It is so hard to make the Commack Varsity Baseball team in the first place but someone has done it. Meet Robert Mascia, a freshman who made the team last year as an eighth grader, unheard of for the high-caliber team. 

“He was unusually strong for an eighth grader and he felt confident that the game wouldn’t be too fast for him and he had a certain level of confidence about him and he was comfortable playing at that level,” said varsity baseball coach Matthew Salmon.

This is surprising to hear as putting together Mascia’s past, no one would’ve guessed he would be on the varsity team.

“I started [playing] when I was 7 years old because when I was young, doctors told me not to play any sports with a ball because I had a hand-eye coordination problem. But now I’m playing.  I’m playing all around the country and it’s my favorite thing to do,” said Mascia.

 Mascia has overcome some adversity in his life and is headed towards getting noticed by top schools.

“Robbie is setting himself up for a potentially big level college offer, maybe an SEC or Power 5 type conference or a potential high school draft pick,” said Salmon.

 He cannot be recruited by colleges because of a new NCAA rule, but is on a path of becoming a professional baseball player come 2029. Mascia also shared thoughts on his challenges ahead.

“[I’m] going to have to face a lot of adversity, ignore all doubts, and stay focused on it,” said Mascia.

Coach Salmon is also trying to help him in the little parts and mental aspects of the game.

“I’m trying to reinforce some of the ways to recover quickly from the mistakes and to make sure he remains confident,” said Salmon. 

The other person in his life who has helped him maintain his confidence and success has been his dad. Mascia’s father has been an integral person helping him get to this point.

“[My dad has] always pushed me through everything and helped me wherever I need,” said Mascia.◼️