Chaminade's Logan Koester is latest Long Island high school baseball star to be drafted by Phillies
Chaminade pitcher Logan Koester on the mound in a winning effort against St. Anthony's that claimed the CHSAA baseball championship. Credit: James Escher
Philadelphia continued the trend of selecting top high school prospects from the Long Island area this year. The Phillies selected 17-year-old Logan Koester of Chaminade High School in the 32nd round with the 960th pick overall in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft.
Koester, who lives in Merrick and attends the private Catholic school, was ecstatic about his selection late Wednesday. The Catholic High School Athletic Association’s pitcher of the year led the Flyers to the league and playoff championship with a 7-0 record and a 0.44 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings.
“It’s an honor to be selected in the major league draft, it’s every little kid’s dream,” said Koester, who is 6-4, 190 pounds. “Now I will sit down with my parents and make a very difficult decision between professional baseball and attending college. We’ll take a few days and look at all the variables. There are a lot of things to think about.”
Koester was the lone high school product selected locally. He is weighing the start of a professional career against attending George Washington University on a baseball scholarship.
The Phillies also drafted Hofstra senior catcher Vito Friscia of Valley Stream in the 40th round. Friscia, at 6-3, 225 pounds, was already on his way to Florida Friday for his physical and to sign a contract. He slammed eight home runs and drove in 31 runs this season. Over his career, Friscia had 206 hits, including 25 home runs and 109 RBI. He was a Colonial Athletic Association first team selection in 2018.
"It’s the opportunity the kid has wanted his whole life,” said his father Vito Friscia. “We’re so excited about this chance to play at the next level.”
Hofstra had two players selected in the draft for the second year in a row. Senior first baseman Parker Quinn was taken by Washington in the 25th round.
Stony Brook also had two players picked as fleet-footed outfielder Michael Wilson of Colonia, N.J., went in the 16th round to Seattle and junior shortstop Nick Grande was selected by Arizona in the 17th round. Grande gave up his final year with the Seawolves to fly to Arizona Thursday and join the Diamondbacks organization.
The smooth fielding shortstop led the Seawolves to the America East championship and into regional play of the NCAA Division I tournament. The 5-11, 170-pound native, who attended Smithtown West High School, had a .342 average with 68 hits, 24 RBI and 58 runs scored heading into the NCAA tournament.
“I want to get started right away — I can’t wait,” Grande said. “I’ve been so lucky to play with so many great people. Playing at Stony Brook and for coach (Matt) Senk was an honor. To have those college opportunities and be close to home in front of my family was important to me. My parents had a major impact on the person I am today.”
Wading River’s Tyler Osik spent all day Friday traveling to Glendale, Arizona, where he’ll join the Chicago White Sox organization. Osik, who can play four positions between the outfield and the infield corners, was picked in the 27th round out of Central Florida University where he hit 10 home runs and drove in 40 runs in his senior year.
“It was nerve-wracking, the draft,” he laughed. “When it was in the 20th round I started thinking, ‘oh boy, I’m going to have to find a job.’ And then some random fan on Instagram saw it first and put it out there. I was so happy that I’m getting this chance to play at the next level.”
Fordham’s hard-throwing junior righty Kyle Martin of Oceanside was the highest Long Islander selected in the draft. Martin went in the 15th round to the Orioles. He led the Rams to the Atlantic 10 championship and the school’s first NCAA D-I appearance in 20 years. Martin set the school record for career saves with 21. He finished the season with a 6-2 record and 10 saves in 30 relief appearances. He fanned 65 and had an ERA of 2.44.
Other players selected were;
Player, Round, Team, School, Hometown, Position
Ryan Smith, 18th, Angels, Princeton, Garden City, Pitcher
Keven Pimentel, 28th, Rockies, Tampa Univ., Huntington Station, Pitcher
Mitch Calandra, 30th, Braves, Eckerd College, Floral Park, Catcher
Ed Baram, 30th, Athletics, Adelphi, Saddlebrook, N.J., Pitcher
Andrew Misiaszek, 32nd, Indians, Northeastern, South Side, Pitcher
Sam Kessler, 34th, West Virginia. Mount Sinai, Pitcher
Tom Archer, 39th, White Sox, Lynn, Fort Salonga, Infield
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
