June 15, 2006

Garden City, N.Y. - Junior catcher Stephen Malvagna (East Meadow, N.Y.) has signed a minor league contract as a free agent with the New York Mets, as announced today, June 15. Malvagna will report to Port St. Lucie, Florida, where he is assigned to the Mets Gulf Coast League team.

"It's a dream come true," Malvagna said. "I've been working towards this my whole life and I can't wait to get started."

A third-team all-conference selection in 2005, Malvagna hit .370 with a team-high 41 RBI. He also led the Panthers with five home runs, while collecting 50 hits and scoring 31 runs. Malvagna was also solid behind the plate, recording 209 put outs, while committing just four errors for a .983 fielding percentage.

"The hard work that Stephen has been putting in since he was eight has finally paid off," Adelphi Associate Head Coach and father Bobby Malvagna. "Every kid who puts on a pair of spikes and picks of a glove dreams of playing professional baseball, for Stephen that's finally a reality."

At present time, Malvagna joins Dowling's Wilberto Ortiz (Brooklyn, N.Y.) (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) as the only two New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC) players drafted or signed by a Major League Baseball franchise.

"It is a bitter sweet day for Adelphi baseball. Steve is a great player, leader, student and person," Head Coach Dom Scala stated. "On the sweet side one of my objectives when players come here is to get them a good education and to prepare them for the next level. Which makes this a great day for Adelphi baseball. I am very estatic for Steve and his family and we wish him well."