Foran Grad Michael Simonelli Has Memorable Senior Baseball Season

MILFORD, CT —Like many high school athletes over the last year, recent Foran High grad Michael Simonelli's college recruitment was a bit unorthodox. Yet, the centerfielder managed impress college coaches, often via livestream, and he will be competing at Division I Sacred Heart next season.

In the spring of 2020, Simonelli was set to be the junior centerfielder and leadoff man for an experienced and talented Foran Lions squad. But what seemed like the perfect platform to showcase his talent, obviously got taken away from Simonelli by the pandemic.

Some club baseball returned in the summer of 2020. But with Division I coaches prevented from in-person recruiting, many only got to watch the 5-foot-8, 165-pound Simonelli doing a series of skill tests at livestreamed showcases.

A player who describes himself as gritty, and who was praised by his coach for his plate discipline and for taking advantage of pitchers' mistakes , hardly got to display those attributes. Instead, it was some throwing, taking batting practice and running the 60-yard dash.

"My looks came from them watching a livestream, where they couldn't even see my attitude. And I'm not the biggest guy, so it's not like I'm 6-foot and have that going for me," Simonelli told Patch. "I'm somebody who always goes and plays my hardest, but it's tough to see that over a livestream."

Yet, Simonelli managed to catch the attention of some Division I programs.

Sacred Heart coaches had actually been aware of the left-handed hitting, righty-throwing Simonelli since before the pandemic. In late August, Pioneers coach Nick Restaino called and said the school was interested in Simonelli.

It didn't take long for Simonelli to give his commitment to the Fairfield-based school, where he will receive a combined athletic and academic scholarship. Simonelli said he hopes to study business management.

"I think it's going to be a good place for me," said Simonelli, who also received some interest from Division I schools Bryant, Rhode Island, James Madison and Fairleigh Dickinson. "I'll go there and right out of the gate, maybe I'm not getting on the field, but I'm starting to make it there. I love the campus, it's close to home, and I'm a homebody type of guy.

"They showed the most interest since I was young, they want me and are investing in me and thinking 'you can be that guy.'"

Simonelli was very much that guy for the Lions when high school baseball resumed this past spring. However, the team dynamic was quite different than during the previous season, with Simonelli now the only player on the squad with previous varsity experience. Even though the Lions struggled, their centerfielder was a force.

Simonelli batted .565, scored 24 runs, drove in 25 runs, stole 24 bases in 24 attempts, had four homers, seven doubles and two triples, for a team that finished just 6-12.

"He was our offensive leader in every category you can imagine," Foran head coach Garrett Walker told Patch. "He was the IT factor in our lineup from the first pitch to the last pitch of the season."

Walker said Simonelli featured a dangerous combination of foot speed and bat speed.

"He stole 24 bases in 24 attempts, so if you walked him or put him on first, he's going to find a way to third base," Walker said. "But if you made a mistake, left the ball over the plate, he's hitting it off the centerfield wall and getting to third base that way."

The coach also praised Simonelli's attitude and work ethic. As a co-captain and Division I-bound athlete on a young team, Simonelli was setting the tone for the entire squad. It was a responsibility Simonelli took seriously.

"It was a little more pressure on me because I think kids were looking up to me," said Simonelli, who became the Lions' starting centerfielder his sophomore year. "Guys would look at me and think 'Mike's been through this' and 'what Mike's done, I should do.' I needed to stay upbeat and show how to get it done. I think I left a good mark."

Simonelli's true mark on the program may not even be fully apparent until next season, when the returning players also have had a full year to emulate their leader's work ethic in the weight room.

By that time, Simonelli will be attempting to make his mark at Sacred Heart, where Walker said he expects Simonelli to compete for an outfield spot immediately.

This spring, Sacred Heart went 23-25. But with travel limited because of COVID-19, the schedule only included other East Coast opponents.

Pre-pandemic in 2019, the Pioneers opened the season with several southern trips, visiting places like: Winston Salem, North Carolina, DeLand, Florida and Mobile, Alabama, and facing teams like: Wake Forest, Illinois, Georgetown, St. Louis and South Alabama.

Simonelli said he is hoping the squad will travel like that again, and he knows his biggest fan-his dad Angelo - also will be making those trips.

"Hopefully, we'll be able to go down south and face some big schools, like from the SEC, get some good experience and then come and dominate the Northeast Conference (NEC)," Simonelli said. "My dad won't miss a game. Even if he has to fly, he'll be there. He's my biggest supporter."