LHS Baseball Continues its Winning Tradition

Every spring, despite bone-chilling winds, intermittent showers, and soggy fields, Lexington’s baseball players eagerly emerge from sheltered batting cages and their off-season regimens and take the field.

And, once again this spring, Lexington High School’s head baseball coach, Zack Friedman, and his staff are fielding a competitive team. Friedman’s 10-year LHS head coaching tenure has continued to build on a decades-old tradition of baseball excellence. Friedman-led teams set a high standard, relentlessly fighting their way to or near the top of the standings. Under his leadership, the Minutemen delivered a conference championship in 2015 and have qualified for the Massachusetts State Tournament every year.

Baseball is a game of failure. The best hitters fail seven in 10 at-bats. The game teaches humility and resilience.” ZACK FRIEDMAN

This winning tradition isn’t new. Friedman played for and then later spent two years as an assistant coach to Tom O’Grady, who stepped down in 2014 after 24 years at the helm. O’Grady’s tenure established LHS’s baseball culture, including a milestone 300th win in his final season. In summarizing his LHS tenure, O’Grady was quick to thank the school’s leadership for the opportunity and Lexington Little League and Babe Ruth baseball programs for their partnerships.

Friedman follows in O’Grady’s footsteps. Year after year, his teams are accumulating victories while he remains humble and thankful. “Coach O’Grady built the support of the school and community,” says Friedman. “We have been able to focus on the players. Our boosters are incredible. We are forever grateful.”

Teaching teamwork and respect are as important to Friedman and his staff as coaching the required hitting, fielding, and base running skills.

“Baseball is a game of failure. The best hitters fail seven in 10 at-bats. The game teaches humility and resilience,” says Friedman. “We expect our players to respect their academics, coaches, teammates, and the game. It’s our character that will determine whether we reach our potential.” Friedman’s years of baseball experience include stints scouting for the Mets and the Cape Cod League for Peter Gammons. He has seen great players and great teams underachieve when they didn’t honor these principles.

Assistant Coach Gavin McDonough agrees: “The most important thing players need to learn is how to be a great teammate. Yes, give a pat on the back but even more important, be there for your teammate when things aren’t going well.”McDonough, a 1997 LHS grad, played and coached at Endicott College. He joined O’Grady’s staff in 2012. He races to the LHS ball field every afternoon from his teaching position at Malden High and focuses on hitting and infield play. Former Minutemen player Charlie Schroeder graduated LHS in 2018. Schroeder manages the bullpen and bench coach duties. Rounding out the varsity coaching staff is the only non-LHS grad, Coach Jason Rajotte. Rajotte’s resume includes eight years in professional baseball with the Oakland A’s and the San Francisco Giants. He was an 11th-round pick following his junior season at the University of Maine.

Brothers Kazu (LHS 2016) and Tomo Ebihare (LHS 2014) lead the Junior Varsity and Freshman programs. Both played for Friedman.

“Kazu and Tomo do a great job,” explains Friedman. “Every year, younger players graduate to the varsity and make an immediate positive impact. Continuity and consistency are foundational to the success of the program.”
To further the legend of LHS baseball are the stories of two Minutemen who made it to the “big leagues,” in Sal Frelick and Chris Shaw. Frelick, a 2018 graduate, played for Boston College before signing as a first-round draft pick in 2021. Frelick is currently getting his share of recognition as a starter for a Milwaukee Brewers team that sits atop of the National League Central Division standings. Prior to Frelick, Chris Shaw, LHS class of 2012, was a first-round pick of the San Francisco Giants out of BC. Chris made his “big league” debut with the Giants in 2018.

Frelick was a three-sport star (also playing football and hockey) at LHS and was offered a football scholarship to BC. Despite all his athletic achievements, Friedman reveals his values-based coaching philosophy when speaking about him: “Sal Frelick is an even better human being than he is a baseball player. And, it was great to see Chris offer Sal support and counsel during those big decision moments he faced.”

The 2024 Minuteman team is talented and experienced. In many respects, the 2023 season was successful. A young LHS team, without a single senior starter, reached the state tournament only to lose a close game to the eventual state champion, Taunton. The 2024 team is capitalizing on the many experienced returning players including three league all stars and four players that have committed to playing at the college level.

The All-Stars include senior shortstop and co-captain Jaden Velis, senior catcher and co-captain Vince Libretto, and sophomore pitcher/outfielder Max Berbarian. Libretto has committed to play college ball at the Division I University of Delaware and Velis will take his game to Division III powerhouse Salve Regina in Rhode Island. All three are hitting at better than a .350 average and leading the team for hits, RBIs, and hitting for power.

In addition, senior third baseman Jack Finch has committed to continue his baseball journey at Illinois Tech (Chicago, IL), and senior pitcher Stewart Camp will take the mound for Wentworth.
The Minutemen are deep. Strong performances are being turned in by Mike Eberle, Will Everett, Alex Wagner, Leo Libretto, and Adam O’Shaughnessy.

All the success comes with additional benefits, the competition brings its best and expectations are always high for the Minutemen. It’s rare for LHS to see its competitor’s second-best pitcher. “Our team is battle-tested. To compete, we have to be our best every game. There are no easy days on our schedule.” says Friedman. “We wouldn’t want it any other way.” And, of course, making the playoffs and playing well against the state’s best is an expectation.

Will the Minutemen achieve its high expectations in 2024? “We’ll take one game at a time and continue to get a little better every game. As coaches, that’s all we can ask, to continue to improve,” says Friedman.

Regardless of how the 2024 season wraps uo there are a few predictions that can be made. It’s likely at least one former player will volunteer to return and help the program. And, more than one LHS player will demonstrate his love for the game, work hard,  and earn the chance to play in college.

And, as predictable as chilly winds and soggy baseball fields are in the spring, we can expect the Minutemen will be eager to take the field and be amongst the toughest to beat.