Batting apply was in full swing for the Long Island Ducks within the cage at dwelling plate behind Matt Hogan on this grey day in Central Islip. He appeared up within the stands at Fairfield Properties Ballpark and he may see himself there, a child from Melville watching the Ducks down under.
“Kind of like a little bit of a full-circle moment coming back here,” the now 26-year-old Ducks newcomer stated final weekend earlier than their spring coaching finale. “I grew up coming to these games. I remember I sat up in that box up there with my aunt and uncle.”
Hogan was so good as a senior centerfielder/pitcher for Half Hollow Hills East in 2018 that he earned the coveted Yastrzemski Award as Suffolk’s best player. He went on to a few faculty stops, then performed the previous three seasons as a professional, the previous two within the Chicago White Sox group, reaching Triple-A final August. But he was launched on March 17.
And so this 6-foot, 200-pound lefty hitter with a simple smile got here back dwelling to Long Island, signing on April 9 with the Ducks to play within the Atlantic League.
After being away a lot for nearly a decade, he may keep back in Melville together with his dad and mom and will see his girlfriend in New Jersey often. And he may proceed to play baseball for a dwelling and attempt to reestablish himself and be rediscovered by a big-league group.
It was a setback being launched. But for now, he’s feeling like fortunate No. 13 in a Ducks uniform.
“Coming here and being able to enjoy the time here and have family come to games — I mean, it’s my first time playing on Long Island in about eight years — it’s humbling,” Hogan stated. “It feels good. I’m excited to be here and really play with this team.”
Manager Lew Ford began Hogan in middle in Tuesday night time’s opening loss at dwelling to Hagerstown, saying the “opportunity” was there for him. Hogan went 0-for-3 with a stroll. The Ducks then break up the ultimate two video games of the collection with Hogan persevering with to begin, going a mixed 1-for-5 with two extra walks and a steal.
“We’re happy to have him,” Ford stated. “A lot of speed and defense that he’s bringing to centerfield.”
Born in Plainview, Hogan introduced his creating expertise to his highschool varsity when he was a mere eighth-grader and finally proved himself as “probably the hardest worker I’ve ever seen,” in line with Tim Belz, now in his nineteenth 12 months because the Hills East coach.
“His physical tools pretty much warranted him as an eighth-grader to come up,” Belz stated. “But his mental tools and his ability to be a really good leader and do the right thing all the time — he was ready for it not just physically but mentally and socially. Nothing distracted Matt.”
His junior 12 months was troublesome for him, enjoying regardless of a back problem. But Hogan batted .401 and went 4-1 with a 1.89 ERA as a senior, main Hills East to the postseason.
From left: Melville’s Matt Hogan with the Long Island Ducks on April 18, 2026, and Hogan in his Half Hollow Hills East baseball uniform on March 22, 2018. Credit: Peter Frutkoff; Joseph D. Sullivan
“He was a phenomenal baseball player, but everybody just knew the type of person he was,” stated Belz, who has remained in contact with Hogan. “I remember hearing from other coaches, ‘The Yaz Award is meant for people like him.’
“. . . He could be in the dreariest place and he could brighten it up. Matt is that type of person.”
After receiving solely 89 plate appearances throughout three years at Vanderbilt and one at South Carolina, Hogan had an impact season with Oral Roberts in 2023, batting .320 with 19 homers, 72 RBIs and an 1.123 OPS.
Rocky Mountain of the impartial Pioneer League signed him afterward. Hogan hit .289 throughout 45 video games. The White Sox signed him in March of 2024. But he batted .188 in 91 video games at two ranges that season. Then he hit .213 with one homer and 20 RBIs in 56 video games at 4 ranges final 12 months.
There have been some extenuating circumstances, a torn indirect that led to sporadic enjoying time. Then he was let go throughout spring coaching.
“Sometimes, it’s literally just a numbers thing when it comes to that stuff,” Hogan stated. “That’s what they told me when it happened . . . But life has a ton of opportunities. One door closes, another one opens.”
Besides being exceptionally personable, Hogan is nice at speaking. A future broadcaster?
“I have thought about it in the past,” Hogan stated. “I love this game. I love talking about it, too. I could talk about it all day, like the small things no one sees.”
A big thing he would like to see is another shot with a major-league organization. But he isn’t dwelling on it now.
“I would definitely love to get back to affiliated [ball] at some point, but I live by the code of ‘Be where your feet are,’ ” Hogan said. “Right now, I’m not trying to be anywhere else but here. Try to enjoy the game here, help this team win as much as I possibly can and honestly just enjoy it while I’m here.”
