Prep Baseball Report

Aggressiveness, Speed Lead Merlonghi To Central


Bruce Hefflinger
PBR New England Senior Writer

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Aggressiveness, Speed Lead Merlonghi To Central

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Gianno Merlonghi SS / 2B / Masuk, CT / 2021

MONROE, Ct. - Speed is a big reason that Gianno Merlonghi was recently moved to the outfield. It is also a major part of what led to a commitment with Central Connecticut State.

“They were looking for a high-impact player that’s very aggressive like myself,” explained the Masuk junior about Central. “They like the way I play the game, the way I lead on the field, my speed and my contact. They also like me as a person.”

A sit-down with his coaches helped lead the 80th-rated 2021 player in New England to a college just 53 minutes from his home.

“I was going over schools with my coaches and they mentioned that Central could be a great fit for me, so I set up a visit,” Merlonghi reflected. “The coaches there were all amazing and the campus was beautiful. I liked everything about the school.”

The 5-7 161-pounder had been to camps at Fairfield, Bryant, Fairleigh Dickinson and Stoneybrook, but in his eyes Central was the right choice.

“I just felt Central was very well-rounded and a fantastic fit for me,” Merlonghi said.

Recent improvement that went along with his move to center field proved beneficial in the recruiting process.

“Over the last year I’ve gained a lot of speed and a lot of power,” noted Merlonghi, who in June was rated the Best Runner at the afternoon session of the New England Top Prospect Games. “I played second base for the Masuk varsity as a freshman and sophomore but made the switch to outfield in the summer for Clubhouse. I’m very fast and have a good glove, so they thought my speed would fit better in the outfield where I can cover a lot of ground.”

It has been a learning experience for Merlonghi, whose 60 time has dropped from 7.0 to 6.6 over the last year.

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