NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Throughout the course of the week, Gael Nation and Iona College baseball fans voted for who they believe belongs on the 2010s All-Decade Team. These student-athletes participated in the 2011 through 2020 baseball seasons.
Below are the top vote getters who were selected as members of the Baseball 2010s All-Decade Team. The student-athletes were broken down in positions of catcher, infielders, outfielders and pitchers.
JAMES BECK '12
James Beck split time as a catcher and first basemen, but his talent was on display no matter what position he played. Beck was a 2011 All-MAAC First Team honoree and a 2012 All-MAAC Second Team selection.
With a bit of pop in his bat, Beck had 18 home runs in his career, which ranks 16th in program history. He was a fan of the two-bagger, collecting 43 doubles over four seasons, which is sixth most ever. Beck's extra base hits resulted in 119 RBI, the seventh most-ever by a Gael. He also ranks top-25 all-time in at-bats (523) and hits (159).
During the 2011 season Beck had 23 doubles, which is the second most ever in a single season. That same season he had a .597 slugging percentage, which is the fourth-best ever.
Carmine Palummo '16
Carmine Palumno appeared in 144 games for the Gaels and finished his career with a .240 batting average, .309 on base percentage and .301 slugging percentage.
Carmine had his best hitting season as a senior when he batted .282 with 41 hits and 17 runs batted in. He drove in a career-best 22 runs as a junior and also scored a personal-best 23 runs as a junior.
SEAN BREEN '18
Sean Breen played three seasons with the Gaels and batted. 295 over the course of 113 games. He had a .416 slugging percentage and .393 on base percentage. In his 2018 season, he played in just 29 games, but had a career-best six home runs,.541 slugging percentage and .405 on base percentage. Breen was voted to the All-MAAC Second Team in 2018.
CHRIS BURKE '12
Chris Burke is one of the best sluggers to ever suit up for the Maroon & Gold. He was voted the MAAC Player of the Year in 2012 and is a two-time All-MAAC First Team member. Burke is the last Iona position player to be named the MAAC Player of the Year and the seventh in program history.
His 188 games and 689 at-bats rank third-most all-time. In those chances, Burke set himself atop the Gael record book with 226 career hits. He also ranks fifth in runs scored (137), third in doubles (47), third in home runs (31), second in runs batted in (138), ninth in slugging percentage (.540), 14th in walks (73) and batting average (.328).
In 2012, Burke played in a career-high 53 games and had 72 hits, which is the second most ever in a single-season. He had 50 runs batted in, aided by 11 home runs. Burke began using his legs as an upperclassman, netting 22 and 23 steals as a junior and senior. He set an ominous record in 2011 when he was hit by 15 pitches.
Burke was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 18th round of the 2012 MLB draft.
MATT BYRNE '17
Matt Byrne was with the Iona baseball program for five years and his game improved each season. In his final season the Gaels made a run to the MAAC Championship tournament title round and Byrne was a major part, being voted to the MAAC All-Tournament Team. Byrne began his career as a rookie, earning a spot on the All-MAAC Second Team.
Byrne played in 171 games for Iona, ranking 16th in program history. He is tied for 15th with 557 total at-bats. Byrne also sits top-25 in runs scored (101), hits (163) and using his speed, he ranks tied for third with nine career triples.
Byrne's three-bagger mentality hit a peak in 2015 when he had six, which is tied for the second most in a season. Again, using his speed to his advantage, he had 14 or more steals in three seasons with Iona.
VINNY DEMARIA '16
Vinny DeMaria was voted the All-MAAC Second Team as a junior in 2015. He appeared in 180 games in his career, which is tied with Matt Kriss '13 for ninth all-time. DeMaria had 609 at-bats in his career, which ranks 10th all-time.
DeMaria batted .234 in his career over 187 games. He had 60 runs batted in, 27 of which came in his 2015 season. DeMaria also registered double-digit walks in each of his final three season.
Defensively, DeMaria had eight assists at shortstop against Canisius in 2016. It is the highest assist total in a single game since 2002.
FRAN KINSEY '19
Fran Kinsey ranks top-10 in numerous statistical categories. He ranks eighth in games played (181), fourth in at-bats (672), ninth in runs scored (121) and eighth in hits (185). Kinsey sits inside the top-20 in runs batted in (93), doubles (35), and base on balls (80).
A staple atop the order, Kinsey has multiple single-season at-bat, hit and double totals inside the top-25.
Kinsey was voted onto the All-MAAC Second Team as a freshman in 2016.
TRAVIS MISTRETTA '16
Hailing from Manchester, CT, Travis Mistretta had a solid career with the Maroon & Gold, which was accented by a strong 2015 season. Mistretta was voted to the All-MAAC Second Team as a junior in a season where he started 47 of 48 games. He had a career-best .411 on-base percentage, which is the 13th best for a single-season. Part of that on-base percentage was being hit 11 pitches, which is tied for the sixth-most ever in a single-season since 2002.
Mistretta had a career-day during his senior? year when he had six runs batted in against UNC Asheville. He is tied with Kyle DiVico for the most RBI in a single game since 2002. Mistretta batted .281 in his career with a .348 slugging percentage and .373 on base percentage.
JOE TORRES '14
Joe Torres was a dynamic player in the outfield for the Maroon & Gold. He capped off his Maroon & Gold career with a selection onto the 2014 All-MAAC First Team.
Torres ranks number one all-time in games played (197) and at-bats (755). He is fourth all-time in runs scored (139) and hits (203), as well as sixth in career walks (93). Torres also had 35 doubles in his career, which ranks inside the top-20.
In his senior season Torres had 28 steals, which is tied for fourth most in a single season. He had 20+ steals in three of his four seasons.
JARED FINKEL '17
Jared Finkel appeared in 28 games over his first two years with Iona, but emerged as a massive weapon in 2017.
Finkel appeared in 24 games as a junior and posted a team-best 1.41 earned run average. He finished tied for the MAAC lead with 11 saves, while notching seven saves in conference games, a league best. Finkel's 11 saves also stands as an Iona single-season program record.
For his efforts out of the bullpen, Finkel was named the MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year. He is the second ever Gael to earn that honor, following Brian Parish in 2004.
Finkel finished his career with 52 career appearances for Iona, tying him for 19th all-time in Maroon & Gold history. His 12 career saves rank second all-time. Finkel's 1.41 ERA in 2017 is the seventh lowest in program history.
Finkel was drafted in the 23rd round of the 2017 MLB draft by the Minnesota Twins.
MARIANO RIVERA '15
Mariano Rivera joined the Iona baseball team in 2013 and improved every season on the way to becoming the 2015 MAAC Pitcher of the Year. His All-MAAC First Team deserving season saw him lead the league with an Iona program record 113 strikeouts. He posted a dominating 11.96 strikeout per game mark and 12.87 strikeouts per game in conference play. The right hander earned five wins and recorded a 2.65 ERA that season, while his ERA in MAAC play was a stingy 1.81.
Rivera was the first pitcher to be named the MAAC Pitcher of the Year since John Novinsky in the 2000 campaign.
Rivera finished his career making 32 starts, sitting 10th all-time. He hurled 11 complete games, which is the second most ever. In three seasons, he collected 177 strikeouts, which is the fourth-highest total in program history.
Rivera was drafted in the fourth round of the MLB draft by the Washington Nationals.
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