DBI Staff

  Al Hammell- Baseball Director 

845-527-0897

Al Hammell brings a multitude of baseball playing and coaching experience from many levels to the Dutchess Baseball Initiative.

He is a 1989 graduate of Our Lady of Lourdes High School. He played baseball collegiately at LeMoyne College and was selected by the New York Mets in the 28th round of the 1992 Major League Draft after his Junior season. Hammell spent five years in the New York Mets organization as a catcher reaching as high as the AAA level.

After ending his professional playing career, Hammell spent four years as the top assistant at D1 Marist College while he completed his Masters Degree in Public Administration and also obtained his NYS Elementary Education Certification.

After two years of experience back in professional baseball working with the Los Angeles Angels organization as an area scout, Hammell began teaching in the Millbrook Central School District in 2003.

Hammell went on to spend 9 years coaching baseball at the high school level. 

He served for 3 years as the Head Coach at Millbrook High School and 6 years as the Head Coach at Arlington High School.

In his nine years ('06-'14) of coaching high school baseball, Hammell led his teams to five Sectional Championships (three at Millbrook '06, '07, '08; and two at Arlington '12, '13).

Both programs also competed in the NYS Final Four Championships in Binghamton, NY. 

It was Milbrook's first ever Baseball Final Four appearance and it was Arlington's first Final Four appearance in over 25 years.

In 2006, Hammell was named the New York State Coach of the Year in Class C.

Hammell also has shown proven success in moving many players on to play at the collegiate level with his involvement in the Taconic Rangers Organization.

In addition to overseeing all aspects of the Dutchess Baseball Initiative program at all age levels and serving as the Head Coach at Dutchess Community College since 2014, Hammell is also the Head Coach of the Taconic Rangers Futures Showcase Team during the summer months. 

Coach Hammell is currently the Director of Athletics and Dean of Students at Millbrook High School and is beginning his 18th year as a teacher/administrator in the Millbrook Central School District. 

Coach Hammell resides in his hometown of Pleasant Valley with his wife Stacey, son Tyler 19, a sophomore at Binghamton University, and his daughters Morgan 17, and Allie 15.

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  Joe Bruno- Assistant Director/Pitching Coordinator