For Hammonton’s Stephen Restuccio, difficult baseball decisions might not be over

The recruiting was getting a little hectic, and Stephen Restuccio decided to end the process so he could concentrate on baseball — before entering high school.

Now a senior at Hammonton, Restuccio decided after his eighth grade graduation that he would attend Wake Forest, the school where his father Ross, a 1988 Hammonton graduate, played baseball.

“My dad went there, the coaches were great, the school was beautiful, and I was young,” Restuccio said about his early decision.

He said he got ribbed a little bit about making an early decision and later changed his mind. By the end of his sophomore season, he committed to Maryland.

When then-Maryland head coach John Szefc and pitching coach Ryan Fecteau left the school for the same positions at Virginia Tech, Restuccio decided to commit to the Hokies before his junior year.

"The whole recruiting process has been fun and kind of wild, too,” Restuccio said. “It is hard making a decision and finding the right place.”

His baseball decisions might not be over.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder is considered one of the top prospects in South Jersey as a pitcher, although he is also a dangerous hitter who can play shortstop or first base, too. In fact, he said he was recruited by Virginia Tech to pitch and be a position player.

As for his decision, Restuccio is a candidate for the MLB first-year player draft, scheduled for June 3-5.

He is viewed by scouts as a pitcher and says he had contact with virtually every MLB team in the offseason. Restuccio throws in the low 90s, but said he hit 95 at a high-profile tournament in October in Jupiter, Fla.

“I think it is the dream of anybody to get drafted, but if it doesn’t turn out, I go to Virginia Tech, so it is a win-win situation,” he said.

He has thrown only three innings this spring, all coming in Thursday’s 10-2 loss at Kingsway. Restuccio allowed four earned runs in his first outing. He said an injury had kept him off the mound in the preseason.

“It was my first time this year on a mound and I didn’t have my stuff today, but everything felt fine,” he said.

Hammonton coach Gregg Silvesti, a 2000 graduate of the school, marvels at how Restuccio has dealt with all the attention.

“He has played a ton of baseball over the years and has really handled things well,” Silvesti said. “He handles the pressure well.”

What the coach really admires is Restuccio’s commitment to the game.

“He is all-in and definitely dedicated,” Silvesti said.

How dedicated?

Restuccio says for about the last seven to nine months, he and his father have left at 6 a.m. to travel to Long Island every Sunday to work with pitching coach Rob Steinert, a former player at North Carolina State and a former minor leaguer.

“I have learned so much and have completely changed from last year,” he said.

While pitching seems to be Restuccio’s calling card, Silvesti said if he never pitched, he would be a top college prospect as a position player. He entered the weekend hitting 7-for-16 (.437) with a grand slam and five RBIs.

“The ball sounds just different coming off his bat,” Silvesti said.

Restuccio really likes competing for his high school team. The Blue Devils are among many teams that could challenge in a loaded South Jersey Group 3 field.

So for now, the draft or any thoughts of the next level can wait.

“Obviously, every kid wishes to be drafted, but right now, my focus is on the team,” Restuccio said. “I want to play every game as hard as I can and do everything to help our team win.”