Insist on the Original - Solar Illuminations is your local certified dealer & installer. |
Cranford's Shane Van Dam of North Carolina State enjoys chance to get together with former Cougars assistant coach Rob Chamra (right) who helped direct the young star to pitching. Van Dam is seen as a standout baseball pitcher and football quarterback at Cranford before graduating from 'Cougarville' in 2022. The Union County product was selected by the Kansas City Royals in 9th round of MLB First-Year Player Draft as his stock kept rising for NC State. (SC photos and courtesy of Rob Chamra and NC State) (continued from page 1) Van Dam's one year on the mound at SUNY Cortland in 2023 saw him strike out 23 batters in 15 innings while posting a 4.80 ERA. He was the SUNYAC Baseball Athlete and Pitcher of the Week for the week ending April 30 that season, showcasing his consistency and effectiveness. "I sort of learned how to pitch on the fly there," Van Dam said. "He was very raw a pitcher at Cortland," McCaffery said. "It's not surprising to see that he took to it because he's a very good athlete." With the aid of the transfer portal in the summer of 2023, Van Dam went from Division 3 baseball to Division 1 at NC State, where previous Cranford players named Ciencin, Chamra and Williamson excelled. "It was at NC State where I made a big jump pitching-wise," Van Dam said. "I was reaching 95-96 and my breaking ball was better. I was more in the zone and an actual pitcher. It was such a big leap. "I was also making a big leap as far as being a better person on and off the field." A larger body of work his first year at NC State laid the foundation for his selection by the Royals. A 4.58 ERA in 37.1 innings included 38 strikeouts, with a career-high eight in 4.2 innings to earn a victory at Clemson, ranked No. 2 in the country at the time. Donning No. 31, the Sport Management major appeared in three games for the Wolfpack this year, including his first career start against UNC Wilmington on May 6. Van Dam tossed three scoreless innings against Stanford 11 days later. Van Dam held opposing batters to a .233 batting average and finished the season with an ERA of 4.50. "It was a step-by-step process to get back out there," Van Dam said. Kansas City, according to Van Dam, began contact about two weeks ago. "I know they had scouts at my outings," Van Dam said. "The emphasis was on my fastball and my frame and to pack on some more pounds to strengthen my fastball." Van Dam, who will turn 22 in April 10, 2026, reported to Arizona, Thursday, July 17, for bullpen sessions and to work out at the Kansas City facility. From there it will be determined what level of minor league ball he will start at. "With Shane it starts with family, community and his teammates and coaches," McCaffery said. "Everyone is very excited. He comes from a great family." Shane's mother Lisa played softball at Wesley College, his brother Jake plays baseball at Hope College and his great-grandfather Charles Bouska played basketball and baseball at Alabama. "There is always a lot of support in Cranford," Van Dam said. "I think that's why so many kids stay in Cranford. They preach to play multiple sports. "In Raleigh I got the same feeling. The fans care about athletics. It was a great environment." WHAT ROB CHAMRA SAW IN SHANE VAN DAM Chamra, who was an assistant at Cranford with McCaffery for 11 years, liked what he saw going back to football season 2021. "Shane could throw a football 60-70 yards in the air," Chamra said. "He ended his junior baseball year in right field and had a lazer for an arm. "It was the same thing his senior year in baseball. He was getting the ball to home plate on a fly and it looked like from there it was 90-plus. "When his senior season began, I went to Dennis and said, 'let's try him on the mound.'" In the April 1, 2022 season-opener against Summit, a 15-5 Cranford home win, Van Dam struck out two, walked one and gave up three earned runs on two hits. His second game was four weeks later at Scotch Plains-Fanwood, a 17-5 Cougar victory. In that Cranford triumph Van Dam pitched a perfect frame, striking out the side on 15 pitches. "He first learned how to come set and then get his fastball down and locate," Chamra said. "Then I taught him a slider." When the season extended to June it was Cranford, after winning the Union County Tournament for the first time since 2015, ousting Rahway 11-0 at home in a first-round North 2, Group 3 encounter. Van Dam also pitched a perfect inning in that game and struck out the side on 11 pitches. Kroeger clocked Van Dam at 93, according to Chamra. "We started with short sessions," Chamra said. "First were the basic mechanics, followed by stepping on and stepping off the mound, pickoff throws to first and fielding bunts." Chamra, a police officer in Cranford along with other former Cranford standout baseball players James Knight, Nick Cook and Chris Folinusz, just received his MLB agent certification. He has worked with Graceffo the last seven years and is now associated with Van Dam's agent, Jeff Randazzo of the Ballengee Group. "It's very impressive what Shane has accomplished," Chamra said. "HIs dream took him from ACC baseball to Summer Cape Cod league to the MLB draft. "Most players, their careers end with high school ball. It was a pleasure working with Shane and I look forward to again in the coming off-seasons." CRANFORD GRAD SELECTED IN THE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL DRAFT Joe DiFabio, pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals 1965, 20th and final selection in Round 1 of June Amateur MLB Draft out of Delta State University. DiFabio was the June 8, 1965 was the first amateur draft held by Major League Baseball. John Van Brunt, catcher, Montreal Expos, 1971, MLB June Amateur Draft 18th round, 419th selection out of Cranford High School. Also, Detroit Tigers, 1972 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase, 3rd round, 64th selection out of Mesa Community College, Mesa, AZ. Rob Chamra, pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2011, MLB June Amateur Draft 34th round, 1,034th selection out of North Carolina State University. Chamra is a 2006 Cranford High School graduate who played for head coach Dennis McCaffery. Chamra pitched at Temple for two years and then his last two college seasons at NC State. He went 8-3, started 8-0, for the Wolfpack his senior year in 2011. On April 17 of 2011 at No. 5 North Carolina Chamra started and got the win in a 10-2 NC State triumph. Chamra went 5.1 innings, allowing no runs on four hits. He struck out none and walked one. Then on April 23 at No. 1 Virginia, Chamra earned another mound victory in a 6-2 Wolfpack victory. Chamra started and pitched seven complete innings, allowing two unearned runs on four hits while striking out three, walking three and hitting one batter. "Those were my proudest moments, allowing no earned runs against the No. 5 and No. 1 teams in the country in a six-day span," Chamra said. Ryan Williamson, pitcher, Texas Rangers 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft 28th round, 850th selection out of Cranford High School. Also, Washington Nationals, 2016 MLB June Amateur Draft 15th round and 454th selection out of North Carolina State University. Gordon Graceffo, pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals, 2021 MLB July Amateur Draft, 5th round, 151st selection out of Villanova University. Graceffo, who now pitches for the St. Louis Cardinals and won his first game this season, is a 2018 Cranford High School graduate. Shane Van Dam, pitcher, Kansas City Royals, 2025 MLB July Amateur Draft, 9th round, 278th selection out of North Carolina State University. Van Dam played on sectional state championship teams his senior year in football (2021) at quarterback for head coach Erik Rosenmeier and in baseball (2022) for head coach Dennis McCaffery. NORTH CAROLINA STATE PLAYERS SELECTED IN THE 2025 MLB DRAFT: NEW JERSEY PLAYERS SELECTED IN JULY 13-14 MLB DRAFT IN ATLANTA: 
Cranford's Shane Van Dam was 278th pick in the recent MLB First-Year Player Draft taken in the 9th round by the Kansas City Royals. Van Dam is seen following a workout at CitField joined by former Cranford star Marcus Johnson (left) and ex-Cougars coach Rob Chamra. The 2025 Royals draft pick was a standout all-around athlete at Cranford and is seen taking in action during 2021 football game. Despite injuries in recent seasons the NC State standout right-hander has impressed MLB scouts with his great potential.
Ccopyright 2005 Sideline Chatter - comments - contact the webmaster
|
| ||||||||||
|
