17U Ruffnecks Will Be Tested

TEAM ROSTER | TEAM SCHEDULE

The 17U season is the “Senior” year in the Ruffnecks program.  The 17U roster is comprised largely of rising seniors. This means the roster is populated primarily by players in the high school graduations class of 2025.  The “Senior” roster features an experienced pitching staff mentored by pitching coach Ace Adams.  Ace’s track record is attested to by many professional pitchers throughout his storied career in Major League Baseball.  The Ruffnecks have been fortunate to have his knowledge, humor, and insight for the past four years.  The staff is led by 2025 pitching prospects Matthew deBenedictis, Owen Ellsworth, Jeremy Krendel, and Lorcan Lee.  2026 prospect Jett Little complements the experienced staff of projected starters.  Relievers, Lincoln Loftus, Carter Hoganson, Sean Watts, and Ty Ciongoli provide depth in the pitching staff.

For most players, the Ruffnecks  17U season leads to a college destination prior to entering the senior year of high school.  Some pursue a post-graduate year at prep schools.  The college recruiting journey is a process that requires consistent support from an athlete’s coaches.  The Ruffnecks provide that support during the off season and throughout the summer.

The “Seniors” roster is traditionally a large one.  It is comprised of approximately 13-14 positional players for whom we allocate at-bats.  The remainder of the roster features pitchers who focus their summer efforts entirely as pitchers.  It is not unusual to have a pitching staff of 11 to 12 arms.  All get plenty of work.  The coaching staff works and manages the schedule (particularly the pitching schedule) with a professional approach.  There are up to four full-time coaches who work with the 17U roster.  Among them is a dedicated, professional, pitching coach in Ace Adams.  Ace also serves in the role of Pitching Coordinator for the entire program.  He is accompanied by a staff that includes former professional scout, John Brickley.  The 17U squad is managed by Kevin Casey.  “Case” is an experienced head coach at the collegiate level.  He has also been the recruiting coordinator at Northeastern University.  “Case” runs an energetic, instructive, program at the 17u level.  Other staff roam in and out for instructive purposes.  The 17U team, more than any other in the Ruffnecks program, is collegiate in its approach and execution.  Stamina and focus are in high demand.

Schedule: Pre-Season, Scout Day, and 2024

The 17U schedule begins in mid-June.  The program commences “Pre-Season” training the week of June 3rd at the NEBC.  These sessions are designed to be daily workouts to include batting practice, skill work, and to recalibrate pitching arms for the busy summer.  The Pre-Season culminates with a SCOUT DAY on Wednesday, June 12.  The Pre-Season workouts create an opportunity for players who have finished their spring seasons to recalibrate and get preparatory work done with instructive supervision.  The primary objective is development and preparation.  The 17U Ruffnecks travel to several highly competitive events outside our region again in 2024.  The travel season starts with attendance at the Super17 at Diamond Nation in New Jersey June 17-20.  The 17’s then head to Georgia for the 17U Perfect Game WWBA.  They will bus from Georgia to Nashville to compete in the Music City Classic.  They return to the Northeast to compete in several events including the Firecracker July Fourth Showcase and The Boston Classic and finish the season at the Tournament of Champions in Cincinnati, Ohio July 31 – August 4.

Page Updated April 1, 2024 at 7:30 am
The 2024 Schedule is posted.  Monitor for updates & changes.  Tournament schedules posted when released.

17U Ruffnecks Schedule 2024