Catching up with 7 Seacoast baseball stars as MLB spring training begins

Pitchers and catchers have reported to Major League Baseball spring training camps in Florida and Arizona, and full-team workouts have begun for the upcoming 2026 season.

Over the years, Seacoast New Hampshire and southern Maine has been represented in the professional ranks by players and coaches. This year is no different.

Former Portsmouth High School teammates Mike Fransoso and Mike Montville are minor-league hitting coaches with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles, respectively.

Former Exeter High School teammates Cody Morissette and Ben Malgeri are chasing down their dreams of reaching the big leagues; Morissette with the Miami Marlins, and Malgeri with the Detroit Tigers. Both started last season at the Double-A level, and Morissette was summoned to Triple-A late in the season.

Quinn McDaniel, a 2020 graduate of Marshwood High School, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2023, and is entering his third full season of professional baseball.

Ryan Minckler, a 2021 graduate of Portsmouth High School, was drafted in the 19th round by the Washington Nationals in 2024 and is preparing for his second full season of professional baseball.

Brennan Oxford, the Oyster River High School standout who once threw four consecutive no-hitters in high school, signed a free-agent minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins organization last summer, and is back with the Twins this season.

Here’s a closer look at each of these seven men who honed their skills on local baseball fields over the years and are now chasing their dreams of getting to the big leagues:

Mike Fransoso, hitting coach, Somerset Patriots, Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees

Fransoso, a 2009 graduate of Portsmouth High School, is set to begin his second season as the hitting coach of the Patriots. He’s just going to be a little late getting to join everyone in spring training in Tampa Bay.

Fransoso and his wife, Samantha, are expecting the birth of their second child and the Yankees have told Fransoso to stay with his family at their offseason home in Pearl River, New York, until his daughter arrives. The baby’s due date is March 6.

“The Yankees were nice enough to let me be here for the birth and come down after,” Fransoso said. “I am hoping she comes early so I don’t miss too much camp. I’ll spend a couple of days with her, and then head out.”

Fransoso and his wife have a son, Nico, now 14 months old. Fransoso kept busy in the offseason being a full-time dad.

“That alone is a lot harder than being a hitting coach, I’ll tell you that,” said Fransoso, a 2013 draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates who helped Portsmouth High School to undefeated NHIAA Division II championships as a junior and senior, and was part of the program’s national-record 89-game win streak.

Somerset went 73-65 last season and qualified for the Eastern League Northeast Division playoffs for the fourth straight year, losing to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies in the semifinals.

“The main goal (in the minor leagues) is to get these guys better and ready to play in the big leagues,” said Fransoso, who starred at the University of Maine. “But, you’re also trying to win, and making the playoffs means something as well, that was pretty special.”

One player who started last year with Fransoso in Double-A and ended up getting to the big leagues was Cam Schlittler, a right-handed pitcher.

Schlittler was the winning pitcher in Game 5 of New York’s Wild Card best-of-5 series with the Boston Red Sox. Schlitter appeared in 10 games, nine starts with Somerset, before moving up to Triple-A. Schlitter went 4-5 with a 2.38 ERA at Somerset, striking out 64 in 53 innings.

With the Yankees, Schlittler started 14 games in the regular season and went 4-33 with a 2.96 ERA. In two starts in the postseason, Schlittler went 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA.

Fransoso said it was “awesome” to see Schlitter pitch meaningful playoff innings with the Yankees last fall.

“It was pretty cool to watch, he certainly looked the role,” Fransoso said. “What he did at Double-A to start the year, it was pretty obvious he was better than the level. He had a really good year.”

Fransoso, now with a year under his belt in the Yankees organization, is “excited” for a second season with the Patriots.

“A little more comfortable now knowing everybody, knowing the players, and all the staff,” he said. “I am looking forward to another year, another good year.”

He said last year was spent getting to know the players and building relationships.

“Getting to know them and understanding them takes a little while,” said Fransoso, who played two years with the Patriots when they were an independent team in the Atlantic League. “I have a year with many of these guys, and that makes it a little easier. We’ve established that relationship, and I kind of know what makes them tick. It feels a little bit easier going into year two.”

Somerset plays in the Eastern League with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and Portland Sea Dogs. Somerset will visit both New Hampshire and Portland twice this summer.

Somerset will play a six-game series in Portland from June 16-21, and a three-game series from July 17-19. The Patriots will be at New Hampshire for a six-game series from June 23-28; and a five-game series from July 21-26.

Ben Malgeri, outfielder, Erie SeaWolves, Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers

Malgeri’s spring will look a little different this year as he’s in his first big-league camp with the Tigers, the team who drafted him in the 18th round of the 2021 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

“I’m super excited,” said Malgeri, a 2018 graduate of Exeter High School. “Honestly, as far as the plan when the season starts, I’m just going to do what I can in spring training, and wherever they put me is where I’ll play.”

Malgeri hit .279 with five home runs, and 26 RBIs in 74 games with Erie last year. He also had 20 doubles, seven triples and an on-base percentage of .351.

Malgeri said the “ideal scenario” is to begin the season with Triple-A Toledo.

“That would be great,” he said.

Malgeri said it’s been great so far in the first few days of camp, with the addition of being around some “big names” like Justin Verlander, Tarik Skubal and Javier Baez.

“(I am) getting used to being in a big-league locker room around a lot of talented guys,” Malgeri said. “It’s been great, but it’s pretty much the same thing.”

Malgeri said he’s “still playing the same game” and is trying to keep playing the exact same way that led him to where he is. He said he’s excited to get back on the field, and offseason training can get a little bit repetitive sometimes.

“It’s good to get strong, get in the cage and kind of refine your game,” he said. “But, you refine so you can go on the field and actually perform, so I’m looking forward to getting back on the field and playing some games here.”

All in all, Malgeri said it’s about being the best version of himself everyday.

“That was a big focus of mine last year,” he said. “Just feeling like I’m going out there and knowing I can compete every day (rather than) hoping I can compete, and I think that makes a big difference. I look to be a little more consistent in that area this year.”

Quinn McDaniel, infielder, Eugene Emeralds, High-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants

McDaniel, a 2020 graduate from Marshwood High School, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the fifth round of MLB’s First-Year Player Draft in 2023. He is gearing up for his third full season of professional baseball.

McDaniel hit .227, with nine home runs and 46 RBIs across 108 games last year with the Eugene Emeralds, the High-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.

“I am doing good, and excited to have another season,” said McDaniel, 23, who played three years at the University of Maine and helped the Black Bears to the America East championship in 2023.

McDaniel said he had a “solid” 2025 season with the Emeralds, who won the Northwest League second-half championship with a record of 42-16.

“There were some ups and downs, but overall, it was pretty good,” McDaniel said.

What has McDaniel learned about life in the minor leagues?

“Just the maturity that comes with it all, understanding the day-to-day stuff and the work it takes to not only physically, but mentally compete in every game and show up every day and perform,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel’s batting average last season of .227 was the lowest in his career.

“Consistency is always the goal, that’s where a lot of my focus was, trying to figure out a swing where I can consistently repeat it,” McDaniel said. “It’s a long season, and just have to trust the process, show up and try to be the best every single day; go out there, compete and try to be a gamer every single day. I think that goes a long way, rather than getting caught up having a bad day and worrying about it. Every day is a new day, and there’s a lot of opportunity out there.”

McDaniel said it doesn’t seem possible this is third spring training and fourth season of professional baseball.

“Time flies, it’s crazy,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel spent most of last season at second base, but did see some time in the outfield.

“Most of my reps are at second base right now, I wouldn’t think that would change,” McDaniel said. “The outfield is a secondary spot in case the team needs a guy out there or just another way to get me in the lineup.”

McDaniel spent most of his offseason home in Maine, and worked out at Powerhouse Sports in Seabrook with Morissette, Malgeri, Owen Carey, who went to Londonderry High School and is in the Atlanta Braves system, and Brady O’Brien, who hails from North Andover, Massachusetts, and was in the Seattle Mariners system last year.

“There was a solid group of us,” McDaniel said. “It was great to work with those guys.”

Whether McDaniel goes 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs, or goes hitless, he always make sure to sign autographs for the kids who attend games.

“It’s a cool moment with the kids, we also work some kids’ camps during the year,” McDaniel said. “I always take some time no matter how the game goes or what the outcome was to sign for the kids. It makes their day.”

Ideally, McDaniel would like to advance to Double-A Richmond at some point this summer.

Ryan Minckler, pitcher, Fredericksburg Nationals, Single-A affiliate of Washington Nationals

Minckler, a 2021 Portsmouth High School graduate, was drafted by the Nationals in the 19th round of the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft, and put together a solid season in 2025 with Single-A affiliate Fredericksburg.

Across 39 games, Minckler posted a 4-6 record and a 4.74 ERA in 49.1 innings. Minckler, who worked solely out of the bullpen, struck out 56 batters and held opponents to a .189 batting average.

Minckler finished the year strong with a 2.53 ERA in 10.2 innings in August, and threw three scoreless innings in September, recording 18 strikeouts in those 13.2 innings.

Minckler has been in West Palm Beach, Florida for nearly a week with the start of spring training, and is unsure where he will start the season.

“Everything’s still kind of up in the air,” Minckler said. “To me, this is basically just like a tryout, depending on how well I throw down here. I could be Low-A again, it could be High-A; it just depends on how the next six weeks go.”

Minckler reminds himself that his stuff is good, but “it just has to play in the zone more.”

“There were things mechanically that I took care of to clean some stuff up and to help me be in the (strike) zone more,” said Minckler, who issued 52 walks last season. “I think I’ll start finding some more success (when I am in the zone more).”

Minckler said it took about the first six weeks of last season to get comfortable with having six games, and throwing in three games a week.

“That took a lot of adjusting to do,” Minckler said. “In college, you’re playing every weekend, and summer ball, I was a starting pitcher, so I was throwing once a week, so it’s a lot different.”

Minckler introduced two new pitches to his arsenal — a slider and a sinker — this offseason.

“Those are two pitches I’m hoping to use early in the count, and get ahead of hitters,” he said. “Everything built around the offseason, including spring training, was all for being in the zone more, and having my stuff play there.”

Mike Montville, upper minor league hitting coordinator, Baltimore Orioles

After spending the last two seasons as the hitting coach with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, Montville, who helped lead Portsmouth High School to Division II state championships in 2008, 2009 and 2010, moves into a new role within the Baltimore Orioles organization this season.

Last fall, Montville, a 2010 graduate of Portsmouth High School, where he was part of the baseball program’s national record 89-game win streak and was twice named New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year, interviewed for and was offered the position of the upper minor league level hitting coordinator for the Orioles.

Montville viewed this as a promotion, and accepted.

“I am excited about it,” said Montville, who spent three years with the Boston Red Sox organization, serving as the assistant hitting coach for Worcester at the Triple-A level from 2021-23. “This would’ve been my sixth year in Triple-A, so, I was ready for a new challenge. This will be good.”

Montville will make his rounds checking in on the organization’s top prospects at High-A Frederick, Double-A Chesapeake, and Triple-A Norfolk throughout the summer.

“Instead of taking care of the day-to-day game-planning for pitchers and getting the guys ready every day, I’ll be overseeing, checking in on guys and making sure we’re trending in the right direction,” Montville said. “I’ll be making sure the things the big-league staff is doing, is also getting done at the minor league level.”

Montville will spend the majority of spring training with Baltimore’s major league camp in Sarasota, Florida, but will also “pop down to minor league camp every once in a while.”

“I’ll have more of 10,000-foot view (this season) rather than on-the-ground view,” said Montville, who is the founder of Powerhouse Sports in Seabrook.

Montville said the highlight of his 2025 season at Norfolk was working with players such as Coby Mayo, Dylan Beavers, and Jeremiah Jackson, and seeing them get called up and produce at the big-league level with the Orioles.

“We sent a lot of guys to the big leagues who got time at the end of the year, that was cool to see,” Montville said. “I think the organization has some exciting young prospects, and last year’s hitters was a fun group to be around. It’s hard to make it to the big leagues, and really hard to get called up and be good, especially right away; seeing those guys have success was fun for me.”

Cody Morissette, infielder, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins

Morissette, after he spent the bulk of last season in Double-A with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, finished his fifth year of professional baseball in Triple-A with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.

Morissette hit .214 with one home run and eight RBIs in 18 games with Jacksonville, and hit .232 with five homers and 29 RBIs in Double-A at the time of his promotion.

Morissette made his Triple-A debut against the Worcester Red Sox, allowing his family and friends to be in attendance at Polar Park.

“Hoping to earn a spot on the Triple-A roster again, that’s definitely a goal going into spring training this year,” said Morissette, an 2018 Exeter High School graduate.

On top of it all, Morissette wants go continue working towards his goal of getting to the big leagues.

“It’s been my dream to become a Major League Baseball player, and I just want to keep working toward that goal with stacking days,” he said.

Morissette said he will most likely will find out where he will be to start the season in the last week of camp.

Morissette said ending the season last year at Triple-A was “really good for me,” and will help him this year.

“Seeing the level of baseball there, and how close it is to being in the major leagues, I think that’s going to help me this year,” he said. “I know what to work on, I know what to get better at and I think it’ll help me have a really big year here in 2026.”

Morissette challenged himself more during the offseason, wanting to improve his batting average, and continue to be a team player with driving in runs, scoring runs and stealing bases.

“Pushed myself, added some weight and got a little bit faster,” he said. “So, definitely looking forward to this upcoming season.

“I’m excited to play baseball,” he added. I’m still fortunate to lace up the cleats, put on the jersey and there’s no better feeling. I’m just excited to play the game and enjoy each day, and continue chasing the dream I’ve had since I was a 7-year-old kid.”

Brennan Oxford, pitcher, Minnesota Twins organization

Oxford, a 2018 graduate of Oyster River High School, was pitching for the Staten Island FerryHawks in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball last May when he signed a free-agent contract with the Minnesota Twins organization.

“I had no idea what (Twins) scout signed me, but my agent said I was going to the Twins, and I said ‘that sounds good,'” said Oxford, now 26, who pitched collegiately for Wake Forest and Florida State University.

Oxford pitched for the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels in Low-A, and was later promoted to the Cedar Rapids Kernels in High-A. Combined he had a record of 5-2 and a 4.00 ERA across 36 innings in 28 games, all in relief.

The biggest thing Oxford, who is throwing 94 mph now, learned last summer was “taking everything in stride.”

“The more strikes you throw, the better you’re going to do,” said Oxford. “I hope to stay healthy during the next six weeks. I can’t really control (where I’ll start the season), that’s dependent on the organization structure and how I do. I am just going take what I get and make the most of it. I am just hoping to stay healthy and have a good time.”

Oxford, now 26, remembers as a kid attending a spring training game between the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, Florida. Oxford got his first professional save in that same ballpark.

“That was pretty cool,” he said.

Oxford was recently issued his spring training uniform.

“It’s exciting and cool (to put on a professional uniform),” Oxford said. “It’s a culmination of a lot of things I’ve been hoping for my whole life.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Catching up with 7 Seacoast baseball stars as MLB spring training begins

Reporting by Jay Pinsonnault and Brandon Brown, Portsmouth Herald / Portsmouth Herald