By Jimmy Allinder
Matthew Ciaccio is 6 feet 7 inches tall and might grow a little more.
But the former Spotswood High School basketball player decided his frame is better suited for pitching a baseball.
Ciaccio, a Milltown native, was a starter for the 2014 Chargers, and it was thought the junior would be a key to the team’s success last winter. Ciaccio had different thoughts.
“I decided not to play basketball, and it was one of the toughest choices in my life,” Ciaccio said. “I know a lot of people were upset and thought I was being selfish, but my decision was based on what was best for my future.”
Ciaccio said a mental obstacle he had to overcome was the need to please everybody’s expectations instead of doing what was best for him.
Once he got past that hurdle, Ciaccio’s focus turned to being the best baseball player he could be. As a sophomore, he finished 4-2 on the mound by picking up wins as a late-inning reliever and was primed to improve those statistics this past spring.
Only that didn’t happen. Ciaccio ended with a 4-5 record, although he did post a 2.23 earned run average in 53.1 innings of work with 46 strikeouts.
“My record definitely wasn’t where it needed to be,” he said. “I had opportunities in tight spots to get the job done with one pitch and I didn’t come through. My goal next season is to be more efficient in later innings and in big spots. That will hopefully improve my record and, more important, help my team win.”
Glenn Fredricks, the veteran Spotswood coach, says Ciaccio’s honest assessment of his 2016 performance is a sign of maturity, which will serve the rising senior well next spring.
“What makes Matt special is his ability to take direction and improve,” he said. “He can deal with failure and never stops competing, which is important, especially in baseball. Matt is coachable and loves the game — two important elements players need to maximize their potential.”
College scouts must also see what Fredricks sees because Ciaccio is on many schools’ radar screens. Among the schools that have expressed interest are Towson University, Villanova University, Johnson and Wales University and Quinnipiac University.
Ciaccio’s mental disposition is also what makes him an attractive pitching prospect. He takes a different approach on the mound than when he’s at first base, his other position.
“They’re very different,” he said. “When I toe the rubber, all I think about is the next throw, then try and relax between pitches. Playing first base is about reacting to what’s in front of me at all times.”
Ciaccio says all he has to do is look around and behind him to gain confidence on the mound.
“Even if I have strikeouts in a game, 14 more outs have to come from plays made in the field,” he said. “Trusting my teammates is an important part of my game.”
When he does make a college choice, academics will play a major role in his decision, Ciaccio said. His grade-point average is 4.0, and he is a member of the National Honor Society and participates in the Heroes and Cool Kids mentoring program talking to middle school students about bullying, sportsmanship drugs, and alcohol. Outside of school, he is part of a Christian youth group that helps disadvantaged people in different parts of the country.
Ciaccio knows the top priority when he returns to school is maintaining his grades.
“Coach Fredricks understands the importance of academics,” he said. “He knows there are days I need to take a test and get extra help. Managing my time well is also part of that responsibility.”
Ciaccio says he learned how to plan his days when he played travel sports in the seventh grade. He had a lot of homework and needed to study and chose to complete everything, however long it took.
Ciaccio plays for the New Jersey Explosion, a summer travel team coached by Scott Rossiter, which allows him to showcase his talents at tournaments sponsored by Perfect Game and Diamond Nation.
“Having supportive parents (Ken and Joanne) and a brother (Michael) has enabled me to go about my day feeling less stressful,” Ciaccio said. “When I decided not to play basketball, they supported me fully. My grandfather, Bob Szabo, who played in the Detroit Tigers organization, was just as supportive.
“It may sound cliché, but throwing with my dad in the backyard is my best childhood memory. Even on days when he was tired after work, he sat in his ‘catcher’s chair’ and caught my pitches. He knew those things would lead to bigger and better things for me.”
Those things could happen as early as next spring.