EDISON, NJ (May 23, 2023) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) has announced the 2023 Baseball Major Award winners and All-MAAC Teams, voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches.
Highlighting 2023 major award winners was Charlie Pagliarini of Fairfield University as the MAAC Player of the Year. Pagliarini has appeared and started in all 50 games for the Stags, leading the program to its third consecutive MAAC Regular Season title in 2023. The infielder was the league leader in batting average (.406), OPS (1.372), home runs (21), RBI (86), total bases (162), slugging percentage (.844), and on-base percentage (0.528) during the regular season, while posting top-20 national marks in batting average (17
th), home runs (15
th), home runs per game (14
th), OBP (6
th), RBI (3
rd), and slugging percentage (4
th). Pagliarini was the lone player in the MAAC to hit 20+ homers, bat in over 80 runs, hit above .400, and record a slugging percentage above .800 during his senior campaign. He also scored the second-most runs (59), ranked third in walks (43), and stole 14 bases. The Trumbull, Connecticut native became a two-time All-MAAC First Team choice, making the lineup for the second straight year, while also becoming Fairfield’s career home run king on May 16 when he blasted his 36
th career dinger.
Canisius College’s Matt Duffy was named 2023 MAAC Pitcher of the Year. The Golden Griffins junior ace became the first pitcher in conference history to record multiple 100-strikeout seasons, recording a league-best 113 punchouts in 2023 to go along with his 124 strikeouts from 2022. Duffy made 13 starts on the mound, earning a 6-3 record in 76 innings of work this year. Hailing from Ontario, Canada, he posted a 3.99 ERA, which ranked fourth in the MAAC, and only allowed 24 walks. His 113 strikeouts rank fifth nationally and his strikeouts per nine innings are ninth in the NCAA. Duffy was unanimously voted on the All-MAAC First Team, earning his third MAAC regular season nod in 2023 (2022 First Team, 2021 Rookie Team) and his sixth overall MAAC honor (2022 Championship MVP, 2021 and 2022 All-Championship Team).
The 2023 MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year honoree was Danny Kirwin from Rider University. Kirwin made 22 appearances out of the bullpen, earning a MAAC-best 13 saves, a mark that ranks third in the nation and is more than the combined staffs of eight MAAC schools. The Lansdale, Pennsylvania native pitched in 42 innings, posting a 6-1 record and had an ERA of 1.91. Moreover, the graduate student was tied for seventh in the MAAC with 62 strikeouts on the season.
Bayram Hot of Marist College was selected as the MAAC Rookie of the Year. Hot saw the field in 50 games, making 48 starts during his rookie stanza. The infielder was the only unanimous choice to the MAAC All-Rookie team, while also earning a spot on the All-MAAC Second Team. Hot ranked second in the MAAC with a .382 batting average, was sixth in hits with 73, and was tied for eighth in doubles with 14. He scored 47 runs, recorded 37 RBI, hit a pair of homers, and was successful on 11 out of 12 stolen base attempts. Additionally, the freshman from Sunnyside, New York was a three-time MAAC Rookie of the Week selection in 2023.
Quinnipiac University head coach John Delaney was voted amongst his peers as 2023 MAAC Coach of the Year. In his ninth season at the helm of his alma mater, Delaney led the Bobcats to a 28-24 overall tally and 16-8 MAAC record, clinching a berth into the MAAC Championship for the first time since 2019. Quinnipiac is one of the hottest teams in the conference and nation, entering postseason play on a nine-game winning streak, tied for the fourth longest current unbeaten streak in the NCAA along with Power Five members Ohio State and Virginia. At the plate, Delaney’s unit ranks second in the league in hits, batting average, doubles, on-base percentage, scoring average, runs, slugging percentage, stolen bases, and triples. His pitching staff leads the conference in shutouts, walks allowed per nine innings and strikeout-to-walk ratio. This is the second-time Delaney has claimed the MAAC’s top coaching honor, also winning the award in 2018.
The full list of major award winners and All-MAAC Teams are below.
| 2023 Baseball Major Awards |
| Awards |
Player |
School |
| Player of the Year |
Charlie Pagliarini |
Fairfield |
| Pitcher of the Year |
Matt Duffy |
Canisius |
| Relief Pitcher of the Year |
Danny Kirwin |
Rider |
| Rookie of the Year |
Bayram Hot |
Marist |
| Coach of the Year |
John Delaney |
Quinnipiac |
| All-MAAC First Team |
| Player |
Class |
Position |
School |
| Keegan O'Connor |
Jr. |
Catcher |
Quinnipiac |
| Dylan Vincent |
Gr. |
First Base |
Canisius |
| Mike Becchetti |
Sr. |
Second Base |
Fairfield |
| Charlie Pagliarini |
Sr. |
Third Base |
Fairfield |
| Noah Lucier |
Gr. |
Shortstop |
Fairfield |
| Jackson Strong |
So. |
Outfield |
Canisius |
| Max Giordano |
Gr. |
Outfield |
Niagara |
| Anthony Donofrio |
Sr. |
Outfield |
Quinnipiac |
| Matt Duffy* |
Jr. |
Pitcher |
Canisius |
| Colin McVeigh |
Jr. |
Pitcher |
Fairfield |
| Kevin Seitter |
Sr. |
Pitcher |
Quinnipiac |
| Scott Seeker |
Jr. |
Designated Hitter |
Mount St. Mary’s |
| Frankie Marinelli |
Jr. |
Utility |
Manhattan |
| All-MAAC Second Team |
| Player |
Class |
Position |
School |
| Brian Skettini |
Jr. |
Catcher |
Rider |
| Shane Wockley |
Jr. |
First Base |
Mount St. Mary’s |
| Kyle Maves |
Gr. |
Second Base |
Quinnipiac |
| Bayram Hot |
Fr. |
Third Base |
Marist |
| Tyler Long |
Jr. |
Shortstop |
Mount St. Mary’s |
| Jake Field |
Sr. |
Outfield |
Iona |
| Pete Durocher |
R-Jr. |
Outfield |
Manhattan |
| Brian Hart |
Gr. |
Outfield |
Marist |
| Jake Noviello |
Gr. |
Pitcher |
Fairfield |
| Marcus Cashman |
Sr. |
Pitcher |
Niagara |
| Frank Doelling |
Gr. |
Pitcher |
Rider |
| Mike Handal |
Gr. |
Designated Hitter |
Fairfield |
| JT Landwehr |
Fr. |
Utility |
Mount St. Mary’s |
| MAAC All-Rookie Team |
| Player |
Class |
Position |
School |
| Matt Bucciero |
Fr. |
Outfield |
Fairfield |
| Anthony Zollo |
Fr. |
Utility |
Iona |
| Garret Garbinski |
Fr. |
Pitcher |
Manhattan |
| Oliver Pudvar |
Fr. |
Pitcher |
Manhattan |
| Ethan Conrad |
Fr. |
Outfield/Pitcher |
Marist |
| Bayram Hot* |
Fr. |
Third Base |
Marist |
| JT Landwehr |
Fr. |
Utility |
Mount St. Mary’s |
| Nick Groves |
Fr. |
Utility |
Niagara |
| Gavin Schrader |
Fr. |
Utility |
Niagara |
| Matthew Alduino |
1Y. |
Pitcher |
Quinnipiac |
| Clayton Poliey |
Fr. |
Pitcher |
Rider |
| Danny Barbero |
Fr. |
Infield |
Siena |
| Ryan Bates |
Fr. |
Pitcher |
Siena |
*Denotes Unanimous Selection
The 2023 MAAC Baseball Championship returns to Clover Stadium in Pomona, NY for the second straight year. The six-team double elimination tournament, will take place from May 24 through 27. For all information regarding the 2023 MAAC Baseball Championship, please visit
maacsports.com/baseball.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 42nd year of competition during the 2022-23 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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