At the time of his selection, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior shortstop had led the Storm (20-3) to the Class AAA tournament this season, batting .532 with 28 RBI, 37 runs, 22 stolen bases through 23 games. Paino compiled a stellar .722 on-base percentage, and hit four home runs entering the postseason. Ranked as the nation’s No. 20 prospect in the Class of 2024, he was named the 2024 Section 1 Player of the Year and was a 2023 Perfect Game All-American Game selection.
Paino has maintained an A average in the classroom. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball on scholarship at the University of Mississippi this fall, but is projected as an early round selection in July’s Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft.
A member of the National Honor Society, Paino has volunteered locally on behalf of a Veterans Affairs Medical Center and as a youth baseball coach.
