Luke VanMarter’s 2-way prowess on the diamond propels Jamesville-DeWitt
Luke VanMarter's dominant pitching paired with his clutch hitting helped Jamesville-DeWitt to its first sectional championship in a decade. Courtesy of Luke VanMarter
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Growing up, Luke VanMarter often sat in the bleachers at the Onondaga Baseball Complex, proudly wearing his Jamesville-DeWitt jersey, cheering for the varsity baseball team he dreamed of joining one day.
Years later, in 2023, he returned to that same field, no longer as a spectator but as J-D’s starting pitcher in the Section III Class A final versus New Hartford. Nerves hit him hard as he struggled in the bullpen while warming up, unable to find his rhythm. Moments before the first pitch, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and walked onto the mound.
With the championship on the line, VanMarter shook off his early jitters and delivered a standout performance — striking out five across seven innings and leading J-D to a 5-0 shutout win. The victory secured the program’s first sectional title in nearly a decade — a full-circle moment for the kid who once watched the Red Rams from the stands.
“That game was crazy. That’s a game I remember forever,” VanMarter said.
Leading J-D to its first sectional championship since 2014 was just the start. VanMarter’s two-way stardom has since propelled the program’s resurgence. Over 122.1 innings pitched between 2022 and 2024, he’s maintained a stellar 2.17 ERA while becoming a consistent threat at the plate. His impact helped propel J-D to a regional championship and its first-ever state tournament semifinal appearance.
VanMarter’s baseball journey started in Jamesville-DeWitt Little League as a 5-year-old. His father, Jeff, remembers VanMarter’s first career hit, a home run that landed in the schoolyard beyond the fence.
Despite having no baseball background himself, Jeff became a steady presence in VanMarter’s training. A former basketball player, he helped VanMarter with his physical development while learning the game alongside him. It wasn’t until VanMarter turned 12 — his final year in Little League — when he began taking baseball seriously.
That commitment carried into travel baseball, where VanMarter evolved into a two-way player. He loved the constant action and didn’t shy away from trying new positions, including shortstop. Whenever he struggled, he studied highlights of his idol, Shohei Ohtani, taking notes on how the Los Angeles Dodgers star best balanced both sides.
I strive to be a leader and for guys to look up to (me).Luke VanMarter, Jamesville-DeWitt baseball player
By the time he reached high school, VanMarter’s versatility and work ethic were already setting him apart. He started his freshman year as a utility player, gaining valuable experience — even earning multiple varsity call-ups. Then, an unexpected opportunity sped up his varsity career.
When a starting pitcher injured his pinky during gym class, VanMarter was called up. In just his second varsity appearance, he threw a complete game against Oswego, striking out 11 and leading J-D to a 4-1 win.
“He’s an athletic kid. He’s one of those kids who could pick something up, and he’ll be really good at it,” J-D head coach Ryan Dera said. “Sometimes you get kids that plateau out, hit their peak and don’t further develop, but with his drive combined with his talent, the sky’s the limit for him.”
That performance earned VanMarter a permanent spot in the rotation. In his sophomore year, he threw 67.1 innings, struck out 73 and helped J-D capture its elusive sectional title.
VanMarter broke out as a junior. On the mound, he recorded a career-high 89 strikeouts. At the plate, he scored 23 runs and tallied 13 RBIs. His defining moment came during J-D’s tight quarterfinal sectional game against South Jefferson.
With the game tied in the bottom of the seventh, VanMarter stepped up to the plate and delivered a walk-off single to secure a 3-2 win.
“(At that time) I was like, ‘I’m gonna end this game,’” VanMarter said. “I stepped in the box, and I looked down at coach Dera and looked for a sign, and he just smiled, like he knew I was gonna do it.”
J-D rode that momentum to another sectional title, with VanMarter striking out nine against Camden while also tallying two hits and a run. In the regional final against Albany Academies, he shined again — tossing a complete game with 10 strikeouts to lead J-D to its first-ever regional championship.
“It was a very chirpy game and very exciting,” VanMarter said. “We put together like a very good team.”
Its historic run ended in the state semifinal, falling 9-0 to Maine Endwell. That loss still fuels VanMarter. During that playoff stretch, he wrote “June 7-8, Binghamton, NY” — the state final date and location — on a whiteboard in his basement as a daily reminder of his goal to get redemption.
“I think about it daily, (and) that just makes me upset,” VanMarter said. “It pushes me. If I’m in the weight room, I gotta do one more rep. I gotta have (a) one more mentality to go out there and compete. Hopefully, we get the chance to play them in a big game like that again.”
