Island Trees Graduate Drafted in Third Round by Padres

Hofstra junior and 2010 Island Trees High School graduate Bryan Verbitsky was drafted in the third round of the MLB draft Friday afternoon.

Verbitsky had a breakout junior campaign for the Pride, racking up 51 strikeouts in 44 innings pitched, with a 2.66 ERA. In April, Verbitsky was named Hofstra’s athlete of the month as the Pride won 16 of 22 games. 

“So grateful and blessed to be a part of the San Diego Padres Organization! Dream come true!” Verbitsky said on his Twitter page.

Verbitsky’s parents said they couldn’t be more proud of him.

“He’s never given us a single problem,” said his father, Troy. “He’s very respectful and he really deserves it.”

While his parents heard some rumors that Bryan would be drafted today, they didn’t know where exactly he would go. So, getting chosen in the third round came as a bit of a surprise to them.

"I haven't been able to get off the phone," Troy said. 

Island Trees High School Principal Nicholas Grande called Verbitsky a "terrific kid who is friends with everybody."

"He grew into a tremendous player," Grande said. "He's talented, but he put so much time in. He has an unmatched work ethic and he did every single thing he was supposed to do."

Island Trees baseball coach and teacher Joseph D'Auria said he had the MLB draft live on his computer in his Social Studies class. He said the whole school was overly excited upon hearing the news.

"It gives us faith that good things happen to good people," D'Auria said.

Even more surprising is that Verbitsky was a "much better" hitter than pitcher at Island Trees. D'Auria said he was a great athlete and hitter, but his control on the mound was a little shaky at first.

As a freshman, the varsity team planned on bringing him up as a catcher because of his strong arm, but D'Auria said an injury to an outfielder changed those plans. He would go on to break home run records and would harness his control on the mound. 

"He's one of the top two players to come through here ever, along with Greg Thomson in 2002," said D'Auria. Thomson won the Diamond Award in 2002 as the best position player in the county and was drafted in the 13th round by the Diamondbacks in 2005 out of St. John's. His jersey was retired in 2011. 

Hofstra baseball coach John Russo is losing a great player, but wished the best for Verbitsky.

"This is a great opportunity for him and is something that he has worked extremely hard for," Russo said in a release. "While I would love to have him back at Hofstra for his senior year, I could not be happier for Bryan and wish him all the best as he embarks on his professional career. The Padres are getting a great player and an even better person.”

MLB.com gave a positive scouting report for Verbitsky, who has reached 97 MPH on his fastball at times. "He mixes his fastball with a changeup and slider, and aggressively challenges hitters," the report said.

At Island Trees, Verbitsky was a two-time Diamond Award winner as the top position player in Nassau County. He was named All-State as a junior and senior, helping the team win the county championship in 2007 and reaching the county finals in 2009.   

During the summer 2012, Verbitsky was a Cape Code Baseball League All-Star while pitching for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.

Verbitsky, who will turn 21 on June 11, should also be getting a visit from the Padres then at his Levittown home. His father said after they work over the logistics of the deal, the team will fly him out to Arizona for their “Short Season” Class A team. From there, he will head to Single-A.

Verbitsky is one of the highest drafted MLB prospects from Long Island in recent memory. Patchogue-Medford standout Marcus Stroman was drafted out of Duke in the first round by the Nationals in 2009, and Steven Matz was taken by the Mets in the second round in 2009 out of Ward Melville HS in East Setauket.