While most Fairfield students are packing their bags for vacation, junior catcher JP Kuczik is preparing for something entirely different. His summer will be spent on the road, behind the plate, and under the lights, grinding through games, workouts, and long drives in pursuit of growth and greatness.
Kuczik is headed to upstate New York to play for the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. It is one of the most competitive summer leagues in the country, and for players like Kuczik, it offers a chance to test themselves against elite talent from across the nation.
“You play 50 games in college, then turn around and play another 40 in the summer,” Kuczik said. “It’s not a break. It’s another season. But that’s what makes you better.”
Kuczik earned All-Star honors last summer while playing close to home with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Miners in the East Coast Collegiate Baseball League. It was his first full taste of summer ball, and the experience gave him the confidence and momentum to carry into his junior year at Fairfield.
“Being named an All-Star was huge,” he said. “You’re on a new team with guys you’ve never met, and there’s no time to build chemistry like in college. You just go out and compete. That recognition meant a lot.”
This summer’s experience will be different. The PGCBL includes players from powerhouse programs in the ACC, SEC, and Big East. The competition is tougher, the stakes higher, and the spotlight brighter. Kuczik welcomes the challenge.
“I want to face those guys. I want to face their pitching,” he said. “I know what I bring to the table, and this is a chance to show it on a bigger stage.”
He will live in an apartment near the team with teammate Brendan Miller, a first-year LHP for the Stags who is also playing for Mohawk Valley this summer. The two will spend their days training, recovering, and playing nearly every night in front of passionate local fans.
“It’s a different vibe from college,” Kuczik said. “You’re signing autographs for kids. People know your name. The community rallies behind the team. It feels like pro ball, even if it’s just summer league.”
Fairfield’s coaches helped place Kuczik with the Diamond Dawgs, taking into account his recovery from injury and his developmental goals. After missing prior summers due to setbacks, this opportunity means even more.
“They send a lot of Fairfield guys to the same teams. Coaches know what they’re getting with us,” he said. “I know I’ll get my at-bats, and I’ll be able to build off this summer heading into my senior season.”
Kuczik is not just focused on personal growth. He sees this summer as a continuation of the leadership role he has stepped into at Fairfield. As a catcher, he views every pitch, commands the field, and serves as a voice for the entire team.
“Last summer taught me a lot about leadership,” he said. “We had guys from different divisions looking to me and a few others to guide things. You realize that how you carry yourself matters.”
Leadership has also been a driving force behind Fairfield’s success this season. The Stags are in the hunt for another MAAC title, and Kuczik believes team chemistry is the reason why.
“This year just feels different,” he said. “It’s not just talent. It’s how well we get along, how much we care about winning together. That is what separates good teams from great ones.”
A typical summer day is structured but unpredictable. There are morning workouts, meals with teammates, travel to fields hours away, pregame rituals, and long nights after games. It is a grind, but a grind Kuczik has learned to embrace.
“You’re playing six, sometimes seven days a week. It gets repetitive, it gets exhausting, but you just find ways to love it,” he said. “We golf a lot, hit the gym, and when we can, we sneak away to reset.”
Kuczik often escapes to Long Beach Island on off-days to clear his head. Golf courses, quiet beaches, and a change of scenery offer a mental break from the intensity of the game.
“You need that reset,” he said. “Baseball can mess with your head if you let it. A couple of bad games, and it can spiral. But a few hours at the beach or a round of golf, and you feel like yourself again.”
This summer, he might also take on a side job. Players with the Diamond Dawgs have the option to work with local businesses, and Kuczik is considering a spot at a dog training farm. He also hopes to give lessons or help at youth baseball camps.
“I love working with kids and I love dogs, so either way it’s a win,” he said. “You don’t get paid to play, but you find ways to stay busy and make a little money.”
When it comes to development, Kuczik is focused on refining his catching mechanics, specifically throwing accuracy and movement from the one-knee stance, and continuing to grow his consistency at the plate.
“I’ve got a strong arm and I know I can hit, but it’s about staying locked in every day,” he said. “The biggest challenge is always mental. You can go 0-for-4 one day and 5-for-5 the next. You have to reset fast.”
Facing ACC and SEC pitchers this summer will only sharpen that mindset.
“Those guys bring it. Some of them think they can blow it by you because you’re not from a big-name program,” he said. “That’s fine with me. I want to see what they’ve got.”
With Fairfield on the brink of another postseason run and summer ball just around the corner, Kuczik is locked in. While many students will be lounging poolside or catching flights, he will be behind the plate, chasing reps, sharpening his game, and representing Fairfield with pride.
“This is what I love to do,” he said. “It’s hard, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
