JR DiSarcina, John Cristino, Ryan Enos, and Luis Atiles are the first players to be signed, securing their spots as the pioneering players on the Knockouts roster for the upcoming 2024 season
The New England Knockouts, Frontier League’s newest professional baseball team debuting at Campanelli Stadium in spring 2024, has officially signed its first four players – JR DiSarcina, John Cristino, Ryan Enos and Luis Atiles – to their inaugural roster.
“JR, John, Ryan and Luis are promising young talents that we’re excited to announce as the first-ever signings in team history, and we expect to attract and sign others in the weeks to come who will be excited to play alongside them,” said Nick Desrosiers, senior vice president and general manager. “We are heading into our inaugural season ready to compete with the other ballclubs in the Frontier League, and the signing of these first four players is proof of that.”
Luis Atiles played four seasons of undergrad baseball at New England College and finished his collegiate career with Division II Lenoir-Rhyne in North Carolina. He played for two different independent teams during the 2023 season, and is a strong member of the Boston community, regularly coaching and teaching at countless youth clinics in the metro area.
Local product from Barnstable, Massachusetts, JR DiSarcina, played at Franklin Pierce in 2017 and 2018 and at UMass Dartmouth from 2019 to 2021. DiSarcina played in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) during the summer of 2019 for the Vermont Mountaineers and two seasons in the Atlantic League for the High Point Rockers in 2021 and 2022. DiSarcina followed up his college career with a stint for the Lincoln Saltdogs in the American Association during the 2022 season, and played in Frontier League last year for the Empire State Grays.
Ryan Enos is from Oriskany, New York, played five years at SUNY Oswego, and finished at East Tennessee State this past year. Enos played three summers for the Utica Blue Sox of the Perfect Game Collegiate League. and also played one summer for the Bourne Braves of the Cape League. Enos was awarded SUNYAC Athlete Scholar of the Year, as well as Co-Player Of The Year.
John Cristino is originally from Vorhees, New Jersey. Cristino has two seasons of NCAA play, one at the University of Rhode Island in 2019 and the other at Towson University in 2023. Cristino played in the NECBL for the Ocean State Waves during the summer of 2019. In 2022 and a portion of 2023, Cristino played for the Trenton Thunder of MLB Draft League. He finished last summer playing for the Kane County Cougars in the American Association.
“We are off to a great start with the construction of our inaugural roster, and I’m excited about the pieces we have in place at this point,” said Jerod Edmondson, team manager. “Our first four signees are the right type of players and people to represent the city of Brockton, the New England region and the Frontier League.”
The New England Knockouts will play their inaugural game on Friday, May 10, 2024, against the Ottawa Titans as professional baseball returns to Campanelli Stadium for the first time since 2011. Season tickets are now on sale at www.tickets.knockoutsbaseball.com. Please visit www.frontierleague.com for more information and the 2024 Frontier League schedule.
About the New England Knockouts:
The New England Knockouts are an exciting addition to the Frontier League, set to kick off its inaugural season in 2024. With the support of passionate fans and a strong commitment to community engagement, the team aims to bring the thrill of professional baseball to New England for generations to come.
About the Frontier League:
The Frontier League, a Professional Partner League of Major League Baseball, recently completed its 30th season as the largest and longest running independent league. A league-record of more than 1.6 million fans saw Frontier League action in 2023. The Frontier League features 16 teams stretching from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Ohio River north to the St. Lawrence Seaway in Canada. For more information, visit www.frontierleague.com.
