Duffy, Grant earn D1 Baseball preseason honours

Great Lake Canadians alum Matt Duffy (Burlington, Ont.) and Vauxhall Academy grad Max Grant (Fredericton, N.B.), both members of the Canisius Golden Griffins, were named the Preseason Pitcher and Player of the Year in the MAAC, respectively, by D1 Baseball. Photo: Canisius Athletics

February 16, 2023

Official Canisius Athletics News Release

Great Lake Canadians alum Matt Duffy (Burlington, Ont.) and Vauxhall Academy grad Max Grant (Fredericton, N.B.), both members of the Canisius Golden Griffins, were named the Preseason Pitcher and Player of the Year in the MAAC, respectively, by D1 Baseball, while the website also selected the Golden Griffins as the projected regional team in the MAAC.

Duffy had previously been named the 83rd-best starting pitcher in the website's Preseason Top 200 starting hurler list. He was also the lone MAAC representative in the rankings. Grant was ranked as the 16th-best second baseman in the position's Preseason Top 50.

The conference's 2023 Preseason Player of the Year and unanimous All-MAAC Team selection, Grant is a two-time All-American (ABCA/Rawlings and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and previously earned Preseason All-American honours from Collegiate Baseball and the NCBWA earlier in the year. The Fredericton, N.B., product hit .398 with 14 doubles, six triples and 10 home runs, while driving in 53 runs in 2022. Grant also posted a .489 on-base pct. and slugged .646 committing just four errors defensively (.979 fielding pct.).

Duffy also earned a Preseason All-MAAC Team honour after posting a 3.81 ERA in 104 innings pitched in 2022. The Burlington, Ont., native also set the school and conference record with 124 strikeouts while helping lead the Bourne Braves to a Cape Cod League title. In his five appearances with the Braves, Duffy did not allow a single run to cross the plate while allowing just four hits and two free passes in 14 innings. The righty fanned 11 batters and earned a pair of wins and saves. In his lone start, Duffy tossed six shutout innings in Game One of the Cape Cod League Championship Series.

Duffy and Grant had previously been named Preseason All-Conference Pitcher and Player of the Year, respectively, by Perfect Game.

D1 Baseball also listed the pair of Griffs as the top prospects in the 2023 Major League Baseball draft, while senior Mike DeStefano was named the seventh-best prospect in the upcoming draft.

Sophomore hurler Peyton Consigli (Fonthill, Ont.) was listed as the top prospect for the 2024 MLB Draft and first year southpaw Felix Morin (Quebec City, Que.) was tabbed ninth on impact freshman.

Canisius is set to open the 2023 campaign Feb. 24 when it faces Rutgers at the Swig and Swine Classic in Charleston, S.C. The Griffs will also face Boston College, Merrimack and Ball State during the weekend contests.