Page 14 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Thursday, July 3, 2025 Malden High School players shine at Mass. Baseball Coaches’ State Select Junior and Freshman All-Star Games Malden’s McMahon top Junior pitcher; Tornado Gavin joins him on Vegas Gold; Malden’s Layne Gold Glove winner for Freshman All-Stars, joined by Malden’s Milonopoulos & D’Anna on Steel Gray for walk-off win By Jason Santilli T he Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association (MBCA) hosted over 180 of the top underclassmen players in the state in the 2025 MBCA State Junior, Sophomore and Freshman AllStar Games held at Malden’s Robert D. “Bob” Rotondi Field at Richard C. Howard Park. Two additional Senior Select All-Star Games for members of the Class of 2025 were held Monday (Central vs. West, McKeon Field, Millbury) and Tuesday (North vs. South, Monan Field, BC High). All told, some 282 players participated in six All-Star games across four days at three sites. Participating in the games Malden High junior Billy Gavin on the mound for the MBCA Junior State All-Star Game (Advocate Photo) are of no cost to the players and their families. All players participating in the All-Star games were either nominated by their high school coach — who must be a member of the MBCA and attending an MIAA-sanctioned high school — or were selected Most Valuable Player in their respective leagues. Players from all around MasMBCA Junior State All-Star Game Award Winners, from left: “Most Valuable Player” Mike DeMaino of St. Mary’s Lynn; Malden High assistant coach Phil Cook; Malden High junior Ryan McMahon, “Most Valuable Pitcher”; Leominster Head Coach Rich Barnaby; Gold Glove Winner David Ruane of Malden Catholic. (Advocate Photo) sachusetts converged on the greater Boston area to take part in the games, including Malden High juniors Ryan McMahon and Billy Gavin, both righthanded pitchers, who took part in the MBCA Best of the East Junior Select All-Star Game. McMahon and Gavin were also both named to the 2025 Greater Boston League All-Star Team. In the Junior game, McMahon pitched a 1-2-3 inning for the Vegas Gold Team, needing just 11 pitches to complete the inning. He was named Most Valuable Pitcher for his team. Michael Demaino, St. Mary’s Lynn, was named Most Valuable Player, as he hammered a first-inning grand slam homer to the deepest part of the park in left field. Everett resident and Malden Catholic junior David Ruane, a middle infielder for Malden Catholic High School, was named the Gold Glove Award winner as the top defensive player for Vegas Gold in the Junior All-Star Game. McMahon, Gavin and Ruane all play for the Malden Senior Babe Ruth Bambinos, as do Malden High Freshmen State All-Star selectees Nicholas D’Anna, Davante Layne and Devin Otero Milonopoulos. “It was great to see Ryan [McThe 2025 Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association’s State Freshman Select All-Star Game’s Steel Gray Team were walk-off winners, 9-8. (Advocate Photo) Mahon] and Billy [Gavin] compete with the best players in the Class of 2026 juniors in the state,” Malden High 9th year Head Coach Steve Freker said. Malden High freshman Davante Layne at the plate in the MBCA Freshman State All-Star Game. He went 1-for-2 with a double, 2 stolen bases and a run scored. (Courtesy/Maldonian/Malden HS Yearbook) Davante Layne throwing across the diamond; the Malden High freshman was the Gold Glove top defensive player award winner at the State Freshman All-Star Game. (Courtesy/Maldonian/ Malden HS Yearbook) “Ryan did a tremendous job on the mound and was recognized with a prestigious award.” McMahon was 5-4 on the mound this past season with 78 BASEBALL | SEE PAGE 15
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