Dylan Payano Named Skyline Rookie of the Year

THROGGS NECK, NY – Freshman second baseman Dylan Payano (Flushing, NY) of the Maritime College baseball team has been honored as the 2026 Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year. He was also named First Team All-Skyline along with senior shortstop Randy Ventura (Syosset, NY). In addition, four Privateers—senior first baseman Alex Bardi (Wantagh, NY), senior third baseman Chris Picarella (Levittown, NY), sophomore outfielder Joey Goodman (Merrick, NY) and freshman pitcher Ryan Morash (Merrick, NY)—earned Second Team All-Skyline honors.

Payano has a team-best .425 batting average, and his 47 runs scored are the most in the conference. He also ranks second in the league with 54 hits and third with 46 RBIs. Payano has added five home runs while stealing 14 bases in 15 attempts. He's played solid defense at second base, as well, committing just two errors in 116 chances. Payano is Maritime's first Skyline Rookie of the Year since Frank Santeramo in 2022.

His middle infield partner, Ventura, earns All-Skyline honors for the first time. The Privateers' leadoff hitter, he's the only player on the team to have started all 35 games this season. Ventura has put together a .372 batting average and trails only Payano with 46 runs scored. He leads the Skyline with 34 stolen bases, a single-season program record.

Bardi received his second career All-Skyline nod. He was a First Team selection in 2024. Bardi leads the conference in both home runs (12) and RBIs (59), and he's third in the league with 44 runs scored.

Picarella is an All-Skyline honoree for the first time. He's batting .400 with a team-best 12 doubles. Goodman is also a first-time All-Skyline selection. He ranks second in the league with 27 stolen bases, while his six home runs are tied for second-most on the squad. Defensively, Goodman hasn't made an error in center field all season. Morash, meanwhile, has tossed three complete-game shutouts. He's among the conference leaders in ERA (seventh, 3.18) and opponents' batting average (fifth, .243).

Maritime set a program record with 16 Skyline wins this season and finished in a three-way tie for first place. The Privateers (21-14, 16-4 Skyline) are the No. 2 seed in the Skyline Tournament and have a bye into the double-elimination portion of the event, which begins on Friday at top-seeded Farmingdale. Maritime will play in the second game on Friday, with the start time scheduled for 3 p.m.