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From Bears to ... ’Birds: Joe Esposito now pitches for the Baltimore Orioles’ minor league team, the Aberdeen Ironbirds.
Hey, batter, batter, batter: In 2007, Kraig Binick dominated home plate for the Bears with a .406 batting average, 84 hits, 58 runs, 18 doubles, five triples, and 35 RBIs. Sah-wing batter!
In the competitive world of professional baseball, less than 10 percent of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) players are offered major league contracts. But two NYIT players -- slugger Kraig Binick and hurler Joe Esposito -- are defying the odds and now taking the field for the Baltimore Orioles.
One of the best centerfielders in NYIT’s history, Binick was selected in the 27th round by the Orioles in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft and is playing for the Bluefield Orioles in the Appalachian League. Fulfilling a lifelong dream, Binick says, “When I heard the Orioles had taken me on draft day, it was one of those feelings you just can’t explain.” As of early September, he was ranked among the top 15 hitters in the Appalachian League with a .292 batting average.
Playing for NYIT gave Binick an excellent opportunity to showcase his talents, but he knew he had a lot of work in front of him in order to be considered by the big leagues. “Coach [Bob] Hirschfield and the NYIT baseball program helped me become a faster, stronger, and more sophisticated player, ready to take on the rigors of professional baseball.”
Binick also earned Division I Independent Baseball Player of the Year honors and led NYIT in every offensive category last season, recording a .406 batting average with 84 hits, 58 runs scored, 18 doubles, five triples, 35 RBIs, and 32 stolen bases. He also set a new NYIT record for career hits, breaking Assistant Baseball Coach and NYIT Hall of Famer Ray Giannelli’s 1988 record of 254 hits.
Esposito, a starting pitcher and first baseman, signed his minor league contract with the Orioles in early June. A three-time Division I Baseball Independent First-Team selection, Esposito pitched an impressive final season with a 7-5 record, 2.95 ERA, and 91 strikeouts. He also set NYIT records for wins in a career (25), innings pitched (338.1), and strikeouts (284).
“I felt like I accomplished what I’ve been working for since I was a little kid,” says Esposito, who is now pitching for the Aberdeen Ironbirds in the New York Penn League. As of early September, his record was 5-3 with a 2.77 ERA.
A Lineup of Success
Throughout 29 years of coaching NYIT baseball, Bob Hirschfield has seen 55 students sign professional contracts. “Joe and Kraig achieved so much here that they deserve to play professionally,” Hirschfield says. “We look forward to watching their progress with the Orioles.”
In addition, Tom Murray (B.S. ’07), Jon Burke (B.A. ’07), and Frank Sonnenberg helped pull the young team back from a season-opening 10 straight losses to a 19-10 record. The Bears finished the season at 25-27 and picked up wins over the University of Maine, Hofstra, Iona, SUNY Stony Brook, and Fordham, and swept a three-game weekend series against the University of Pittsburgh.