Staff Report
St. Augustine Prep’s baseball program is so tough to excel in that most players only get a year or two of varsity playing time with the Hermits. They play a demanding schedule and have some of the most talented players in South Jersey at every position on the field.
So if somebody is a four-year starter for the Hermits, you know he’s a pretty good baseball player.
D.J. Lloyd was an integral part of St. Augustine’s continued success as the Mike Ney era began following a dominant run by former head coach Mike Bylone. Ney couldn’t have asked for a better catcher to be the centerpiece of his defense as he got his feet wet as a head coach.
Lloyd was an outstanding receiver throughout his career and had a way of handling a pitching staff that went well beyond his teenage years. Tough, durable and with a good throwing arm, Ney rarely had to worry about what was happening behind the plate, as Lloyd was almost like a coach on the field.
He was also a pretty solid and consistent offensive weapon throughout his career, too. Nearly all of his offensive numbers steadily improved throughout his career, and as a senior this past spring he had a career-high 30 hits and 25 RBIs while hitting .312 for a team that reached the state championship — again.
For his career, Lloyd racked up 77 hits, 59 RBIs, 63 walks and 12 doubles. And his individual success mirrored that of the team. When he was a freshman, the Hermits won 17 games. The next year, 20-9 and a Non-Public B state championship. As a junior, he led Prep to 18 wins and a Cape-Atlantic League championship, and this past year the Hermits went 22-8 and went to the CAL semifinals before going 3-1 in the state playoffs, with the lone loss coming in a 10-inning heartbreaker against Delbarton in the state championship.
— Staff Writer Dave O’Sullivan
