Honesdale's Joseph Curreri Signs Letter of Intent to Attend Hofstra University

HONESDALE — Momentum is building for what promises to be an exciting baseball season at Honesdale High School.

While basketball and wrestling are currently in the winter sports spotlight, it won’t be long before focus shifts to the diamond where a talented Hornet team is expected to challenge for a championship.

And while the Red & Black roster is packed with talented players, one in particular stands out.

Ace of the Staff

Joseph Curreri is a battle-tested senior.

He’s a fireballing right-handed pitcher and the ace of Honesdale’s staff. With Curreri taking a regular turn in the rotation, the Hornets are favored to make a run at both the division and district title in 2023.

“We’ve been looking at this year for a long time with the weapons we have both offensively and defensively,” said Head Coach Ernie Griffis. “Joseph will come in prepared as ever and I see that translating into a memorable season for him and the team.”

This past week, coaches, family members and school officials gathered in the HHS library for an exciting announcement. After much consideration, Curreri has decided to continue his academic and athletic career at Hofstra University.

“I’m very excited,” Joseph said. “I feel as though the stars aligned and fell onto place. Hofstra is the best fit for me. They play in a great D1 conference mixed with southern and northern teams, so I can’t wait to go and compete!”

Hofstra is located on Long Island in Hempstead, New York. The school features a top-flight Division I baseball program. In fact, the Pride are coming off an historic season in which they won 30 games, captured the Colonial Athletic Association championship and made a first-ever appearance at the NCAA regional tournament.

Curreri is anxious to join such a successful program, one led by former Major League player Frank Catalanotto. The Pride’s veteran skipper played 14 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets.

That last one really resonates with Curreri since he and his Dad are diehard Mets fans.

“Coach Catalanotto is a great guy,” said Joseph, who’s favorite player is New York ace Jacob deGrom. “I’m really excited about playing for him.”

From Thrower to Pitcher

Joseph is the son of Joe and Carolyn Curreri, Beach Lake.

He began playing organized baseball at the age of seven, both in the Narrowsburg Little League and the Honesdale Little Baseball Association.

“My love for the game started way back when I was three, picking up a ball and bat for the first time,” Joseph said. “I worked on my craft throughout all these years to chase my dreams of becoming an MLB player.”

In addition to local youth baseball, Curreri has also been extremely active on the travel team scene. He started out at the 10U level with the Northeast Pride and has played every year since.

Over the course of that time, Curreri has played multiple positions, including second base, third base and shortstop. However, it didn’t take long for him to discover that his true place was front and center.

“Pitcher is definitely my favorite spot on the field,” Joseph said. “The spotlight is on the pitcher and it’s just always exciting to be on the mound.”

Not surprisingly, Curreri has thrived as a pitcher at the junior high and varsity levels for Honesdale. He’s worked hard to hone his craft, studying under pitching coach Sal Biasi and implementing insights gained through Driveline Baseball.

This combined input from Hornet coaches, private instruction and cutting edge analytics has enabled Curreri to develop into one of the elite pitchers in the area.

“When I was younger I just focused on the basics,” Joseph said. “Over the years, though, I’ve learned new techniques on how to pitch. I’ve also developed my mental game. It’s really important to always have confidence and believe in yourself while you’re on the mound.”

Coach Griffis agrees with that assessment. Honesdale’s veteran skipper has enjoyed seeing Curreri’s maturation.

“Joseph has presence,” he said. “There is no situation that’s too big for him. His teammates rally around him when he’s out there. Joseph has the velocity to throw it by guys, but also has the secondary pitches that he can turn to in a time of need.”

As a junior, Curreri appeared in nine games for the Hornets. He pitched a total of 33 innings and compiled a 1-2 record.

Joseph posted an earned run average of 3.18 and a WHIP of 1.63. He racked up 49 strikeouts, but struggled at times with his control issuing 32 walks.

“I think my strengths are that I know what pitches to throw in certain situations,” Joseph said. “Having the mind of a pitcher. I also believe that off-speed pitches are a strength of mine as well. I’d like to get better at just trying to lower my walk numbers.”

Curreri is a power pitcher who builds his repertoire around a sizzling fastball that reaches the mid to upper 80s. However, he also features a couple of nasty breaking pitches that keep enemy batsmen off balance.

“The slider is my go-to pitch when I need an out,” Joseph said. “The feel I have for my slider is unreal. I can spin it in any count and have confidence with that pitch.”

Bright Future

While Curreri is understandably anxious to begin the next chapter of his life at Hofstra, he’s currently focused on closing out his scholastic baseball career on a high note.

Honesdale advanced all the way to the Class 4A title tilt last season before finally falling to Wyoming Area. Hornet coaches and players alike believe they have some unfinished business there.

“I’m overwhelmed with excitement for my senior season,” Joseph said. “I have high expectations for our team. I am hoping we can return to the district championship game and win it this time.”

Coach Griffis concurs.

“I definitely I think that we have one last run of memories to make this spring,” he said. “We have a great group of kids and we expect to get it done.”

Curreri is undeniably an elite baseball player, but he also excels in the classroom. Joseph has been a fixture on the Honor Roll throughout his high school years and is a member of the National Honor Society.

He hasn’t yet decided on a major at Hofstra, but is currently leaning toward a course of study in Sports Management.

“I would like to thank my family and friends for all they have done for me,” Joseph said. “I’d especially like to thank my brother, David, for always pushing me to be bette. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know where I would be.“

For his part, Coach Griffis believes the Curreri’s character, personality and work ethic will carry him a long way.

“Joseph is a better person than a baseball player and that’s saying a lot,” he said. “I have enjoyed every moment of coaching him and will truly miss his presence around the team moving forward.

“I’m am so happy for Joseph and his family and look forward to following his journey starting in the Fall of 2023.”

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Lackawanna League Baseball Honesdale Hofstra University Joseph Curreri