Rye Varsity Baseball head coach Michael Bruno has declined to name an individual MVP for the 2026 season, instead citing the efforts of the entire team.
“Baseball is the ultimate team sport. Success comes from contributions across the entire roster players, coaches, and support staff,” Bruno told MyRye.com. “While individual performances can stand out, no single player is solely responsible for a team’s achievements. For that reason, I believe recognizing the collective effort of the team is more appropriate than selecting one MVP.”
The team finished with a 19-7 record, good enough for a first-place finish in their league and the #1 seed for the sectional tournament. Clutch hitting propelled them to their second consecutive Section 1 title, their first at the AA level and their first back-to-back championships in program history.
Along their journey to the regional finals, several different players stepped up at different times. Nolan Hutson set the table all season and stole 19 bases. Jamie Morris led the way in OPS, puncuated by his walk-off home run against Yorktown in the semifinals. Jackson Pineault led Rye in walks and managed games well from behind home plate, earning his siganture moment with the go-ahead double in the championship elimination game. Luke Ontaneda launched a playoff home run off a Division 1 commit. Lucas London and Michael Talbott both added value on offense and on the pitcher’s mound. Miles Silber, Harry Ellis, and Ben Fineberg filled consistent roles to round out the high-scoing lineup.
On the hill, Talbott, London, Clayton McCarthy, and Michael Bubeck all won at least four games with ERAs below 3.00, a remarkable show of pitching depth against elite lineups in Class AA. Those without everyday roles also showed up every day, rightfully earning sectional championship rings.
Bruno and the rest of the Garnets have plenty to be proud of from 2026.
