WORCESTER — Joe Galvin woke up Tuesday morning to a text message from Worcester Bravehearts director of player personnel Alex Dion at 5:26 a.m. asking if Galvin would be able to grab one of the Bravehearts’ newest players from Logan Airport.
So, Galvin, the new manager of the Worcester Bravehearts and a resident of Shrewsbury, hopped in his Jeep Cheroke and drove to Boston to pick up Cole Travers (Stetson University commit) following his American Airlines flight from Florida.
“I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” said Galvin, who also is the head coach of the Fitchburg State baseball team. “That’s the D3 (coach) in me. There’s very little that you don’t do.”
Later that day, Galvin watched as Travers and the rest of the Bravehearts’ players took part in their second day of practice ahead of their season opener on Wednesday in Westfield.
The Bravehearts begin their 2026 summer season on the road with a game against the Westfield Starfires on May 27 before hosting two games at home on Thursday and Friday.
“We’re really excited about the ’26 season,” Bravehearts president Matt Vaccaro told the T&G via the phone on Tuesday afternoon. “We have a really good group of players coming in. We have an all-new coaching staff.
“When push comes to shove, we’ll have a pretty good team and a pretty good summer.”
Last summer, the Bravehearts won 45 games and took first place in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL), which is a summer baseball league in New England that features top-tier college athletes.
With a new manager (and staff) and a bunch of new players, the Bravehearts hope to find similar success on the diamond at Holy Cross’ Fitton Field — with a little more fortune in the postseason after Worcester lost its only two playoff games in 2025.
“Go win the last game of the year,” Galvin said. “That’s why we’re here.”
Before the 2024 season, Frank Vaccaro, a veteran manager of the Shrewsbury Post 397 American Legion baseball team, bought the Bravehearts. For the past two seasons, Vaccaro and his son, Matt, a Worcester businessman, have run the organization.
This summer will mark season No. 3 in Worcester for the Vaccaros, who have shuffled around their front office and coaching staff over the past few years — but bring aboard a familiar face in Galvin, who spent five seasons coaching Shrewsbury Legion with Frank.
“He’s really going to be able to help our kids,” said Matt Vaccaro of Galvin.
On Tuesday evening, while on a phone call with the T&G, Galvin wrapped up his second practice with the Bravehearts. The team performed batting practice and some infield and outfield drills, and pitchers threw in the bullpen.
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7 / 7Worcester welcomes back players like Will Kraemer (infielder, Pepperdine), Cole Hambly (first baseman, Sienna), Brayden Cali (outfielder, UMass Lowell), Stephen Rickert (pitcher, Eastern Connecticut), Aiden Cardoza (pitcher, Wheaton), Jake Shaughnessy (pitcher, Eastern Connecticut) and Gavin Price (pitcher, Worcester State).
Some other familiar faces include locals like Andrew Schmit (outfielder, Salve Regina), Miles Blake (pitcher, Quinsigamond) and Kyle McLaughlin (pitcher, UMass Boston), among others.
“We have a solid group of returning pitchers, who are foundationally very important,” Galvin said. “Some of the newer bats that we have coming in, I think the fans are going to love how they swing the bat.
“We’re just excited to get going. Some guys have had some down time, so they just want to get back out there and get after it.”
After playing on the road to start the season, Worcester will welcome the Vermont Lake Monsters to Fitton Field on Thursday (10:30 a.m.) and Friday (6:30 p.m.). Like every year, the Bravehearts will host heritage nights, bark in the park, wrestling promotions, celebrity guests and more.
On Friday, Todd Angilly — the official national anthem singer for the Boston Bruins — will kick off the festivities before postgame fireworks at Fitton.
“It will be exciting for sure,” Matt Vaccaro said.
Like always, the Bravehearts are excited to offer $10-$12 tickets and free parking for all home games. “Probably the best deal around,” Vaccaro said.
And hopefully Galvin won’t have to pick up too many more players from the airport moving forward. The new Worcester Bravehearts manager is hoping to get the 2026 season off to a flying start.
“I know what the Bravehearts means to the city, I’ve watched them for years coming to the games,” Galvin said. “I don’t take the responsibility lightly because of the success that they’ve had here and the success that we’re looking for this year.”
—Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.
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