Angel L. Lugo

Director of Player Development

Coach Lugo, drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1988 as a shortstop, transitioned to pitching with the Marlins and Blue Jays. A three-time All-City player from Grady High School in Brooklyn, he later founded the Cadets Player Development Academy. Certified by Brent Pourciau in the Top Velocity Pitching Program, he became a leading instructor and developed several specialized programs, including the Elite Player Development Academy and Top Gun Pitching Program, producing top local players and MLB prospects.

Jonathan Caceres

Jonathan joins us from his hometown of San Juan, PR with an abundance of experience in the game, ranging from coaching youth travel baseball to coaching and playing in the Hudson Valley National Adult Baseball Association. Jonathan holds a Coaches Certification with USA Baseball, and is a member of the Hudson Valley Amateur Baseball Umpire Association. In the spring of 2022, Jonathan was also an assistant baseball coach for the Wappingers Middle School modified team that went undefeated.

Mark Bonilla

Mark, a Bronx native, graduated from St. Raymond's HS and played college baseball at Dominican University, where he earned a spot in the Athletic Hall of Fame, before finishing at Hofstra. He transitioned to coaching, developing players who have gone on to compete at professional and major college levels. Currently, he is the Director of Athletics at All Hallows HS and coaches with 5 Star National Metro in the summer, dedicated to nurturing young talent.

Franklin Mundo - Hitting & Fielding

Coach Franklin is a former Division II middle infielder who brings a unique blend of energy, expertise, and enthusiasm to Trugo16 Athletics. With years of experience at a high level, Franklin understands the demands of the game and knows how to help athletes develop the right approach and mentality to succeed.

What sets Franklin apart is his ability to simplify the mechanical side of hitting and fielding, making it easier for players to make adjustments and find consistency in their game. He specializes in developing a strong offensive approach, refining defensive skills, and building a mindset that breeds confidence and success.

Coach Franklin’s lighthearted energy and passion for teaching create a fun, competitive, and engaging training environment where athletes are constantly pushed to take their game to the next level. His focus is not just on skill development, but also on helping players enjoy the process, stay motivated, and embrace the challenges that come with growth.

At Trugo16 Athletics Franklin is dedicated to helping athletes compete with confidence, play with purpose, and train with a smile—because when you love the game, improvement comes naturally.

Ben Avila - Catching

Coach Ben brings high-level catching experience to Trugo16 Athletics, offering elite instruction in throwing, blocking, receiving, and pitch calling. A former Division I catcher, Ben developed the skills, leadership, and knowledge necessary to excel behind the plate.

With years of experience handling elite pitching staffs and controlling the game from behind the dish, Ben understands that a great catcher is more than just a defender—it’s about commanding the field, managing pitchers, and making game-changing plays. His instruction focuses on refining mechanics, improving pop times, enhancing defensive efficiency, and mastering the mental side of pitch calling.

At Trugo16 Athletics, Ben is dedicated to helping catchers reach their full potential, whether they are refining fundamentals or preparing for the next level. His hands-on, detailed coaching style ensures that every athlete receives personalized instruction, helping them become leaders on the field and difference-makers behind the plate.

Albert Avila

First-time instructor Albert Avila joins us from his hometown of La Romana, Dominican Republic, where he was signed to a professional contract in July 2017 with the Oakland Athletics. Making his Dominican Summer League debut at the young age of 16, the left-handed outfielder played three seasons with the DSL Athletics. His time with the Athletics was highlighted by a 2021 season in which he posted a .378 OBP, while stealing 12 bases over 110 professional games. He is currently a free agent, and is available for hitting and fielding instruction..

Missy Sadler

Missy joins the CPDA staff after a successful collegiate career at St. Thomas Aquinas College, where she played both softball and basketball. A Marlboro High School graduate, she achieved a .310 batting average over her last three seasons and was recently appointed Assistant Coach for the STAC softball program.

Her senior season helped the Lady Spartans to a 24-12 record and their first East Coast Conference championship appearance. Sadler finished her basketball career with a 93-28 record, earning All-ECC and All-Met honors, and scored 844 points. She offers private instruction in hitting and fielding fundamentals for softball players.

Nelson Figueroa

Nelson, a Brooklyn native, was drafted in the 30th round of the 1995 MLB June Amateur Draft after attending Brandeis University. He had a 19-year professional career as a pitcher, including 11 years in the majors with teams like the Diamondbacks, Phillies, and Mets, winning nine championships. He also played for Puerto Rico in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, earning All-World honors.

After retiring, Nelson was a pitching coach for the Uni-President Lions and now serves as an analyst for SNY, MLB Network, and DAZN. He’s excited to join the Cadets Baseball Academy, where he aims to help players maximize their potential both on and off the field.

George Psarakis, LAT, ATC

George, from Monroe, is a certified athletic trainer passionate about baseball and sports medicine. He graduated from Monroe-Woodbury High School in 2016 and earned a degree in athletic training from Dominican University, where he interned with the New York Jets. After graduating with honors in May 2020, he worked at SUNY New Paltz before joining Mount Saint Mary College to support NCAA Division III teams. George specializes in injury prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation and will oversee our player recovery program, "Recover Like A Pro."

Isidoros "Ross" Bartziokas

Originally from Middletown, NY, Ross is a graduate of Minisink Valley High School.  He attended the College of Mount Saint Vincent (CMSV) and was an integral part of the Dolphins Baseball team from 2017-2022.  He was a five-year starter as well as one of the  Team Captains for three years.   As an infielder he was selected to the Skyline's Second-Team All Conference in 2021.  

Ross currently serves as the hitting and infield coach at the Stevens Institute of Technology.  He is also a Head Coach for 5Star National Metro travel baseball.

Stevie Branche

A graduate of New Paltz High School, Stevie played baseball, basketball, and football at New Paltz High School before beginning his college baseball career as a pitcher at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Stevie compiled 180 strikeouts in 163.2 innings pitched at RIT, turning in an impressive 3.35 ERA as a Tiger. Stevie earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology before signing as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds in June of 2020.

Liz Crawford

Liz has a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Connecticut State University and is the head softball trainer and Director of Classes at Frozen Ropes in Garden City, NY. Her experience includes:

• Former Head Coach at Nassau Community College
• Head Softball Trainer at East Meadow Little League and Batting 1000
• Personal Trainer at XSport Garden City and Equinox Roslyn
• NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Precision Nutrition Coach
• Junior Varsity and Assistant Varsity Coach at Carey High School
• Head Coach for Long Island Thunder and NY Jaguars

Liz offers private instruction for softball players.

Scott Scheppy

Originally from Newburgh, NY, Scott is a graduate of Newburgh Free Academy, where he was a standout pitcher and helped lead the team to the 2021 Section 9 Class AA Championship. During his time at NFA, he set both the program’s career ERA record (1.38) and the single-season strikeout record (65).

Scott continued his playing career at the collegiate level, spending three seasons at Mercy University (NCAA Division II) and one season at SUNY New Paltz (NCAA Division III). At Mercy, he emerged as the ace of the pitching staff, taking on the program’s top starting role and consistently competing against the strongest lineups in the conference. Across his four collegiate seasons, he earned significant innings as both a starter and reliever, reaching a major career milestone with 100 collegiate strikeouts.

Scott currently serves as a baseball coach specializing in pitching development. He brings a strong background in pitching mechanics, arm-care programming, and modern player-development technology. With experience competing at both the Division II and Division III levels, he works closely with pitchers to enhance command, velocity, efficiency, and competitive mentality on the mound.

Easley De La Cruz

Easley played college baseball at Keystone College (2018-2021) and the University of Texas-Permian Basin (2022). In November 2022, he signed with TR in the Frontier League, before joining the High Point Rockers in the Atlantic League in September 2023. Known for his strengths in hitting and catching instruction, Easley continues to make an impact in baseball at all levels.