Sachem East Baseball Player One Of 47 College Draftees

Sachem East Varsity Outfielder Dan Hetzel was one of more than 40 baseball players who showed up at Center Island Sports complex in Ronkonkoma on Wednesday to sign their letters of intent to play ball at colleges all over the country.

The players come from high schools across the island to play for the Long Island Titans, an independent baseball league that works with varsity ball players year-round to help develop their game and put them in a better drafting position when college scouts begin to recruit.

Hetzel, a senior at East, said the Long Island Titans helped him make his ultimate decision to accept an offer to play at the University of Rhode Island when he enters next fall.

"I felt it was the best fit for me," Hetzel said. "When I was at the school I liked everything about it, the coaches and everything."

Based in Bayport, the Titans Baseball organization plays at a number of fields during the summer and then moves inside to the Center Island Sports complex on Union Avenue in Ronkonkoma when the weather turns, so players can work on their swings and stay in shape year-round. They actively invite recruiting scouts to watch games, and take a hard line on players' academic scores in school. All players must maintain a certain level average in order to participate on the team.

"It's a year-round service," said Paul Carufe, VP and director of college recruting for Long Island Titans Baseball. "All based around each individual's skill set, helping them make the jump from just a good high school player to an elite college player."

The company works with each player's respective high school and has helped over 500 players get into reputable colleges, according to Carufe. At the Wednesday signing, students committed to schools such as UConn, Hofstra, Northeastern and Harvard.

"We take them around to travel and get them showcased," Carufe said. "We take them down to Atlanta, Chicago, Jersey. Everywhere there are college coaches, so they can play in games and be seen by those college coaches."

Hetzel has one more season with the Flaming Arrows, and said he's looking forward to taking the team deeper into the playoffs than last year.