GANNON's Simmons RockwellCayga Health Guthrie Sports Med Southern Tier Sports ReportDANDY MINI MARTS FIRST HERITAGE FCU WILLIAMS AUTO GROUPColdiron



COLLEGE BASEBALL: CORNING'S SALTZER EXCITED FOR CHANCE TO PLAY D2 BASEBALL AT MOLLOY (2021-11-28)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
When it came to making a college decision a lot went into it for Grayson Saltzer.

The Corning standout wanted to find the right fit to continue his baseball career, but he also needed the perfect fit academically.

That’s exactly what he found as he will play first base at Division II Molloy College and be in the Biology Pre-Professional track academically at the school.

“Overall atmosphere,” Saltzer said of what drew him to Molly. “Opportunity I get for school as well as the athletic side.

“Being one of the top nursing programs in the state drew me to the school. I really wanted to be a doctor when I get older and that really drew me there.”

For Saltzer he knew when he met the coaches it was the right fit at Molly.

“When I met coach (Joe) Fucarino and (John) Galanoudis I felt like a family atmosphere,” Saltzer said. “They will drive to get me better in the classroom and on the field.”

Molloy won 25 games and made the Division II NCAA Regionals last year.

The recruiting process was a bit harder with Covid making things difficult for all athletes looking at schools.

“It definitely did (make it harder),” Saltzer said. “My recruiting process kind of started a year late. I really had to show out when I had the opportunity. I really was focused on making the best of the opportunities I was given.”

The Corning senior was happy that Molloy showed interest in him during a time when some athletes struggled to draw attention from schools.

“It definitely builds my confidence up a little,” Saltzer said. “No matter what was going on, getting interest from Molloy made me work even harder for the future.”

The Division II school in Long Island is close enough to home, but also a chance for Saltzer to get out on his own in college.

“It’s a four-hour drive, so if I want to come home and visit family and friends I can do it,” Saltzer said. “But, I also will be a little segregated in my own world trying out a different taste.

“It’s definitely going to be different from a smaller area to a large, populated area. But, there are some similarities like the weather and the overall theme of New York. It’s a bigger atmosphere and a chance to network myself while I’m in college.”

The Corning standout is ready to see how he matches up at the college level.

“I am really excited to see how I stack myself against other players and improve as an overall player,” he said.

There are things that Saltzer knows the coaches at Molloy liked about his game.

“I think my overall ability to hit for power and knock in RBI and get on base at a high rate, and a little bit of athleticism,” Molloy said.

There are also things that Saltzer wants to work on before college.

‘I just want to get the basics, faster, stronger, quicker, just improve my power,” he said. “Be able to hit at the next level that different level of pitching.”

Having his college decision made helps take some pressure off this year.

“I have already made my decision, I kind of can focus on having fun,” Saltzer said. “Not have the pressure to try out every day to get a school. I’m focused on getting better and having fun with my friends.”

And, after last year made for a shortened baseball season, after no season the previous year, Saltzer is excited for a more normal spring.

“I am very excited,” he said. “I just finished up my football season and now am headed into track and then I go into baseball. I’m excited to have my normal senior year and hopefully not have any Covid interruptions and enjoy my senior year.”
——
IN PHOTO: Corning’s Grayson Saltzer. . . PROVIDED PHOTO

You've asked about helping ...
here's your chance. Click HERE