STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — John Calabrese continues to add to an impressive baseball resume.
The ex-Poly Prep star earned a spot on Bucknell University’s baseball team as a walk-on this season. He bided his time while waiting for an opportunity and made his collegiate debut when he pinch hit during a game against Florida Atlantic on March 11th.
He delivered an RBI single, then two days later, after being called on again to pinch hit, the lefty-swinging Calabrese got another base hit, thus earning himself a spot in the Bison’s starting lineup.
Calabrese, who plays right field for Bucknell, hasn’t been out of the lineup since.
This past weekend, he continued to raise eyebrows when he earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week and Bison of the Week honors.
All the Southeast Annadale resident did in back-to-back doubleheaders against Holy Cross and Army was go 7 for 12 with five walks and four RBI. The 5-foot-10, 175-pounder reached base 13 times in 19 plate appearances as he extended a hitting streak to six games.
The Bison finished 2-2 over the weekend and are now 11-15 overall.
What has Calabrese done overall this season? He’s been equally impressive.
In 14 games — including 10 starts — he’s batting .459 (17 for 37) with an OPS of 1.160. During that stretch, Calabrese has four doubles, nine bases on balls, 13 runs scored and he’s only struck out four times.
The former Mid-Island Little League All Star has a team-leading .592 on-base percentage and is 7 for 14 with runners in scoring position.
John Calabrese is a former Mid-Island Little League All Star who helped the Travis loop reach the Little League World Series in 2018. (Staten Island Advance/SILive.com)Staten Island Advance/SILive.com
Calabrese enjoyed a solid career at Poly prior to enrolling at the Lewisburg, Pa., school. As a junior, he batted .310 (18 for 58) with 15 RBI and four extra-base hits.
Last season, despite being hampered by a foot injury, he managed a three-hit performance during the Ivy Prep School League championship game at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park in St. George.
The very next day, he had foot surgery and wasn’t able to run for approximately six months (he was able to hit in the fall).
Calabrese, of course, was a big part of Mid-Island Little League’s magical run to the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., in the summer of 2018. He played first base for his uncle, manager Joe Calabrese, and had the reputation of a lunch-pail type player who always made the right decision.
Seven years later, not much has changed.
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