Fall report: Rhode Island has marquee talent all over roster

Reigning A-10 All-Rookie Team member Justin Cherry of URI pitched with the Newport Gulls (NECBL) last summer. (URI Athletics)

Editor’s note: This is the 13th in an offseason series profiling the region’s Division 1 baseball programs.

Rhode Island spent this fall looking to build off its 24-win season and fourth Atlantic 10 postseason appearance in five seasons, but several players got a head start on that goal as they took the field in some of the top summer competition both within the New England region and beyond.

When you couple that success and returning depth with the strongest freshman class of Raphael Cerrato’s entire tenure (six years as head coach, three as assistant) in Kingston, there is plenty of optimism surrounding the 2020 season to come.

“There are 13 or 14 position players I would love to play every day,” said Cerrato, an Enfield, Conn., native. “You can’t do that, obviously, but we’re going to go into the first five weeks and not only try to win games, but I want to give guys some opportunities to show what they can do and create that depth that you need.