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Dexter Southfield Loaded Once Again

BROOKLINE, Ma. - Three-time New England champion Dexter Southfield had number four on its mind a year ago before the coronavirus shutdown changed everything.

“Last year we had as good of a team as anyone in New England,” expressed Dexter head coach Daniel Donato. “Our number one and two were going to Vanderbilt and UConn (Brendan O’Donnell). We had an older group with a lot of college ability.”

Although there was not a chance to prove championship worthy with the season cancelled, few if anyone is feeling sorry for Donato and company this year. The Crimson & Navy feature another outstanding core of players led by Josh Baez, who according to Donato has hit a ball 550 feet, runs a 6.31 time in the 60 and has touched 98 miles an hour on the mound.

“He’s predicted to be a first-round pick this year,” Donato said of the outfielder/pitcher, the top-ranked 2021 in New England. “If a pro team is looking at tools, he’s probably the best in the country. He’ll be a center fielder for us and, more than likely, I’ll make him a closer.”

Another player from the Dominican is shortstop Ivan Arias, like Baez a Vanderbilt commit.

“I’ve been told he’d be one of the top five shortstops in the country this year if he was in the draft, but he’s only a junior,” Donato said of the number one-rated SS in New England’s 2022 class. “He has as good of hands as I’ve ever seen, college or pro. I mean, Omar Vizquel-type.”

But there is more that will make Southfield more than formidable in the 2021 campaign.

Senior first baseman Zak Thomas is a Quinnipiac commit while senior left-handed pitcher Griffin Cofsky, the ninth-ranked 2021 southpaw in New England, is headed to Babson.

There are also underclassmen ready to make some noise in Dante Pavone, the 25th-ranked sophomore right-handed pitcher in New England, and Matt Conte, the second-rated freshman catcher in the area. Pavone is getting interest from a lot of ACC schools according to Donato while Conte is receiving looks from the ACC as well as the likes of Boston College, Maryland and Xavier.

“We’ve got a mix of good old and good young players which should be interesting to watch,” Donato noted.

Ryan Grundy, a left-handed hitting sophomore first baseman/third baseman is another potential D-I recruit at Dexter while Luke Yamashiro is a senior outfielder/pitcher headed to Wheaton College for football.

“It’s such a quick season, I just hope we have guys that get hot,” explained Donato about any potential worries heading into 2021. “We’ve had guys hit .410 one year and .210 the next. You just never know.

“Another concern is we play in such a great league. It’s going to be hard beating Thomas White (with Phillips Academy Andover), the same with them beating Baez. If he hits 98 with his fastball throwing to 15 and 16 year old kids, God bless you.”

Donato, who recently picked up his 400th career victory coaching hockey and is closing in on the same number in baseball with a 370-62 record to date, is now in his 15th season at Dexter, highlighted by three undefeated championship squads.

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