Patience as much as power has marked Lillo Paxia’s career at Gloucester Catholic
Touted as a slugger, the senior has focused on batting average and on-base percentage during a remarkably consistent career.
Lillo Paxia entered Gloucester Catholic as one of the most highly touted power hitters in South Jersey baseball history.
But on the brink of his final game for the Rams, it’s clear that Paxia has been far more than just a swing-from-the-heels slugger.
He’s been the antithesis of a stereotypical home-run derby winner. He’s been patient, smart and selective, focusing on batting average and on-base percentage instead of swinging for the fences.
Paxia has taken a remarkably restrained approach at the plate despite the expectations created by that YouTube video of him as a 14-year-old at the 2015 Power Showcase at Marlins Park in Miami.
The result has been one of the most productive careers in the history of South Jersey’s most decorated program. With career marks of 129 hits, 114 runs, 121 RBIs and 70 walks, Paxia ranks among the Rams’ all-time leaders in multiple categories.
And if Gloucester Catholic beats St. Mary’s of Rutherford in the Non-Public championship game Wednesday at Veterans Park in Hamilton Township, Paxia and the rest of the Rams’ seniors will finish their careers with three consecutive state titles.
“That’s the most important thing,” Paxia said. “That’s how we all want to finish.”
Paxia won that showcase event in Miami, hitting 40 home runs, including one that traveled 439 feet. He was among the most heavily hyped athletes to join the Gloucester Catholic program, mainly because of the social-media spread of that slick video.
But playing his home games on a field in Brooklawn not conductive to home runs by a right-handed hitter, Paxia enters his final outing with nine career homers. He has never hit more than three in a season.
He’s a .524 career hitter. He’s been as reliable as a Swiss watch, batting .422 as a freshman, .521 as a sophomore, .612 as a junior, and .508 as a senior.
“I know I can hit a baseball 400-plus feet,” Paxia said. “But in a game, it’s a different kind of at-bat. I don’t see many inside fastballs.
“You have to be smart, shorten up [the swing], do what’s best for the team.”
Gloucester Catholic coach Adam Tussey marvels at Paxia’s consistency, and intelligent approach at the plate.
“His two-strike average is just unbelievable,” Tussey said. “He’s just so smart, so incredibly consistent.”
Paxia lives in Eastampton. He said it usually took him an hour to ride to the school in the mornings during most of his time at Gloucester Catholic.
“Travel on [Route] 295 is ridiculous in the morning,” Paxia said.
Paxia said it was worth the commute because of his determination to play for the Rams, who have won 19 state titles, more than twice as many as any other program.
“It’s such a great program,” Paxia said. “I knew the expectations, the standards. I wanted to be part of it.
“When I came here, I knew zero people. But I’ve made so many good friends. So many people have helped me.”
Paxia was an outfielder in his first three seasons. As a senior, he has played third base, no easy task on the choppy infield at Joe Barth Field.
“That’s called swimming in the deep end,” Tussey said.
Paxia is a Florida State recruit. He will leave June 13 for Tallahassee, where he’ll take summer courses and play in a college league.
On Wednesday night, he’ll take his final cuts as a high school player. They’ll likely be short, the products of the savvy approach to hitting that marked his illustrious career.
“It’s sad,” Paxia said. “I remember when I was freshman people telling me it would go by fast and I was like, ‘Nah, every season is so long.’
“Now, it seems like a blink of an eye. I was so nervous when I came here. I’ve been lucky to have made such good friends and played for such a great program.”
Baseball State Championships
Wednesday at DeMeo Field, Veterans Park, Hamilton Township.
Non-Public A
St. Augustine (24-4) vs. Delbarton (25-3), 4 p.m.
Previous titles: St. Augustine, 2; Delbarton, 3.
St. Augustine road to the finals: Beat St. John Vianney, 5-4; Notre Dame, 9-5; St. Joseph Metuchen, 5-3.
Delbarton road to finals: Beat Oratory, 9-1; Seton Hall, 7-5; Don Bosco, 2-0.
St. Augustine players to watch: Junior Kevin Foreman is batting .448 with 17 stolen bases. Junior Kenny Levari is batting .423 and also is 1-1 on the mound with a 2.38 ERA. Junior Rob Ready is batting .382 with 19 RBIs. Senior Jayson Hoopes is 6-0 with a 1.53 ERA.
Delbarton players to watch: Senior Anthony Volpe, selected with the 30th pick in the major-league draft Monday by the New York Yankees, is batting .500 with seven home runs and six triples. Senior Jack Leiter is 8-1 with an 0.54 ERA with 88 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings.
Fast fact: St. Augustine is making its fourth straight appearance in the state finals and facing Delbarton for the third straight time. The Hermits lost to Seton Hall in 2016, lost to Delbarton in 2017, and beat Delbarton in 2018.
Non-Public B
Gloucester Catholic (20-5) vs. St. Mary’s of Rutherford (20-9), 7 p.m.
Previous titles: Gloucester Catholic, 19; St. Mary’s, 3.
Gloucester Catholic road to the finals: Beat Ranney, 11-1; Holy Spirit, 10-0; Trenton Catholic, 11-0.
St. Mary’s road to the finals: Beat Morristown-Beard, 5-0; DePaul, 12-2; Gill St. Bernard’s, 2-1.
Gloucester Catholic players to watch: Senior Lillo Paxia is batting .508 with 31 runs and 35 RBIs. Senior Justin Costanzo is batting .473 with 35 RBIs. Senior Luke Lesch is batting .446 with 31 RBIs. Senior Tyler Cannon is batting .434 with 37 runs. Sophomore left-hander Anthony Solometo is 5-1 with a 1.60 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 35 innings.
St. Mary’s players to watch: Senior Kenny Quijano is 8-2 with a 1.33 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings. He also is batting .373. Senior Joe Valentine leads the lineup with a .500 batting average.
Fast fact: Gloucester Catholic is seeking its third state title in a row. The Rams won three in a row from 1984-86 and four in a row from 2010-13.