​WORCESTER — As J.P. Ricciardi sat inside the Fitton Field press box Thursday night, a poster of his youngest son, Mariano, hung from the wall located just a few feet behind him.With the Worcester Bravehearts hosting the Westfield Starfires, Ricciardi provided analysis of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League game aired live on the NESN TV broadcast.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe opportunity to promote the competitive summer league in which both his sons, Dante and Mariano, previously played in provided a full-circle moment for Ricciardi.”I’m a big proponent of the Bravehearts,” Ricciardi told the T&G. “I want to see the Bravehearts do well, and I think it’s great family entertainment, and I think it’s a great league for players.”It’s a great place for kids to play. They were great to my kids. Anything that promotes baseball in Worcester, I’m for. So, it’s fun.”J.P. Ricciardi does a NESN broadcast of a Bravehearts game at Fitton Field July 16.After J.P. Ricciardi grew up playing baseball at St. Peter-Marian High School (and competed in playoff games at Holy Cross’ Fitton Field), his two sons played for the Bravehearts — and teamed up for one summer with Worcester in 2017.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”I got to see them play a lot, which was great,” said Ricciardi, a current NESN analyst who previously served as the general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays and then as New York Mets assistant general manager when his kids played for the Bravehearts. “I saw them play in high school together and I got to see them play together for the Bravehearts.”I’m a big fan of the league. It was basically scouting in my own backyard. I got to see a lot of good players, that made my job a lot easier.”WORCESTER – (L-R) Bravehearts’ Dustin Harris congratulates Mariano Ricciardi after he scores a run vs Martha’s Vineyard, Friday, July 27, 2018 [T&G Staff/Steve Lanava]Mariano Ricciardi spent parts of four summers (2017-20) playing for the Bravehearts.The former Worcester Academy and University of Dayton infielder won two championships with Worcester and helped the Bravehearts advance to the title series in all four of his seasons with the team.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBetween the regular season and playoffs, Ricciardi is the Bravehearts’ leader in career games played (133), runs scored (97) and hits (136). Fifteen of those hits came in postseason play, which ranks as the second-most in Futures League history.Ricciardi’s top season came in 2019 when he hit .311 with a franchise-record 17 doubles, 26 RBIs and 34 runs scored. He then helped the Bravehearts win it all that postseason, earning MVP honors thanks to a .364 average with four RBIs and seven runs scored in the playoffs.Worcester Bravehearts second baseman Mariano Ricciardi leaps for a high throw, but is unable to make a play on Brockton base runnr Nick Shumski on Aug. 8. [T&G Staff/Steve Lanava]After graduating from Dayton, Ricciardi was drafted by the Oakland