TROY, N.Y. — The 518 Futures Classic, presented by the Tri-City ValleyCats in partnership with Built2win, returned for the fourth iteration on Monday night at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium and delivered the excitement, on all accounts.
“It’s just a surreal experience,” Columbia senior Andrew Gabriel said. “Just getting the opportunity to be like an MLB player for the day, where we got to take (batting practice) on the field and just got to live it, is great.”
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, in Troy, N.Y. (DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP).
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joe Bruno Stadium, in Troy, NY. (PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP)
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joe Bruno Stadium, in Troy, NY. (PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP)
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joe Bruno Stadium, in Troy, NY. (PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP)
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joe Bruno Stadium, in Troy, NY. (PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP)
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joe Bruno Stadium, in Troy, NY. (PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP)
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joe Bruno Stadium, in Troy, NY. (PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP)
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joe Bruno Stadium, in Troy, NY. (PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP)
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joe Bruno Stadium, in Troy, NY. (PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP)
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joe Bruno Stadium, in Troy, NY. (PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP)
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joe Bruno Stadium, in Troy, NY. (PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP)
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joe Bruno Stadium, in Troy, NY. (PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP)
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joe Bruno Stadium, in Troy, NY. (PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP)
The Tri-City ValleyCats and built2win presented the 518 Futures Game Classic and Home Run Derby on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Joe Bruno Stadium, in Troy, NY. (PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE - MEDIA NEWSGROUP)
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Gabriel was one of nearly 50 high school all-stars from Section 2 that were selected to compete in the Futures Cassic, which saw ‘Team Navy,’ defeat ‘Team White,’ in a 10-5 slugfest.
Speaking of sluggers, Gabriel was also one of eight all-stars taking on the classics’ annual, Home Run Derby that stepped off the evening’s affair.
After his four home run first round, Stillwater senior Jaxson Mueller blasted six beyond ‘The Joe’s’ left field fence in the finals to bring home the 2024 HR Derby Champion’s Chain.
“It just means a lot. To be recognized as one of the best players in ‘518’ just means a lot to me and being able to come back with this is huge,” Mueller said. “I mean, you think about playing in the MLB and in the MLB’s home run derby, hopefully, this is that first step to the next one. Hopefully, I get there one day, but this is huge.”
In the 2023 Derby, Mueller lost in the finals to Hosick Falls’ graduate and two-time champion Jake Sparks (Marshall). Last year, Mueller’s six home runs were not enough to take down Sparks, who hit 12. This time, it was enough to edge out CBA’s Brian Carrothers, who finished second with five home runs.
“Not to overdo it in the first round, trying to go all out and hitting as many as I can. This year, I took it slow. Hit my four in the first round to get me there (finals) and then just went all out in the second round and got it done,” Mueller said on what he learned from year one in the derby.
“I had the confidence to do it. Last year, I came up just short and this year I was able to get it done and it feels great, it feels amazing,” Mueller added.
Gabriel, along with Saratoga Springs’ Michael Mack, Bethlehem’s Christian Mikulski, Albany Academy’s Nico DeSanto, and Colonie’s Nate Figueroa fell short of the three-man final round, behind Coxsackie-Athens’ Adam Slater, who eventually took third place.
“My whole life I’ve just been a contact hitter and somehow, over the last few years, I started to put balls out. I mean, the wind was killer today, but Jaxon Mueller is beast out there. He definitely deserves this,” Gabriel said. “I think swinging for the fences might’ve hurt a little bit early in the game, but I mean, it’s definitely so much fun to just be able to play.”
In the ensuing Futures Game, Gabriel had a multi-hit, three-RBI performance for Team Navy and was awarded the Most Valuable Player award for the contest.
“Winning is fun and competing is fun. I think just taking every game like it’s the last and just having a great time is the key to success, truthfully,” Gabriel, who is committed to playing baseball at Trinity College this Fall and will spend this summer with the Glens Falls Dragons of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, commented.
“I guess the mindset coming in was just to really enjoy the game and to have fun with the guys,” Gabriel explained.
Mack (Northeastern) also had a multi-RBI day for Team Navy, while Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake’s Tim Venditti (SUNY Brockport) added an RBI triple.
Niskayuna senior Parker Aikens (Rhode Island) got the start on the mound, with teammates Zach Mravlja and Duncan Munro posting RBI singles.
Mueller kept hitting home runs come game time, mashing a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth.
“Make that 11 home runs,” Mueller said with a Michael Jordan shrug back in the dugout.
Averill Park’s Ethan Nardacci (UAlbany) was eventually tabbed with the win for Team Navy, throwing two innings of relief across the fifth and sixth.
Columbia’s Steven Heller (SUNY Brockport) joined his Blue Devil teammate with an RBI base hit. Yet Gabriel noted postgame, that part of what made the contest so enjoyable was that it brought many former, Section 2 rivals back alongside them.
“It’s definitely great. Definitely, we’re competing on the field during the season, but we’re all friends here. We’ve all played together since we were…oh my gosh, since I think we first started baseball,” Gabriel said with a laugh. “We’ve just built such a great sense of rivalry and a great sense of friendship too; friendships that will transcend baseball and into life.”
Next up, many of these players will stay local for summer ball before shipping out to colleges near and far away to pursue the next stages of their academic and athletic careers or returning to high school for another season in Section 2.
They all got a look at the ‘Future, Futures’ who may also hope to be competing on the same field, one day soon. Little league, travel, and youth all-star teams lined the seats of Bruno Stadium, making up a significant chuck of the 1,100 (unofficial) in attendance.
Everyone left with smiles, autographs, and even a ball or two, as they were treated to an evening with the all-stars.
