Amsterdam Mohawks Explained

Amsterdam Mohawks
League:PGCBL (2011-present)
Division:East Division
Location:Amsterdam, New York
Founded:1978
League Champs:(NYCBL): 1988, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010
(PGCBL): 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
Division Champs:1988, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Series:Division
Former Names:Schenectady Mohawks (1978-2002)
Former Leagues:New York Collegiate Baseball League (1978-2010)
Colors:Red, Black & White
Owner:Brian Spagnola, Dave Dittman
General Manager:Brian Spagnola
Manager:Keith Griffin
Website:amsterdammohawks.com

The Amsterdam Mohawks are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Amsterdam, New York. The team plays in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL).[1] The Mohawks, who were located in Schenectady prior to 2003, won the championship in 1988 under head coach and former team owner/president Bob Bellizzi.

The team's first year in Amsterdam, the Mohawks captured the title in 2003 under head coach Bill Consiglio, and again in 2004 under head coach Nicholas Enriquez. In 2009, current head coach Keith Griffin took over. The team has since won 10 more championships, in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024.[2]

In 2011, after playing in the New York Collegiate Baseball League for over 30 years, the Amsterdam Mohawks became members of a newly formed league, the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League which combined some of the better summer baseball franchises in the nation and partnered them with Perfect Game USA, the world's leader in scouting and reporting services. The Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League is a ten team summer league played throughout upstate New York.

In addition to Amsterdam, the PGCBL consists of teams located in Albany, Alburn, Batavia, Boonville, Elmira, Geneva, Glens Falls, Jamestown, Little Falls, Newark, Niagara, Oneonta, Saugerties, Utica, and Watertown. It is one of the most elite wood bat summer leagues in America. To be eligible to play in the PGCBL, a player must have completed at least one year of college and must still have at least one year of playing eligibility remaining. Each team is allowed two exceptions to that rule where graduating seniors are eligible to play, though the players must first be approved by Perfect Game USA. They must also be enrolled full-time at a college or university. Beginning in early June, each team in the league will play a 48-game schedule, which will wind down in early August.[3]

In addition, there have been over 100 former Mohawks who have signed professional baseball contracts,[4] including San Francisco Giants star Hunter Pence[5] (Texas-Arlington) who played for the Mohawks in 2002, Luke Maile (University of Kentucky), Logan Darnell (University of Kentucky), Cord Phelps (Stanford), Brendan Harris (William and Mary), Glen Barker (Saint Rose College), Valentino Pascucci (University of Oklahoma), Tim Christman (Siena College), Mark Leiter Jr.[6] (NJIT), Trey Wingenter (Auburn University), Chandler Shepherd (University of Kentucky), John Nogowski (Florida State University), Zach Logue (University of Kentucky), Matt Gage (Siena College), Tim Herrin (Indiana University), Joe LaSorsa (St. John's University) and Andrew Saalfrank (Indiana University). The Mohawks currently have 60 former players playing professional baseball.[7] [8]

League awards

Player of the Year[9] ! Year! Player! School
2008 Mark Onorati Manhattan College
2009 Brayden Kapteyn University of Kentucky
2013 Florida State University
2014 Josh Gardiner Radford University
2016 Joe Genord University of South Florida
2019 Maxwell Costes University of Maryland
2022 Gage Miller University of Alabama
Pitcher of the Year! Year! Pitcher! School
2004 Derrick Gordon Lamar University
2009 Brayden Kapteyn University of Kentucky
2010 Kyle Hunter Dartmouth College
2012 University of Kentucky
2015 University of Kentucky
2021 Nick Smith University of Evansville
Coach of the Year! Year! Coach
2009 Keith Griffin
2012 Keith Griffin
2022 Keith Griffin
2023 Keith Griffin

Team single season records

Team single season records! Stat! Player Name! School! Year! Total
Hits John Valente 2017 62
Doubles Zak Colby 2012 19
Triples Kirt Zimniewicz 2003 5
Cody Reine 2008 5
Elvis Peralta Jr. 2018 5
Home Runs Maxwell Costes 2019 12
RBI Joe Genord 2016 45
Runs Gage Miller 2022 50
Walks Matt Colantonio 2010 34
Stolen Bases John Razzino 2014 23
Wins Craig Soja 2003 7
2012 7
Ryan Tatlock 2003 7
Tommy Warner 2005 7
2015 7
Saves Mike Puckli 2004 11
Abram Williams 2010 11
Strikeouts 2011 74
ERA (Min 1 IP per Team Game Played) Ryan Tatlock 2003 1.29
[10]

All-time Team Records

All-time Team Records! Stat! Player Name! School! Total
Hits Josh Gardiner 120
Doubles Vince Riggi 26
Josh Gardiner 26
Joe Genord 26
Triples Kirt Zimniewicz 5
Cody Reine 5
Ed Charlton 5
Elvis Peralta Jr. 5
Home Runs Joe Genord 20
RBI Joe Genord 100
Runs Gage Miller 80
Walks Brendan Tracy 67
Stolen Bases Josh Gardiner 35
Games Played Vince Riggi 117
Wins Sean Bouthilette 12
Saves Abram Williams 25
Strikeouts Mark Leiter Jr. 127
Innings Pitched Sean Bouthilette 115.0

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Amsterdam Mohawks Baseball . Amsterdammohawks.com . 2022-05-26 . 2023-06-27.
  2. Web site: Amsterdam Mohawks Baseball . 2017-06-19 . 2012-07-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120703015202/http://www.amsterdammohawks.com/history.asp . dead .
  3. Web site: About Us .
  4. Web site: Amsterdam Mohawks Baseball . 2017-06-28 . 2017-08-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170809043355/http://www.amsterdammohawks.com/morepros.asp . dead .
  5. Web site: Former Mohawk Hunter Pence in World Series - OurSports Central. 24 October 2012.
  6. Web site: Leiter Jr. Earns shot with Phillies. 18 April 2017.
  7. Web site: Eight former Amsterdam Mohawks taken on final day of MLB draft. 15 June 2017.
  8. Web site: 8 more Mohawks alumni selected in MLB Draft. 14 June 2017.
  9. Web site: History .
  10. Web site: Amsterdam Mohawks Baseball . 2017-06-19 . 2017-08-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170803014121/http://amsterdammohawks.com/statistics.asp?ID=10 . dead .