Ryan McMahon finishes as most successful pitcher in Malden High School history

The greatest pitching career in MHS baseball history capped by first GBL ‘Most Valuable Player’ Award in nearly 30 years for a Tornado

By Nick Toscani

The most successful pitcher in Malden High School Baseball history finished his storied career as a Golden Tornado the same way he started it — with a complete-game win. A complete-game three-hitter with nine strikeouts in a signature, command performance in Malden High’s scintillating, dramatic MIAA Division 1 State Tournament victory on the road at Durfee High in Fall River just further cemented his legacy as one of the best to ever appear on the mound.

Four years earlier, he scratched out less than five pitching wins in the course of 11 appearances on the hill as a Malden ninth-grader, his first victory coming over Everett High on April 11, 2023. Along the way, Malden High righthander Ryan McMahon’s performance became the gold standard for both his hometown team and the Greater Boston League overall. As a four-year starter on the mound, McMahon finished his final season as a Golden Tornado in style, breaking and resetting every Malden High pitching record on the list.

McMahon owns career Malden High baseball pitching records in:

—Career pitching wins, 23

—Career pitching decisions, 23-14

—Career strikeouts, 261

—Career innings pitched, 202 1/3

—Career pitching appearances, 50

—Career pitching starts, 41

—Career games started at the Varsity level; McMahon started every game as either a pitcher or position player for 85 consecutive games, did not miss a game for four years: 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

McMahon will be forever remembered as the most successful, winningest — and easily the most prolific — pitcher in Malden High history, recently completing his best season as a senior who dominated the GBL scene, capping his career with the coveted Greater Boston League “Most Valuable Player” Award, as voted by the GBL coaches. This selection in itself is historic, as the last GBL Most Valuable Player Award for a Malden High player was nearly 30 years removed, when a similar, standout two-way player, Brian Blumsack, earned MVP and a Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic nod as well.

Only two other former Malden High School baseball legends have achieved GBL League MVP status in both the past 50 years — or ever, it is believed — former Major League Baseball (MLB) players Kevin McGlinchy (Atlanta Braves, Tampa Devil Rays, Chicago Cubs) in 1995 and Carmine Cappuccio (Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies) in 1988. McGlinchy, who pitched in the MLB World Series for the National League-pennant winning Braves in 1999, is regarded by all as the best pitcher in Malden High history. Cappuccio, who holds most Malden High single-season and career hitting records, is also fourth on the all-time pitching wins list with 19 (19-7 career, 1986-1988).

The Malden High top five career all-time winning pitchers are McMahon (23 wins, 2023-2026), Bradley Applin (20 wins, 2009-2012), Joe Souza (20 wins, 1992-1995), Carmine Cappuccio (19 wins, 1986-1988) and Shawn Brickman (17 wins, 1975-1977). McMahon has surpassed all of them statistics-wise, and his future is still ahead of him as for post-high school aspirations. He is headed to attend and pitch at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill in the fall.

All three of the Malden High former Greater Boston League MVPs in 1988, 1995 and 1999 — as well as the present MVP McMahon — were coached by Malden High Head Coach Steve Freker, who just completed his 42nd season coaching high school baseball overall, his 10th year back at his second time around at Malden High.

Coach Freker had high praise for his senior star: “Four years ago he was just a freshman, 15 years old and about 130 pounds, if that — but Ryan [McMahon] always wanted the ball.

“He was one of those kids who always played with older players coming up in the youth leagues,” Coach Freker said. “He was like 13 years old pitching against high school kids when he was in 7th grade I remember, so he did have a bit of experience before he got to Malden High.”

For the past two seasons particularly, McMahon has been the quintessential “lights out” performer, this past season one of his best ever. In the recently completed 2026 campaign McMahon recorded decisions in each of his 10 starts with a 7-3 record, 61 2/3 innings pitched, 74 strikeouts and an 0.68 earned run average. In the past two seasons, McMahon has gone 14-5 with over 140 strikeouts.

“To be honest, this past season, the best three games [McMahon] pitched was probably in games we lost. He threw a three-hitter against [Lynn] Classical [2-0 loss], a four-hitter against [Lynn] English and another close loss to Somerville earlier in the year,” Freker said. “We are always in the game when Ryan’s on the mound. It’s been that way for all of the past four years.”

“To achieve what he has in his career is just remarkable, both in success and consistency,” the Malden coach said. “The four years of winning is a big part of it in the historical end. Malden High only had three years of high school until it changed to a grade 9-12 format in the 1980s.”

“Ninth-graders were not even a factor in varsity sports even into 2000s. For a kid like Ryan to come in at the Varsity level and compete and perform like that is special,” Coach Freker said.

Overall, McMahon and fellow senior Billy Gavin — another successful pitcher the past two seasons at 13-5 — have weathered THE most successful four-year span of Malden High Baseball in school history, a 56-26 record from 2023-2026, the most wins for any Malden High team, any season, over the past four years. One of the biggest contributions McMahon and Gavin have provided over the past two seasons has been the leadership they have provided as well, considering these have been two of the youngest teams in Malden High history. In 2025, Malden started three freshman ninth-graders in its Varsity season for the first time in school history, as the team went 14-7 overall. This season in 2026, Malden High started five sophomores and one freshman every game, going 15-7 overall, including the MIAA Division 1 State Tournament victory.

“It has been a great run for this year’s seniors, led by Ryan McMahon and Billy Gavin,” Coach Freker said. “They will both really be missed and you just can’t replace two pitchers who put up those numbers in two seasons [27-9 W-L]. We are just proud of what they have done and what they have contributed.

“Ryan [McMahon] really knocked it out of the park with his season and his career. He really did have an MVP season,” the Malden coach said.