2019 Baseball Roster

5 Matt Branco

  • Position C/IF
  • Height 5-7
  • Weight 175
  • Class Senior
  • Hometown Egg Harbor City, N.J.
  • High School Absegami
  • Major Civil Engineering

Biography

Coach Aldins says: "Matt is one of the most important members of our team. He has, time and time again, stepped in and provided leadership and excellent receiving behind the plate. We are excited to see him have a banner year in his senior campaign."

2019: named 2nd Team Empire 8 All-Conference…Stevens’ Coaches Award Winner…appeared in 31 games and started 22, batting .306…3rd on the team in doubles (6), sacrifice bunts (2), and sacrifice flies (2)…came in as a defensive replacement and walked in his only plate appearance and also scored a run vs. William Paterson (2/23)…went 2-for-4 vs. Apprentice (3/17)…3-for-3 (2 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI, SH, SF) in the 2nd game of a conference doubleheader vs. Elmira (3/23)…went 2-for-3 in the 2nd game of a conference doubleheader vs. NR/RV Ithaca (3/27)…combined to go 3-for-4 (2B, R, RBI) in a conference doubleheader vs. RV/RV St. John Fisher (3/31)…1-for-3 (2B, 2 RBI, BB, SF) in the 2nd game of a conference doubleheader vs. Utica (4/7)…went 2-for-3 (4 R, 2B, 2 BB, SB) in the 2nd game of a conference doubleheader vs. Canton (4/13)…2-for-3 (2B, RBI, BB) in a conference game vs. Canton (4/14)…went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI vs. Keystone (4/17)…combined to go 2-for-6 (2 R, HR, RBI, 2 BB, SB) in a doubleheader vs. Catholic (4/19)…1-for-3 (R, BB) vs. NYU (5/2).

2018: appeared in 14 games and started 8, while posting a .172 batting average...went 1-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt vs. #36 Rowan (2/28)...had a key sacrifice bunt in his only plate appearance in the 1st game of a non-conference doubleheader vs. SUNY-Oneonta (4/21)…1-for-2 (R, RBI) and made the game-saving defensive play in the 9th inning vs. Scranton (5/1)…scored a run and had a walk vs. #2 St. John Fisher in the Empire 8 Tournament (5/11).

2017: appeared in 20 games and started 13, posting a .095 batting average...led team in sacrifice bunts (4)...went 1-for-3 (R, HR, 2 RBI, BB) in the 1st game of a doubleheader vs. RPI (3/5)…drew a key walk in his only plate appearance and scored the game winning run vs. Rutgers-Camden (3/30)…1-for-2 with an RBI in the 1st game of a doubleheader vs. SUNY-Canton (4/8).

2016: had two sacrifice bunts and collected his first collegiate RBI vs. TCNJ (3/8)...had his first collegiate hit and went 2-for-4 with two RBI's in the 2nd game of a doubleheader vs. Redlands (3/21)...1-for-3 with a stolen base in a conference game vs. #22 St. John Fisher (4/24).

High School: National Honor Society…Spanish Honor Society...named a Varsity Scholar and earned High Honor Roll status…ranked in the top 6% of his class…played 3 years of varsity baseball for coach Brian Wastell at Absegami High School...helped lead team to Southern Jersey Group 4 semifinals…earned 2nd Team Cape Atlantic League, 2nd Team All-Press, and Unsung Hero honors…senior year batted .333, leader in runs scored, and played in all of team’s 22 games…also ran three years of varsity cross country for Absegami and was named captain of team senior year…played summer ball for coach Johnny Monell of 220 Second to None Baseball…attended All Star Baseball Academy Academic Showcase and Perfect Game Underclass World Championships in Florida.
 
Personal: son of Manuel and Dorothy Branco…has a brother, Nick...majoring in Civil Engineering…picked Stevens because of the academics and the people that attend the college...top MLB team and players are the Philadelphia Phillies and Dustin Pedroia and Yadier Molina...favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird...top movie is Saw...lists going to the beach, being in the outdoors, running, and swimming as his favorite hobbies.

Summer Internships/Jobs: was employed as a Field Director for Perfect Game's Super 25 Mid Atlantic Tournaments and was responsible for handling all gameday operations duties...will be doing his Stevens CO-OP for Stantec Consulting Group in New York City.

Summer Collegiate Baseball: played his 2017 summer ball for the South Bergen Bullets of the Met League (N.J.)...competed in summers 2016 and 2018 for the Absecon franchise in the Atlantic County Baseball League (N.J.).

 
HITTING                                                                                                                                                      
Year GP-GS AVG AB R H 2B HR RBI BB SB
2016 20-8 .138 29 6 4 0 0 3 4 2
2017 20-13 .095 42 2 4 0 1 4 3 0
2018 14-8 .172 29 2 5 1 0 4 3 1
2019 31-22 .306 85 16 26 6 1 14 14 2
Totals 85-51 .211 185 26 39 7 2 25 24 5

Statistics

Season:
2019

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 5

    2016First-Year

    C/IF
    5'8" 177 lbs
    5
  • 5

    2017Sophomore

    C/IF
    5'7" 180 lbs
    5
  • 5

    2018Junior

    C/IF
    5'7" 183 lbs
    5
  • 5

    2019Senior

    C/IF
    5'7" 175 lbs
    5