2024 Scheduled Speakers

Todd Interdonato

Boston College

Interdonato arrives at Boston College with 16 years of head coaching experience at Wofford College. He guided the Terriers to 455 wins since taking over the program in 2008 following a two-year stint as an assistant coach. Interdonato led Wofford to eight 30-win seasons in the last nine years, including back-to-back 40-win seasons in 2022 and 2023 to cap off a stretch of three-consecutive Southern Conference regular season championships. Interdonato led Wofford to the program’s first and second ever regular season SoCon championships in 2021 and 2022, while garnering consecutive conference Coach of the Year honors over that span.  As a player, Interdonato played his first two college years at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Arizona before receiving a scholarship to UNC Asheville. After graduating from UNC Asheville, Interdonato signed a professional contract with the Evansville Otters of the Frontier League. The MBCA is thrilled to have Coach Interdonato share his style of baserunning and how to impact the game through baserunning.

Matt Antonelli

Antonelli Baseball, Former MLB player

Coach Antonelli has excelled at every level of play (HS, college, professionally) and is a “coach favorite” at the MBCA clinics.  Matt graduated from St. John’s Prep where he was a three-sport athlete in football, hockey and baseball. He earned the Massachusetts Gatorade High School Player of the Year honor in football his senior year. He also was a three-time All-Scholastic selection in baseball and two-time in hockey. He attended Wake Forest University where he started all 163 games the Demon Deacons played during his three years there. He finished with a 0.324 batting average, 18 home runs, 110 RBI and 46 stolen bases. He was the San Diego Padres 1st Round Pick, 17th overall, in 2006 and made his Major League Debut in 2008. He played eight professional seasons with the San Diego Padres, Washington Nationals, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, and Cleveland Indians.  The MBCA is pleased to host Coach Antonelli as he will be presenting on Infield Play.

John Casey
Johnson & Wales, Assistant Coach

Before transitioning to an assistant role at Johnson & Wales, Coach Casey won over 700 games and established Tufts Baseball as one of the most respected programs in New England. The Jumbos won back-to-back New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) titles in 2016 and 2017 and 2010 and 2011. Coach Casey is a Past President of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and is a member of its Board of Directors and Chair of the Coaches – Umpire Relations Committee. Coach Casey served on the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee and is the former secretary-treasurer of the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA). Coach Casey has been a longtime supporter and member of the MBCA and we are pleased that he will be sharing his tremendous and extensive experience with us about the mental side of baseball.

Kyle Decker

Harvard University

Decker returned to the Crimson in 2023 after spending the previous two seasons (2021, 2022) as an assistant coach at the University of Dayton, serving as the team’s hitting and infield coach. He helped lead the Flyers to the championship game of the Atlantic 10 Tournament in 2021. Decker helped guide the Crimson to a berth in the inaugural Ivy League Tournament in 2023, securing the No. 2 seed behind a 15-6 Ivy League record, marking Harvard’s most Ivy League wins since 2005.  Prior to Harvard, Decker served as an assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts during the 2018 season. On the collegiate level, Decker played at both Trinity College (2012 and 2013 seasons) and Oberlin College (2014 and 2015 seasons). He helped the Bantams win the NESCAC title in 2012 before helping the Yeomen capture the 2015 NCAC title. He gained both All-NCAC and New York Regional All-Tournament Team accolades in 2015. The MBCA is excited to have Coach Decker speak about how to develop hitters and share results of a case study around hitting.

Ryan Hanigan

Former MLB Player (Reds, Rays, Red Sox, Rockies)

After graduating from Andover High School in 1999, Hanigan attended Rollins College, where he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cincinnati Reds. He then spent the 2002 to 2006 seasons with Reds minor league baseball teams, including the Dayton Dragons and Louisville Bats. He made his MLB debut in 2007 and caught two no hitters, both thrown by Homer Bailey. Ryan worked his way to the top by playing 11 seasons professionally with the Cincinnati Reds, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Boston Red Sox, and the Colorado Rockies. He is an excellent catching instructor who the MBCA is excited to have speak on how to catch the MLB way and how it applies to high school baseball.

Johnston Hobbs

Catching Development Coach, 224 Performance and Ballers Baseball, South FL

Regarded as one of the premier catching coaches in Florida, Coach Hobbs combines his high energy teaching style with sound fundamentals to get the most out each and every catching prospect. He was the coach for the Hungarian National Team and currently is the Head Coach of the Kokomo Jackrabbits in the Northwoods League. The MBCA is pleased to have Coach Hobbs elaborate and teach fellow coaches the techniques he has learned and found most helpful in improving pop times, athleticism, arm action, and overall control of the running game.

John O’Brien

Lynnfield HS (MA) Head Coach

Coach O’Brien will be inducted into the MBCA HOF in 2024 and has over 20 years of coaching experience.  Along the way, he has won numerous league titles and developed many players to play at the next level.  His teams are always well-prepared and well-coached and the MBCA is thrilled to have him share his various practice techniques with us.

John O’Neil

Cressey Sports Performance

John O’Neil is the Director of Performance at Cressey Sports Performance in Hudson, MA.  John not only has experience training youth athletes, but has also coached high school baseball, played college baseball, and interned with the Baltimore Orioles. He graduated from Dickinson College with a B.S. in Mathematics.  John’s work and attention to detail as it relates to applying lifting routines to throwing mechanics is second to none.  The MBCA is pleased to have John speak to the association about how to synchronize your pitching and training days for your players.

Paul Svagdis

Tufts University

Svagdis was recruited to play at Tufts by John Casey, the legendary Jumbo baseball leader whom he replaced after Casey’s retirement. A two-year team captain of the Jumbos, Svagdis played first base for the team from 1990-93. He hit .402 in his Jumbo career, and his 17 home runs and 113 runs batted in are also on the program’s all-time top 10 lists. At Azusa Pacific, in 20 seasons he amassed 606 wins for the most in program history. He produced 16 All Americans, 14 Academic All-Americans and eight conference Players of the Year. In 25 years of head coaching overall, Svagdis has a record of 718-429 for a .625 career win percentage. His teams have won eight regular-season conference titles and he’s earned seven Conference Coach of the Year awards. He has guided his teams to six NCAA Regionals and five NAIA Regionals, including the 2007 and 2008 teams that advanced to the NAIA World Series. Svagdis has coached over 35 players drafted by Major League Baseball teams. The MBCA is honored to have Coach Svagdis speak about the hitting philosophy and player development he instills at Tufts.