal’s 2019 All-Area team – joined by Traficante and Christian Pregent – he hit .378 as a sophomore that year with 21 runs scores, 14 RBI and 15 stolen bases. Committed to Stetson in the fall of 2019 after playing for the Orlando Scorpions over the summer in 2019. The son of Keith and Jessica Mastromauro, he comes from a baseball family. His dad played college baseball at Marshall University.

Evan Mastromauro
Evan is a super athletic young man who can play all over the field. He is a good runner who can jump out of a gym; just a quick, twitchy guy. He has also been up to 89 on the bump and has a super quick arm. When we committed him, we knew he was a great athlete who knows how to play the game, and he is a guy who may end up throwing 95 off the mound. We want to get him in here and see how he shakes out.
Joe Mercadante

TJ Melani

TJ Melani graphic

A right-handed pitcher from nearby Lake Mary, Melani plays for coach Kenne Brown at Seminole High in addition to playing travel ball for the Orlando Scorpions. He earned second team All-America honors from Perfect Game after his sophomore season, helping the Seminoles to a Class 9A state title. He has reached as much as 93 miles per hour with his fastball and is also armed with a big overhand curve and a sinking changeup. Like Mastromauro, he committed to Stetson early, and has posted a 5-0 record with a 1.57 career ERA at Seminole HS with a pair of saves and 60 strikeouts in 58 total innings of work. He also plays in the middle infield when not pitching, having posted a career .361 batting average. He is the son of Tom and Dawn Melani.

TJ Melani
TJ was one of the first guys we committed in this class and I can’t tell you how excited we are to see him step onto campus. He is one of the most competitive young men I have seen toe the rubber. He has pitched against the top travel teams in the country and, even though his is only six-foot, he pitches like he is 6-7. He pitches like he throws 97 and he is only going to get better. He is a guy who has the make-up and the stuff to come in and compete for a weekend starting job right away.
Joe Mercadante

Connor O'Sullivan

Connor O'Sullivan graphic

Another player from one of the traditional high school baseball powers in the state, O’Sullivan plays at Venice HS for coach Craig Faulkner after playing at Cardinal Mooney HS in Sarasota his first two years, starting at shortstop as a sophomore. He hit a whopping .458 with a .519 on-base percentage for Venice in eight games last spring before the season was canceled by the pandemic. He played for the Florida Burn Platinum Horvath team last summer where he pitched and played in the middle infield. He is the son of Terry O’Sullivan and Aimee Odette and is an honor student who has been dual enrolled at the State College of Florida in Bradenton.

Connor O'Sullivan
He is another young man from the Sarasota area from another nationally known high school program that is in the state championship conversation year-after-year. Connor is a guy who has played some shortstop and second base, is a left-handed bat, and we love the left-handed swingers. He is going to be another big piece for us because we know he will come in and compete.
Joe Mercadante

Dominic Scavone

Dominic Scavone graphic

Few Stetson baseball fans will ever forget the defensive prowess at third base turned in by Jonathan Meola in 2018 and Kyle Ball is a near clone defensively. Dominic Scavone has a chance to be the next in line for the Hatters at the hot corner. A standout for coach Tony Melich at Bishop Moore, Scavone moved over from The First Academy in Orlando following the 2018 season, earning FACA Class 4A Player of the Year as a junior. In that 2019 season he hit .456 with 12 doubles and 22 RBI. He was off to a hot start for the Hornets again last spring, hitting .616 with a 1.236 on-base percentage with eight doubles in the pandemic shortened season. He has also shown ability on the mound over the last two years, posting a 4-1 record in eight appearances with a 1.47 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 28.2 innings of work. He played summer ball this past year for the TNXL Canes and he has also played for the FTB San Francisco Giants Scout team. The son of Jerome and Susan Scavone, his older brother, Gabriel, played college baseball at High Point and at Rollins College. 

Dominic Scavone
Dom is another really early guy for this class, and kind of set the tone for this class. He is a nationally-ranked player in this class and has played on some of the top travel teams in the country. He is a lock-down defender at third base, a plus defender. He may not have the flash that Meola had, but makes every play, and some you don’t think he should make. He has the hit tools for the upper half of the lineup, so we are excited about Dom.
Joe Mercadante

Cooper Smith

Connor Smith graphic

Cooper is the son of former Stetson standout catcher Jeff Smith, who played professionally and has worked as a coach in the Minnesota Twins organization for years, including time on the Major League staff. The younger Smith is a strike-throwing left-handed pitcher who has posted a 6-4 record with a 2.96 ERA over the last two seasons for coach Chad Ott at the Community School of Naples. He has recorded 77 strikeouts in 53 innings of work during those two seasons. He played summer ball this year for the JSB Tigers, posting a 6-1 record with a 1.20 ERA and 69 strikeouts over 45 innings of work. In addition to his accomplishments on the field, Smith is a high-achieving student who has received honors in Physics, Latin, English, Math and Computer Science. He is the son of Jeff and Ronna Smith.

Cooper Smith
Cooper is an outstanding young man who has some length to him and a lot of upside. He has good pitch ability, in the mid 80s with a really good breaking ball. What we like most about him is that his best baseball is in front of him. He is going to continue to grow and get better. He is a tremendous student and a tremendous young man. He is one of those guys who will be huge in the clubhouse.
Joe Mercadante

Dominic Stagliano

Dominic Stagliano graphic

A native of Boynton Beach, Stagliano plays for coach Joe Russo at Palm Beach Gardens HS, which he played at as a junior last spring after spending his first two seasons at Olympic Heights HS. A right-handed pitcher, Stagliano made four appearances on the mound last spring before the season was cut short. He had a 2-1 record with a 1.33 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 21 innings of work. His highlight performance was a complete game, one-hit, shutout of Seminole Ridge HS. He had 15 strikeouts in that outing. In his freshman and sophomore seasons at Olympic Heights he was 6-6 with a 2.50 ERA in 18 outings, recording 76 strikeouts in 78.1 innings. He has played summer ball in Orlando for coach Johnny Goodrich with the Scorpions’ Founders team. Dom is the son of Peter and Teri Stagliano.

Dominic Stagliano
Dom is another guy who has played in a nationally-ranked organization with the Scorpions. He has three or four pitches he can throw for strikes and has plenty of upside. He is not going to be a flame-thrower, is a guy who has a changeup that is almost like a Brooks Wilson split finger pitch, where he could almost tell guys it is coming and they can’t lay off it. So, he is coming in with that one plus pitch and will have a chance to add a couple more.
Joe Mercadante

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University’s Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.