NEW YORK – The City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) has announced its All-Star awards and team for the 2025 baseball season.
 
Senior Joseph Cocozza of Baruch was named the conference's Player of the Year for the third time in his career, while John Jay's Axel Kappes III was tabbed Pitcher of the Year.  The Bloodhounds' Sebastian Sanchez was voted Rookie of the Year, with John Jay skipper Clemente Sosa honored as Coach of the Year by his peers.  John Jay's Hayden Tackett was named recipient of the Sportsmanship Award.
 
Player of the Year: Joseph Cocozza, Baruch
Cocozza led the CUNYAC in hitting, batting .449 with three home runs and 40 runs batted in.  His 1.261 OPS is also tops in the conference.  Cocozza hit for the cycle in Sunday's conference championship game as the Bearcats won their first title since 2022.
 
Pitcher of the Year: Axel Kappes III, John Jay
Kappes led the conference in earned run average, recording a 3.29 ERA in seven starts.  Over 41 innings pitched, he compiled a 5-1 record, struck out 33 and held opponents to a .235 batting average, tops in the CUNYAC.
 
Rookie of the Year: Sebastian Sanchez, John Jay
Sanchez ranked among the conference leaders in runs batted in, driving in 32 runners in 37 games.  He batted .318 with 10 doubles, three triples and a pair of home runs and his .962 OPS was ninth in the conference.  On the mound Sanchez compiled a 6.23 ERA in nine appearances.
 
Coach of the Year: Clemente Sosa, John Jay
Sosa, in his second season at John Jay, guided the Bloodhounds to a three-way tie for first in the conference standings with an 8-4 record and the No. 2 seed in the CUNYAC Baseball Championship.  The Bloodhounds finished with 15 overall victories.
 
2025 CUNYAC Baseball All-Star Awards
Player of the Year: Joseph Cocozza, Baruch
Pitcher of the Year: Axel Kappes III, John Jay
Rookie of the Year: Sebastian Sanchez, John Jay
Coach of the Year:  Clemente Sosa, John Jay
Sportsmanship Award: Hayden Tackett, John Jay
Sportsmanship Team: Tackett, Andrew Page (Baruch), Eric Marmolejos (CCNY), Stefan Allen (Lehman)
 
2025 CUNYAC Baseball All-Star Team
Roy Longarzo, Baruch, OF
Peter Marino, Baruch, OF
Demetri Zirogiannis, CCNY, OF
Eli Fermin, Lehman, OF
Benjamin Luciano, Baruch, UTIL
Erik Rank, CCNY, UTIL
Joseph Cocozza, Baruch, INF
Kevin Budzinski, CCNY, INF
Juan Maldonado, Lehman, INF
Anthony Agosta, John Jay, INF
Leniel Rivera, Lehman, INF
Axel Kappes III, John Jay, P
John Kim, Baruch, P
Sean Jost, John Jay, P

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