Serretti Goes Deep: Former Highlander Homers in Triple-A Debut

RENO, Nev. — Playing in his first game at the MLB Triple-A level, Danny Serretti made it one to remember.The former Gov. Livingston standout crushed a go-ahead three-run home run to lead the Reno Aces (Arizona Diamondbacks) to a 5–2 victory over the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Houston Astros) on Wednesday night at Greater Nevada Field.In the bottom of the sixth inning, Serretti launched a 3–1 pitch deep over the right-field fence for what proved to be the game-winning runs. The blast traveled approximately 430 feet and came off his bat at an impressive 109.5 mph exit velocity—firmly in “major league” territory. He finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, recording his first Triple-A hit earlier in the game with a single in the second inning.After a stellar collegiate career at the University of North Carolina, Serretti was selected by the Detroit Tigers with the 177th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. During his time at UNC, he started 198 of 199 games from 2019 to 2022, finishing with a .303 batting average, 22 home runs, 145 RBI, and 237 hits. His senior season was his best, as he posted a .365 average with 10 home runs and 54 RBI over 64 games.Following a brief stint in training with the Tigers, Serretti was assigned to the Lakeland Flying Tigers. Through hard work and steady development, he climbed the ranks from Low-A to Double-A, eventually joining the Erie SeaWolves late in the 2022 season.That year, he had the opportunity to play in the Eastern League Championship Series against the Somerset Patriots at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater—performing in front of a strong contingent of family, friends, and local fans who had followed his standout career at Gov. Livingston.On December 10, 2025, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected Serretti in the MLB Rule 5 Draft (Triple-A phase) from the Tigers organization. After a solid showing in spring training, he was assigned to the Amarillo Sod Poodles, where he played some of the best baseball of his career. In 18 games, he hit .364 with 20 hits, six doubles, four home runs, and nine RBI—earning a well-deserved promotion to Triple-A.Now, Serretti is just one step away from realizing his childhood dream of playing in the big leagues.A Berkeley Heights native, Serretti was a four-year varsity player at Gov. Livingston High School under head coach Chris Roof. He helped lead the Highlanders to a state championship and two Union County titles. As a senior in 2018, he hit .455 with 11 home runs and was ranked the No. 2 shortstop and No. 15 overall player in New Jersey. Since graduating, Serretti has set the standard for excellence on the Hill—raising the bar for every Highlander who follows.Highlander pride. Jersey grit. Big-league dreams. Keep grinding, Danny.