Riverdale, N.Y. — The Manhattan University Baseball program announced a hitting facility for Jaspers Baseball in nearby Yonkers with the generous support of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. The funding will support the facility's operations and the University's Summer Baseball Program that provides local underserved youth with mentorship and baseball and academic enrichment opportunities.
The 9,500 square-foot facility houses a pitching lab, a weight room, coaches offices, a player's lounge, and turf space with up to six retractable batting cages. The turf space contains dedicated locations for infield skill-work, bullpens, and scrimmages, which will be pivotal to player development and particularly useful during preseason winter training. The facility is also equipped with TrackMan Technology, an analytics platform that produces performance data and insights for Jaspers Baseball.
"This facility is a game-changer for our program, providing our student-athletes with the resources they need to train and compete at the highest level," said Steven Rosen, the Jaspers Head Coach. "We are so grateful to the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation for its incredible gift and support. Player development will always be at the foundation of our program and the Cohen Family's generosity has helped make our new indoor training facility a reality for our players."
The facility also provides new opportunities for the Summer Baseball Program that aims to create positive change, provide academic enrichment, and inspire youth who hope to play college baseball one day. The program is available to participants without any financial commitment and provides room and board at Manhattan University, baseball training and equipment, literacy and academic classes, mentorship with Jasper players, and more at no cost, thanks to the support of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. The grant also supported this season's Summer Baseball Program, including two successful sessions for local youth this past July, and will also provide support for the 2025 season.Â
"The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation's incredible and heartwarming commitment to Manhattan Baseball and our greater community establishes an exciting resource for student-athletes and local youth," said Irma Garcia, Director of Athletics. "The programming enabled by the new facility strongly aligns with our vision to make a difference in the community and provides new ways for our student-athletes to get involved with the Summer Baseball Program."
On May 17, Alex Cohen, who attended Manhattan University (then Manhattan College), received a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, at the School's 2024 Graduate Commencement where she also delivered the ceremony's keynote address.
 About Manhattan University Baseball
The Manhattan Baseball program has existed for 160 years which makes us older than the New York Yankees and the original Dodgers and Giants franchises. Brother Jasper of Mary, FSC, served as the first coach in program history and later became the namesake for our Jasper moniker. Besides bringing the then little-known sport of baseball to Manhattan, Brother Jasper is known for creating the longstanding tradition known as the seventh-inning stretch, which started during the seventh inning of a Manhattan game when he noticed that students in the stands had become restless. Jaspers Baseball has competed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference since the conference's founding in 1980. Overall, the program has won three MAAC tournament titles (2006, 2011, 2012), three MAAC regular season titles (2009, 2011, 2012) and has appeared in four NCAA Tournaments (1957, 2006, 2011, 2012.) Manhattan has produced 30 players who went on to play in Major League Baseball, including program alums Joe Jacques and Tom Cosgrove, who both debuted in 2023. Manhattan plays its home games at Clover Stadium.
PHOTOS
Space for retractable batting cages
(Courtesy/Michael J. Lago)
View from front entrance
(Courtesy/Michael J. Lago)
Workout corner with weights and other strength-building equipment
(Courtesy/Michael J. Lago)
Lounge section with TVs and decorÂ
(Courtesy/Michael J. Lago)
Turf space for pitching, hitting and infield drills.
(Courtesy/Michael J. Lago)
Practice mounds with turf surface
(Courtesy/Michael J. Lago)
