Follow on Twitter- @PBNewEngland
Follow on Instagram- @PBNewEngland

Interested in attending a Prep Baseball New England event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

2025 New England High School Team Previews

To view our complete list, please CLICK HERE.

2025 Spring Team Preview: East Providence (RI)

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. - It will be back to Division 1 for East Providence this season after two years in Division 2 and with only one starter gone from a year ago, head coach Bobby Rodericks sees a lot of potential in the coming season.

“The lineup remains strong defensively, especially with all the returning pitching,” pointed out Rodericks, who has a 115-99 record since taking over as head coach in 2012, with four seasons in D2 (2013, 2014, 2023, 2024) and the remainder in D1.

After winning the state title in 2023, the Townies finished 17-6-1 a year ago, falling to two-time defending state champ Westerly in three games in the semifinals. 

“We are known for small ball, we love bunting and work on it offensively and defensively every day,” Rodericks explained. “Our pitching and defense is always solid, but we tend to struggle offensively with run production off of hits. We’ve had 30 games the past two seasons that were determined by one run, including the state championship games in 2023 where we won both games 1-0.”

Right-handed seniors Dylan Annicelli and Tim Robitaille, a second-team all-state performer last year, are back to lead a pitching staff that also includes returnees Tyler Dicecco and Kyle Desrosiers. Annicelli is a Southern Maine commit while Robitaille has signed with Community College of Rhode Island.

“They all did well for varsity last season making it difficult to come up with a definite pitching rotation this season,” Rodericks admitted.

Dicecco, the 66th-rated senior RHP in New England, and Desrosiers will also be utilized as corner infielders along with Collin Roche with Oliver Andrews playing second base.

Gavin Palombo, the 32nd-rated junior shortstop in New England, called by Rodericks “one of the top defensive players in the state”, will move from third base to short this season with the graduation of Kyler Lorenz, now playing at Dean College.

The catching position is solid with the return of third-year starter Brian Rutkowski, the second-ranked student academically in the senior class at East Providence who led the Townies in RBIs during the 2023 championship season. 

Sophomores Aidan Martins and Max Correiro will start in the outfield with the other spot unknown. Correiro is the seventh-rated 2027 outfielder in New England while Martins is ranked 36th.

“There is a lot of potential talent with the incoming freshmen as well as some JV players who helped capture the “Justin Rocha Memorial Tourney” last year winning three games in one day,” Rodericks noted. “Coach Karalekas had some dominant pitching on the JV squad with Owen Richards, Ben Hallene and swing player Kyle Desrosiers, who got his first varsity start against Johnston in the playoffs.”

The biggest question in the eyes of Rodericks is at the plate.

“The keys to winning more games this year are run production and hitting,” Rodericks related. “We can always manufacture a few runs, but in Division 1 every game is close.”

The East Providence mentor understands it will not be easy.

“This season in Division 1 we are all aware that the level of play is higher,” Rodericks concluded. “We look forward to the challenge and look to win as many games as possible.”

Recent Articles