“I’m just trying to get some work in for college and focus on preparation,” Cerone said. “Getting back to playing again. I didn’t really play my freshman year and trying to focus on getting back competitively.”
Cerone appeared in seven games this past spring, primarily as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement with the Marauders. He was still dealing with lingering effects of a hamstring injury he suffered during his senior season at Neumann-Goretti.
“Senior year was frustrating thinking my season was over, but it wasn’t, and I was able to play the rest of the year,” Cerone said.
Despite the setback, Cerone was an offensive catalyst for the Saints throughout his high school career. He hit an impressive .410 with a .469 on-base percentage while swiping 30 bases. As a junior, he earned First-Team All-State honors while leading Neumann-Goretti to the PIAA Class 3A State Championship. He also helped guide the Saints to three playoff appearances.
Even with the accolades, Cerone’s start to high school baseball was anything but smooth.
“I got kicked off of JV my freshman year. I tweaked my knee weightlifting, and I just stopped showing up to practice. I was a little twerp back then,” he said with a wry smile.
He’s since put those days behind him. His maturity took another step forward this past year at Millersville. Despite limited playing time after a decorated high school career, he embraced the opportunity to learn.
“I didn’t have a problem showing my competitive side [at Millersville],” he said. “I was okay sitting out a year. Getting to see what everybody does and get better at baseball by just watching.”
Cerone had a front-row seat as the Marauders racked up 44 wins en route to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title — one of the premier Division II conferences in the country. Millersville’s season eventually ended in the NCAA DII Atlantic Regional.
Now, with his hamstring healthy and a renewed sense of purpose, Cerone is focused on making an impact.
“I’m going to be a sophomore; I have a lot of time so it doesn’t bother me,” he said. “I know how to make my hamstring better and get it stronger. I should be good.”
He’s been better than good this summer for the ASBA Futures in the PSCL. Named to the league’s All-Star Game, Cerone has posted a .417 on-base percentage and an .838 OPS.
“He’s a great outfielder with great instincts out there,” ASBA Futures Head Coach Dom Wyshnski said. “I told him he is one of our best guys and these are the things I expect from him. I got it ever since then. He is a stud.”
Wyshnski added: “He has a lot of potential and has to keep developing, but he is going to be a good player for Millersville, that’s for sure.”
Cerone has enjoyed the contrast between summer ball and the structure of the collegiate season.
“Playing in this league is a way to get the pressure off of you from college baseball,” he said. “In college, there’s a lot more signs, rules and things you have to focus on. This summer, I can play the kind of baseball I want, do whatever I want in the outfield but still lock in and play my best baseball.”
Still, Cerone isn’t taking the summer lightly. He’s already locked in on next spring.
“I just want to keep hitting, playing defense and get stronger,” he said. “Then, go back [to Millersville] with a chip on my shoulder because I didn’t start last year when I should have.”
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