Hometown Hero. Max Schrantz.

The Devils picked up a solid stick this year with the addition of Max Schrantz. Max graduated from Dunkirk High School, then went to Mercyhurst-North East for two years. He was an All-Region DH and helped the Saints excel in the DII Regional Tournament.

Max is no stranger to our program. He and his younger brother, "Boppo", have attended a number of our clinics in the past. His dad, Frank, coined the phrase "top-stepper" when he was a volunteer assistant a few years back.

Max (left) with former Fredonia assistant Frank, and brother, "Boppo".

Max is also the cousin of teammate Jake Harford and an avid racquetball player.

Let's see what Max has been up to so far.

1) What kind of bat do you swing and why?
     I swing Carrera bats, my dad actually works for the company so he is the one who introduced them to me. I've used them for the past few years and now I can't imagine using anything else.

2) What did you like about Mercyhurst North East?
      My favorite thing about Mercyhurst NE was probably just all the friends I made along the way. By the start of last baseball season we were down to about 20 guys on the team so we became very close.

3) Plans after graduation?
      Honestly I'm not quite sure, I'm working towards a degree in business so I hope to have some opportunities come up after graduation.

4) What is your summer job and do you see yourself sticking with it after graduation.
      I've worked for the City of Dunkirk in the streets department for the last few summers...I'm a garbage man. Hopefully I have some more opportunities after graduation.

5) Most under-rated Blue Devil.
      I don't think any specific player is underrated, I think the team is. We have a lot of guys on the team that can play and it is now up to us to prove it this spring.

6) Better beard mustache combo -- RJ Spinella or Quinn Danahy?
     We will see at the end of no shave November.

7) Cousin Jake is slim and tall. Can he throw down a lot of food.
      I've seen him put down enough food to feed a family of five.

8) You are a local. Where is the best spot to grab a meal in the Dunkirk-Fredonia metroplex?
      Depend on what you're in the mood for, DeJohns downtown has great Italian food, Sullivan's down route 20 for burgers,  or One Stop in Dunkirk for subs. And Mary's Deli in Dunkirk is better than Mary's Deli in Fredonia.

9) If you had to be stranded on a desert island with any one player, who would it be? Why?
      Probably Jake, we wouldn't last long but at least I would go out laughing

10) Will our team get a 3.0 this year?
       I would be surprised if we didn't.

Max's Quote of the Day:
"Baseball is 90 percent mental and the other half is physical." -Yogi Berra