We’ve spent time honoring our seniors over the course of the last semester – now it’s time to start getting to know the newcomers, the Class of 2024! We’ll take a team-by-team look at our first-year students throughout the coming weeks, from the Fall athletes who will be making the varsity debuts later in 2021 to the Spring players that we will keep our fingers crossed about seeing in action later this semester.

We continue our New To The Judges’ Bench feature with baseball, our second spring program!  

#8 GAVIN MOSER – IF – 6-0 – WAYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS – WAYLAND

• Two-sport athlete from nearby Wayland, Massachusetts, earned four letters in baseball and two in basketball
• Led the Warriors to a Dual County League baseball championship in 2019
• Named a DCL All-Star three times and an All-State selection twice
• Helped Wayland to the Massachusetts State Championship game in basketball in 2020
• Member of National Honor Society and Students Against Drunk Driving
• Planned major: Business
• Favorite high school moment: Winning our league championship Junior year.
• Favorite high school class: Game of Life: it was an English class about sports.
• The thing that most attracted me to Brandeis: The educational opportunity.
• Favorite movie: The Sandlot
• Favorite song: Still Think About You by A Boogie
• If I could time travel to any era, I would go to: 1990-2000 so I could see some juiced up home run races.
• Favorite pro team: The Red Sox.
• COACH CARLSON: Gavin is an athletic middle infielder who has very good hands and actions.  He possesses a plus arm from shortstop, but is also a versatile player who can man all three infield positions.

#11 SEAN DECKER-JACOBY – RHP – 6-0 – LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – VISTIMAR

• Played three different positions at Vistimar School in El Segundo, California: pitcher, catcher and shortstop
• Served as team captain for the Vikings as a junior and senior
• Named All-Coastal League first team twice, including Pitcher of the Year as a senior
• Guided team to its first playoff win in school history in 2019, striking out a school-record 42 batters
• Also played goalkeeper for soccer team in high school, winning two Coastal League titles
• Worked with Vistamar admissions department, theater tech, school newspaper and Heal The Bay and Friendship Foundation community service projects
• Sister Shea played volleyball at Brandeis from 2016-19
• Planned major: Physics
• Favorite high school moment: Hitting a home run in my final high school baseball at-bat, the day before school got shut down and the rest of the season was canceled because of covid-19.
• Favorite movie: The Shawshank Redemption
• Favorite TV show: Avatar The Last Airbender
• Favorite song: Stay by Post Malone
• Person who would play me in the movie of my life: Ryan Reynolds
• Most memorable pro sports moment: David Freese's walk-off home run in game 6 of the 2011 World Series
• COACH CARLSON: Sean has very good velocity from a very tough low three-quarter arm slot.  He has a good sweeping breaking ball.  He has very good athleticism on the mound.  Sean’s versatility means he could see innings in a variety of roles.

#16 MIKE DICENSO – IF – 5-10 – CRANSTON, RHODE ISLAND – MOSES BROWN

• A four-year starter and senior captain at Moses Brown School in Providence, Rhode Island
• Made the Rhode Island Baseball Coaches Association All-Star team as a senior
• Planned major: Business
• Favorite part about playing for Brandeis: The culture and positivity that the team carries as a whole. On and off the field, we are usually spending quality time getting to know and understand each other better, ultimately creating better team chemistry.
• Favorite high school moment: Hitting a walk-off single against a rival high-school team that happened to be a very low-scoring game. I also happened to be pitching that game so I felt like I was able to accomplish a lot that day and it was also during my final season.
• My goal for the 2020-21 season: To get bigger and stronger, and also adapt and acclimate to regular practice and game scenarios. I also want to really develop and find my true swing, as I have been working on that for some time now.
• Favorite professor at Brandeis: Professor Katrin Fischer, because she was able to display kindness and appreciation towards her students. I also feel as though my English skills aren't as developed as other classes, and she was able to help directly with that problem and ultimately uplift my writing skills.
• The thing that attracted me to Brandeis most: A close friend's father who described his time here as being nothing but great. I also realized that the academic rigor here is very high.
• Favorite place to travel: Italy
• I want to study abroad in: Spain; because I can speak the language decently well and would love to experience different places.
• Favorite movie: Step Brothers
• Favorite TV show: Prison Break
• Favorite song: T-shirt by Migos
• Person who would play me in the movie of my life: Leonardo DiCaprio.
• Favorite pro team: the Yankees; it was the closest team to where my grandfather migrated to when coming from Italy.
• Most memorable pro moment: Jose Bautista's 3-run home run in the playoffs for Toronto in 2015.
• Dream Final Jeopardy! Category: Car brands and logos
• COACH CARLSON: Mike has outstanding hands and actions in the infield.  He’s athletic and turns the double play from second base very well.  He has shown excellent toughness.

#17 PETER FULLERTON – 1B – 6-2 – PALOS VERDES, CALIFORNIA – PALOS VERDES

• Four-year infielder for Palos Verdes High School in California
• Helped his teams to two National Youth Baseball Championships
• Also an avid surfer
• Favorite high school moment: A walk-off win in the El Segundo tournament before our season was canceled due to COVID my senior year of high school.
• Favorite high school class: AP Calculus, not because of the course necessarily but because of the teacher and the atmosphere of the classroom.
• Goal for the 2020-21 season: To help the team in any way that I am needed to win.
• Favorite class at Brandeis: Peter Lupu's Intro to Philosophy because of the thought-provoking discussions in class.
• Thing that attracted me most to Brandeis: It was far away from home, so it is a new challenge going forward in my life journey.
• Favorite place on campus: Usdan, because the food is usually better than Sherman. In my opinion.
• Activity that has most helped me get through COVID-19: Going to the gym.
• Favorite place to travel: Nicaragua
• Favorite TV shows: Rick and Morty / Lost
• Favorite song: Always Changing by Esther Rose
• If I could time travel, the era I would go to would be: The future, because the past is predictable.
• Favorite pro team: The Dodgers, because former players and coaches I know have been great influences in my life.
• Favorite pro sports moment: Sitting in the nose bleeds with my dad and sister at the Dodgers-Astros World Series.
• Favorite emoji: 
• COACH CARLSON: Peter is a very strong, offensive-minded corner infielder. He has shown power to all fields. He could see time at third or first base.

#18 RYAN FERNANDEZ – LHP – 6-2 – BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – BEVERLY HILLS

• Four-year starter and two-time captain at Beverly Hills High School in California
• Played first base and outfield in addition to pitching
• Two-time All-Ocean League first-team selection for the Normans
• Planned majors: Biology and HSSP
• Favorite part about competing for Brandeis: It's amazing to compete for such a prestigious school in one of the most competitive leagues out there. I'm always pushed to be better every day so we can keep doing well.
• Favorite high school moment: I pitched a complete game against our school rival at their home field.
• Favorite class at Brandeis: Biology, because I have always been drawn to the sciences as a kid, and now I can take a deep dive into the study of life.
• Favorite high school class: Photography, because I learned about the history and science behind photography. I learned both darkroom and digital photography and I learned many other techniques as well.
• Thing that attracted me most to Brandeis: The inclusive and welcoming environment that is provided to every person who enters campus, along with the strong reputation that Brandeis has.
• Favorite place on campus outside of Gosman: The science center.
• What has gotten me through COVID-19: Doing anything I can with my family to keep my mind off things, and video games have also helped me.
• Favorite place to travel: Any place with great history because, I love history.
• Dream job: Professional baseball player.
• Favorite movie: Creed 2
• Favorite TV show: Lucifer
• Favorite book: The Maze Runner by James Dashner
• Performer who would play me in the movie of my life: Oscar Isaac
• If I could time travel to any era, I would go to: the Renaissance, because of the rich history and culture that was revived at the time.
• Favorite pro team: The Los Angeles Dodgers.
• Most memorable pro moment: David Ortiz go ahead grand slam for the Red Sox in the 2013 ALCS.
• Dream Final Jeopardy! categories: History and Science
• Favorite emoji: 
• COACH CARLSON: Ryan is a big, strong left-handed pitcher with good velocity. He has battled some injuries this year, but when he’s healthy, Ryan has the stuff pitch a lot of innings.

#30 DYLAN CHIAVERINI – RHP – 5-11 – BOCA RATON, FLORIDA  – BOCA RATON

• Three-year starter as a pitcher and middle infielder at Boca Raton High School in Florida
• Reached Eagle Scout status
• Planned major: Business
• Favorite part of competing for Brandeis: Winning games and competing in every game we play.
• Favorite high school memory: Starting senior year 9-1 before Covid ended it.
• The thing that attracted me most to Brandeis: The academic opportunities and the chance to live in a new city close to Boston.
• Favorite place on campus outside of Gosman: Usdan
• Favorite movie: Stepbrothers
• Favorite pro team: Pittsburgh Steelers
• Most memorable pro sports moment: The Miami Heat winning Game 6 2013
• COACH CARLSON: Dylan is a crafty, athletic, righthanded pitcher. He has great movement on all pitches, including his excellent change up.  Dylan has been very coachable and a real team player.

#42 NICK HEAFEY – UTL – 6-3 – FLORENCE, MASSACHUSETTS – WILLISTON-NORTHAMPTON SCHOOL

• Four-year three-sport athlete at Williston-Northampton School in Easthampton, Massachusetts, playing basketball and baseball
• Will also play soccer at Brandeis
• Earned All-NEPSAC (New England Prep School Athletic Conference) honors in both sports
• Helped the Wildcats earned NEPSAC runner-up honors in baseball as a senior
• Served as class secretary and wrote for W-N literary magazine
• Planned major: Undecided
• Favorite high school moment: My first basket during my freshmen year against my school’s rival
• Favorite high school class: AP Environmental Science because I learned about real world events that affect me every day
• Favorite place to travel: Cape Cod
• Favorite movie: The Waterboy
• Favorite TV show: Rick and Morty
• Favorite books: The Percy Jackson series
• Performer who would play me in the story of my life: Ryan Gosling or Leo DiCaprio
• If I could time travel, the era I would visit would be: the 1950s, because the clothes were cool
• Favorite pro team: New England Patriots because I went to their games growing up
• Most memorable pro sports moment: Patriots beating the Falcons in Super Bowl LI
• Dream Final Jeopardy! Category: Food and Drinks from Cumberland Farms
• COACH CARLSON: Nick is a very athletic outfielder who could see some time on the mound.  He has very good size and will also be playing soccer here.