Division 1 preview: Freshmen to watch on New England teams

Northeastern freshman Sebastian Keane (North Andover, Mass.) is expected to make an immediate impact. (Heratch Ekmekjian)

Making the jump from the high school level to Division 1 baseball can be a challenge for freshmen, especially in the New England region.

While the players have had the majority of the academic year to adjust to new surroundings and campus life, their first official college baseball games lie ahead in a matter of just a couple of weeks. At that point, whether it be down south or out west, it finally will be time for the players to play like they practiced all fall and winter. 

Some of the region’s coaches are very excited about the prospects for first-year players during 2020. For one, Mike Glavine (Billerica, Mass.) and his Northeastern club boasts a freshman class that has been tabbed as one of the nation’s best outside of Power Five conferences.

Right-handed pitchers Sebastian Keane ― the 2019 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year from North Andover ― and Cam Schlittler (Walpole, Mass.) headline Glavine’s class of newcomers and should contribute to the team’s success immediately.