It was a dream come true for 2023 Walter Panas graduate Sammy Stafura, who recently was traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the New York Mets, the team he grew up rooting for. In the deal, the Mets sent reliever Luke Weaver to the Pirates.
Stafura, who was named the Gatorade New York Baseball Player of the Year after leading the Panthers to the Class A state finals in his senior season, said he was pumped when he found out about the trade.
“It’s a dream to play for this organization and I will give them everything I got,” said Stafura, whose favorite Mets growing up included David Wright and José Reyes.
Like Reyes was, Stafura is a shortstop.
“Defense is one of the most fun things about baseball for me,” Stafura told Yorktown News. “I really work on being the best defender—I can take groundballs for hours.”
With the Pirates’ organization, Stafura played for the Greensboro Grasshoppers, the Pirates’ High-A minor league affiliate, which competes in the South Atlantic League. The Grasshoppers play their home games at First National Bank Field in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Now Stafura is with the Brooklyn Cyclones, who also play in the South Atlantic League and are the High-A affiliate of the Mets. The Cyclones play their home games at Maimonides Park, just off the Coney Island Boardwalk.
“I’m super excited to be so close to home,” Stafura said. “Family, friends, people I grew up with will be able to come watch me play. I have never been this close so to be here I can’t wait for all the support at all the games.”
With the Grasshoppers, Stafura hit .301, with 19 home runs and 51 RBIs in 47 games this season. He earned High-A South Atlantic League Player of the Month honors for July.
“Just the work I put in the offseason and trusting all of that,” Stafura said of his success at Greensboro. “I convince myself I’m the best player on the field and don’t let things affect me. I try to stay neutral out there and attack.”
He did just that in his first game with Brooklyn, a 3-2 win over the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Wednesday, when he doubled in his first at-bat as a Cyclone to right-center field.
“I like to get things going early, it just felt like another baseball game,” Stafura said. “I go out there have fun and enjoy every single moment so I’m just grateful to have this opportunity.”
What makes the trade extra special for Stafura is that a childhood friend of his, 2025 Lakeland graduate Anthony Frobose, is in the Mets’ organization as well.
“I used to play travel basketball with his big brother and Anthony also came on the road trips and would hang out with all of us,” Stafura said. “He’s like a brother to me and to say we are in the same organization is insane. We train together every day in the offseason and will continue doing that. I talk to him every day and got his back no matter what.”
Frobose said he has basically known Stafura his whole life.
“He was always playing sports with my older brother and I was also friends with his younger brother,” Frobose said. “We have been around each other since I was probably 5 years old.”
Stafura is someone Frobose looks up to.
“Sammy is my biggest role model because he has the experience and he never hesitated to help me out and get me to that next level,” Frobose said. “Lifting, hitting, and fielding he always taught me what he knew and how he got to the level he is at. As I like to say he’s a great baseball player but a better person.”
What makes Stafura the great player he is is his work ethic, according to Frobose.
“He will outwork everybody,” Frobose said. ”During the offseason he came into the facility and got his work in on Christmas Day. I don’t know anybody with a better work ethic than him. His mindset is also what makes him great, very easy going mindset, if he has a bad day or bad at bat he’s able to focus on the next one and stay focused on the present and forget the past.”
Frobose, who plays for the Mets’ rookie-level minor league affiliate in the Florida Complex League, was thrilled when he found out about the trade.
“Me and Sammy were talking about it, we knew there was a possibility that he was going to be coming to the Mets,” Frobose said. “Once I saw that it went through and he was coming to the Mets I just called him right away and couldn’t be more excited ... great moment for us both, super excited.”
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