Mike DiPietro: Founder and Managing Director / Littleton Mariners Coach / Roving Coach; Instructor / Pitching Instructor

DiPietro is a 1990 graduate of West Boylston High where he was a three-time varsity baseball starter in the outfield.  Coach DiPietro is a member of the West Boylston Hall of Fame. He was the recipient of the George Cook award, Athletics Director Award and was a Central Mass Football All-Star. and participated in the 1990 2nd Annual Central Mass All-Star Football Game as a fullback. After completing his active military service in the United States Navy, Coach DiPietro began his coaching career in 1994, which has continued for over 29 years.  DiPietro has coached baseball at many different levels including little league level, AAU / Travel Tourament Teams (12u – 18U levels), Varsity High School as a pitching coach for Bromfield School and Nashoba Regional High School and was the Littleton High School Varsity Baseball Coach for five season, leading the Tigers to the Central Mass District Finals in 2018. Coach DiPietro was named 2018 Lowell Sun Coach of the Year. In 2019 Coach DiPietro created the Littleton Mariners, an expansion team into the CNEBA League, where he serves as Coach. Coach DiPietro was a coach for the West Boylston Little League District team in 2012 that won District 4. Coach DiPietro is also a private pitching instructor and in 2023 Coach DiPietro is retuning to Nashoba Regional High School as the Assistant Varsity Coach.  He can be reached at 978.502.2540 or mdkmbosd@yahoo.com for lessons 

Alex Winkelmann: President and Director of Baseball Operations / 13U Head Coach / Instructor 

Alex is a 2017 graduate from Saint Michael's College with a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Finance. At Saint Michael's, Alex was part of the starting rotation beginning his Freshman year. During his rookie campaign he was selected to the DII NE-10 All-Rookie Team and spent the summer playing in the New England Collegiate Baseball League for the Winnipesaukee Muskrats in Laconia New Hampshire. Prior to Saint Michael's Alex played high school baseball at Tilton Prep, where he served as captain his junior and senior year. He lead the team to consecutive Lakes Region Championships in 2012 and 2013.

Alex has ten years of coaching experience beginning as the manager of the Gilford Cal Ripken 12U All-Star team. In 2012 he led the Gilford All-Stars to their first ever District VI Championship with a tournament sweep. Other coaching experience includes two years at the 15U level, and three years as an assistant coach of the Post 1 Senior American Legion team in Laconia New Hampshire. While assisting with Post 1, the team made state tournament appearances two of the three years he was involved in the program. In 4 years with Brigade Baseball, Alex has collected 3 tournament championships a tournament runner-up, and an AAU Final Four appearance. Alex is currently the Varsity Head Coach at Littleton High School for his second season. 

Personal interests and hobbies include skiing, spending time on Lake Winnipesaukee, and going to Fenway to watch the Red Sox. Alex has been a certified umpire in the Granite State Umpire Association for 10 years.

Chris Santucci: Assistant Director of Baseball Operations and Lead Hitting Instructor / 11U Head Coach / Private Instructor

Coach Santucci comes to Brigade from a successful and decorated baseball family, playing days, and softball career.  As a 2 year starter in college baseball, Chris led his team in hitting and all offensive categories hitting a combined batting average of .396 with 7 Home-runs in 2 full seasons.  After college Chris's love for the game brought him to become an M.B.U.A. Umpire in Central MA calling High School, Legion, and Babe Ruth games for several years.  

Softball would be where Coach Santucci would experience some of his proudest sports accomplishments playing professionally for a Men's Major Softball organization where he played exclusively for some of the top sports brands in the game...(Team TPS / Louisville Slugger, Worth and Easton).  Chris competed professionally for over 12 years at this level traveling all over the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico where he earned multiple awards in over 60 national tournaments with selections to All Tournament Teams, as well as earning multiple MVP honors. Chris was recognized for his career accomplishments and dedication to the game recently as he was selected for induction to the U.S.S.S.A. Softball Hall of Fame as a player.  An accomplishment he is very humbled to have received.  

After retiring from the professional circuit, Coach took his passion for both baseball and softball in a new direction, coaching and the development of young players.  With almost 18 years in coaching and player development, coach has led tournament and travel baseball teams coaching age groups ranging from 12U to 16U and has been giving instruction and lessons for over 15 years . Coach Santucci is very much looking forward to continuing his coaching and player development/instruction with Brigade baseball and sharing his passion for the game with younger players. Coach Santucci is a private hitting and fielding instructor. He can be reached at 978.870.4177

Jon Cruickshank: Assistant Director of Baseball Operations and Director of Team Development / 10U Head Coach / 16U Head Coach / Private Instructor

Jon is member of the graduating class 1998 at Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, VA).  While at Hargrave he played 3 years of varsity football, basketball and baseball.  He later attended Lasell College to play basketball and graduated in 2005.  Coaching has always been his passion.  Jon's baseball coaching career started in 2008 at Lasell College as an assistant coach for their club program.  Lasell officially became part of D3 NCAA baseball in the 2009 season.  He was there for 7 full NCAA seasons.  He held many roles during this time such as recruiting, fundraising and baseball operations.  In 2017 Jon moved on to Marlboro HS to become the varsity assistant coach. Beginning in 2021 Coach Cruickshank will begin his first season as the head coach for Marlboro High School. This allowed him to be closer to his family.  Jon currently is a board member for Marlboro Youth Baseball Association (since 2014).  Jon has also coached a team of college prospects that travel to Dominican Republic to compete against current and former MLB prospects.   

Lonnie Quirion: 12U Head Coach / Private Instructor

Quirion is a 1996 graduate of Hudson Catholic High School where he was a four-year starter in both baseball and football.  He played one year of baseball and two years of football at Tufts University before graduating in 2000.  Following graduation, Lonnie began his coaching career at Hudson Catholic High School where he served as head coach from 2001-2009.  Lonnie went on to be an assistant coach at Worcester Technical High for two years before becoming the head coach at Marian High School from 2012-2015 and then head coach at The Bromfield School from 2016-present.  Quirion has amassed over 170 wins in his fifteen years as a head coach and his teams have qualified for the MIAA playoffs in thirteen of those sixteen years.  This past year he led Bromfield to their first ever league title and their first playoff appearance in over 30 years.  In addition to coaching at the high school level, Lonnie was head coach of Marlborough’s American Legion team from 2007-2012 and has coached AAU baseball since 2011 at the 10U, 11U, 12U, and 18U levels.  Lonnie is also a private pitching, hitting, and fielding instructor.

Cole Winkelmann: 14U Head Coach, Catching Instructor 

Cole is a 2022 graduate of Gordon College with a Bachelors degree in Kinesiology. During his time at Gordon, Cole was two-way pitcher/catcher who spent three seasons behind the plate for the Scots as well as on the mound. During his college career, Cole and the Scots would play in the Commonwealth Coast Conference playoffs his freshman and sophomore year. Prior to attending Gordon, Cole was a two sport athlete playing baseball and football for Tilton Prep in New Hampshire. Cole led the baseball team to Lakes Region Tournament appearances in his four seasons. Cole played his summer ball with Laconia Post 1 from 2015-2019 bringing Post 1 to 4 consecutive State tournament appearances. Most recently, Cole pitched for the Littleton Mariners in the Central New England Baseball Association for Coach DiPietro.

Cole has three years of coaching beginning in 2017 when he began coaching the Cantin Babe Ruth team in Laconia, NH. In his first season as coach, Cole led this team to a championship title. After moving to Massachusetts, Cole joined Brigade as the assistant coach of 12U and 15U team in 2021. Cole also has been a certified umpire in the Granite State Umpire Association for 6 years.

Cole can be reached for private catching lessons at (603)-630-2227 or colewink32@gmail.com

Matt Pingitore: Catching Instructor

2016 graduate from Wachusett Regional High school where he played 3 years of varsity baseball and was the starting catcher for 2 years. As a mountaineer, Matt played in the Super 8 baseball tournament in 2015. In 2016, he served as the team captain for the Mountaineers and was named a T&G All-Star. He Moved on to play at Fitchburg State where he was a 3-year starter behind the dish. In 2020 Matt was named the recipient of the Sue Lauder Male Athlete Leadership award. He was also named a National Strength and Conditioning All American in 2020. He graduated in 2020 with a degree in Criminal Justice. Matt will be continuing his playing career in 2021 for Fitchburg State as he works towards his Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice.

Matt’s Coaching career began in 2018, when he began giving private catching lessons with high school ages athletes. He also coaches for a 13u team in the Nor’Easter’s AAU Program, along with being the coach and general manager of the Fitchburg A’s, a team in the Central New England Baseball league. Matt has a great passion for passing on his knowledge and love for the game to anyone willing to listen. For private catching lessons, Matt can be reached at (508)-886-8893 or mpingo212@yahoo.com

Mitch Crory: 17u Coach, Pitching Instructor

Mitch is a 2018 graduate of Littleton High school, where he played for Coach DiPietro and he was a standout for the 2018 Littleton Tigers District Finalist Team on the mound and at the plate. In his senior season was the  Mid-Wach D League MVP and a Lowell Sun all star with a 1.56 ERA. He is now going into his senior year at Assumption University as a data analytics major. After being a pitcher on the baseball team for 3 seasons, he has had to stop playing because of shoulder injuries. Mitch just finished his first season at the Pitching Coach for Assumption College.

Mitch played on the first ever brigade baseball team for the 18u team in 2018, and then for the Littleton Mariners. He is going onto his 3rd year of coaching. He was the head coach for the 12u Jr Spinners team, and now is the assistant coach for the 15u Brigade team with Coach Cruickshank and next season he will be the head coach of the 17U Brigade Baseball team.

Jim McGuire: 12U Assistant Coach

Jim brings a wealth of coaching experience at both the Collegiate and HS level.  Jim is the former Head Football Coach At Fitchburg State University. Currently he is the Running Backs coach at Nichols College and the Assistant Varsity Baseball Coach at The Bromfield School.  Jim's coaching career spans over a 35 yr period with stops at Assumption College, WPI, Algonquin Regional HS, Auburn HS and Hudson Catholic HS for football and Marian HS, Algonquin Regional HS, Marlborough HS, Marlborough American Legion and Triple Play AAU for baseball.  As a player, Jim also  participated in the 1983 National Junior College World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado as a member of the Quinsigamond Community College Baseball Team.  Jim resides in Clinton with his wife Laurie and has two children Jim, 34 and Cassie 31

Patrick Aubuchon Sr: Catching Instructor / Private Catching Instructor

A 1984 graduate of Notre Dame Prep School in Fitchburg, MA, Pat was a three-time varsity starting baseball catcher, as well as a three-time starting varsity football tailback. He received numerous athletic awards in both baseball and football, including the District E Athletic Directors Award. In addition, he was the recipient of the Headmaster's Award, given to a graduating senior whose character best exemplifies the values of the school.

Pat has always remembered how fortunate he was to have received quality catching instruction at a young age, and in 1986 began sharing his knowledge as an instructor at the Senior Babe Ruth level. He became an assistant varsity baseball coach at St. Bernard's High School in Fitchburg, MA, in the early 1990's, and continues to provide instruction to various youth, high school and college aged catchers. Pat has been an assistant coach with Brigade Baseball since its inception; coaching at the 16U, 17U and 18U levels. In addition to being a co-head coach for Brigade 10U, he is also an assistant coach for the Littleton Mariners of the CNEBA. 

Pat is a retired Leominster Police Department detective, and is currently an adjunct professor for the criminal justice program at Mount Wachusett Community College. Pat is a also private catching coach, and can be reached at 978-732-8683 or 

Tommy Kamataras: 11u Assistant Coach, Pitching, Fielding, Hitting Instructor

Tommy (Coach) K has been playing or coaching baseball for most of his life.  Growing up in Leominster, he played 3 years of Varsity Baseball for the Blue Devils, Graduating in 1994.  After High school, Coach K played for two years at Quinsigamond Community College, then transferring to Bridgewater State University.  At BSU Coach K was on the 1997 team that went to the Division 3 world series finishing 8th in the Country.  

Tommy has been a physical education teacher for 24 years, Currently teaching in the Acton Boxborough Regional School District.  He has been a baseball Coach/Instructor for 18 years and has been the  baseball clinic director for The Union Square Sports hub for 15.  Tommy  works with players of all ages and abilities, on the fundamentals of Hitting, Pitching and Fielding.  Coach K is able to make the game fun and exciting while getting the most out of his players and improving their skills/confidence.  Whether a player is just getting started or has had some success, Coach K can help them take the next step!  

Coach K is avaialble for hitting, pitching and fielding lessons and can be reached at 978.337.8972

Bryan Mazzaferro: 13U Assistant Coach

Bryan is a 1999 graduate from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He was a 4-year starter for the Minutemen, playing 3rd Base and Shortstop, and batted .311 for his career. Bryan was a 2x Atlantic-10 Baseball Player of the Week and a 2x UMass Athlete of the Week. He led the A-10 in Stolen Bases in 1999 and made the A-10 All-Tournament Team in 1996. Bryan was a member of the 1996 UMass A-10 Championship Team that went on to the East Regional Finals, and ranked 19th in the country. He was also a member of 3 Beanpot Championship Teams. In high school Bryan was a 1994 graduate from Leominster. He was 3-year starter for the Blue Devils, playing 3rd Base and Shortstop, and batted .500 as a junior and .428 as a senior. Bryan was a 2x Midland Wachusett All-Star and a Worcester Telegram & Gazette All-Star. He also Captained the Blue Devils his senior year and was selected to play in the 1994 Shriner's Baseball All-Star Game. Bryan now lives in Leominster with his wife and two children. He has been teaching history to middle schoolers for over 20 years and has been coaching multiple sports to youth for much of the same. 

Chris Dalto: 17U Assistant Coach

Chris is a 1991 graduate of Framingham North HS where he was Captain and Team MVP of the baseball team his senior year. Chris finished his playing career with the Framingham Legion team and a year in the Yawkey League. 

Chris has been the head coach of 16 teams including three LL district all star teams and a Cooperstown team. Additionally Chris served as Director of Baseball and President of Assabet Valley League over 7 years setting up and running numerous coaching clinics.

In his professional life Chris is the founder of an investment management firm.  His passion is combining his knowledge and background of the baseball and business world in order to teach players qualities/skills that will help them throughout both their baseball and professional careers

Johan Asencio: 15U Head Coach

Johan is a 2017 Graduate of Clintion High School where he was a member of both the basketball and baseball teams as well as a memeber of the National Honor Society. Johan was three time Mid-Wach league All-Star. After graduating from Clinton High, Johan went to Fitchburg State University where he played for four years. While at Fitchburg State, Johan was awarded MASCAC 1st team all conference as well as the recipient of the sportsmanship award. Johan currently is playing for Coach DiPietro as a member of the Littleton Mariners. His goal as a coach is to get the most out of his players on the field but also to guide them in the right direction in life so they can be better human beings.

Tony Durkan: Private Instructor

Coach Durkan was part of the coaching staff at Nichols College, serving as pitching and catchers coach. Coach Durkan was a member of the Assumption College baseball coaching staff from 2004-2006.

A 1993 graduate of Assumption, Coach Durkan served as an assistant coach at Grafton Hill American Legion in 1995. In 1996, he went back to his alma mater for his first stint as an assistant coach for the Assumption Greyhounds. Also in 1996, Coach Durkan was an assistant coach for the Central Massachusetts Collegians of the New England Collegiate Baseball League.

Coach Durkan was a T&G All-Star in Baseball from Holy Name C.C.H.S. and a starting catcher at Assumption College and Shelton State CC in Tuscaloosa, AL.

Darren Magan: Founder, Private Instructor 

1986 graduate of Holliston High School where he was a 4 time varsity baseball player and 3 year varsity football player. He played two years of college baseball as an outfielder and pitcher (Cape Cod Community College and then transferred to Hofstra University).  Darren has spent over 11 years in youth baseball as a coach, vice president and player development coordinator in Harvard, MA.  He was instrumental in developing the current Harvard Youth/AAU offering with introducing off-season programs to enhance the players skill levels and confidence.  He has been involved with AAU baseball for 8 years as an assistant coach (11U, 12U and 13U) and the most recent 4 years, as a head coach (10U, 11U and 12U).  In 2017, his 12U team finished in top 8 (out of 54 teams) in New England.  His passion is developing future leaders while incorporating a life classroom on the baseball diamond.