Staten Island, NY- Wagner baseball head coach Craig Noto has announced the additions of Mike Ruggiero and David Yourke to his coaching staff.
 
Ruggiero will serve as a Graduate Assistant Coach and Yourke will be the Director of Baseball Operations. Both will be pursuing a master's degree on Grymes Hill.
 

Join us in welcoming Mike Ruggiero and David Yourke to the coaching staff!

Ruggiero is coming off a five-year career with the Seahawks, where he played in 156 games from 2018-22.

Yourke pitched at Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC and appeared in 17 games from 2019-21. pic.twitter.com/MYHGbwsMIG

— Wagner Baseball (@WagBaseball) September 13, 2022

 
Ruggiero is coming off a five-year career with the Seahawks, where he played in 156 games from 2018-22. He tallied 127 career hits, with 31 being for extra bases.

The Smithtown, NY native drove in 62 runs as a member of the Green & White.
 
"Having Michael join our coaching staff is special to me," Noto said. "After a good playing career at Wagner and seeing him grow on and off the field, it was an easy decision for me to have him re-join us. He has a pure passion for teaching the infielders and it shows in his preparation daily. His detail-oriented approach is something that will serve this group well."
 
This summer, Ruggiero coached in the Northwoods League in Green Bay, WI and helped shape one of the top defensive ball clubs in the league. His team posted a fielding percentage of .970 as and led one of the best leagues in the country with 181 double plays turned. Before Wagner, Ruggiero was a two-sport athlete at Smithtown High School East, where he played two years of varsity baseball.
 
Yourke pitched at Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC and appeared in 17 games from 2019-21. The left-handed hurler posted a 1-4 record with a 4.56 ERA and in 47.1 innings recorded 29 strikeouts. He graduated in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in film and digital media. 
 
"David has a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge that is going to be extremely beneficial for our players," Noto said. "As a pitcher at Wofford College, he competed at a high level and learned under some really good coaches. To add a quality young man on and off the field to an already great group of young coaches is exciting."
 
Yourke played his senior year of high school baseball at Trinity Christian Academy where he had six wins and 47 strikeouts in 33 innings with a 1.68 ERA. He pitched a no-hitter and was named the 2A-7 Pitcher of the Year and All-District as the team was 22-6 overall and won the 2A Florida State Championship. During his junior season at Farrell High School in Staten Island, he was named an SI Advance All-Star and earned All-State honors from the sportswriters. He led the league with 70 strikeouts and ranked in the top five in the conference in ERA and batting average. As a sophomore, Yourke led the conference in strikeouts with 72 and had a .452 batting average.
 
Rounding out Noto's staff for the 2023 season are Devin Burke and Joe Morris, who enter their second year with the baseball program.