Photo | Courtesy of Matt Vaccaro
Matt Vaccaro, team president of the Worcester Bravehearts
May 6, 2025
Worcester Bravehearts part ways with GM Dave Peterson
Photo | Edd Cote
Dave Peterson, former GM of the Worcester Bravehearts
After 12 years with the Worcester Bravehearts collegiate summer baseball team, General Manager Dave Peterson has been let go by the organization.
Peterson, who previously worked for the now-defunct Worcester Tornadoes of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, first joined the Bravehearts in 2013 under founding owner John Creedon Jr.
Peterson managed the Bravehearts’ operations and served as an emcee on gamedays, often wearing a green blazer as he worked to pump up the crowd.
Peterson made the announcement in a LinkedIn post on Friday. In a Tuesday email to WBJ, Peterson confirmed his departure was a decision made by the team, but he expressed gratitude towards the players, fans, and staff he interacted with over the years.
“I was let go from my role as general manager on May 1 - it was not my decision,” Peterson wrote. “I do not yet know what is next, but I do hope to stay in Worcester. It was an awesome, rewarding job that allowed me to spend time with plenty of fans who chose to use their hard-earned money to support a small summer collegiate team. I am certainly going to miss it, but these kinds of things happen in sports all the time, so I really just have to move forward and find the next great role for me. I love the city, and I thank the Creedons and the Vaccaros for allowing me to contribute to it with the Bravehearts for nearly 12 years.”
Worcester Bravehearts President Matt Vaccaro did not return a Monday voicemail from WBJ seeking more details about the decision. On Tuesday, the ballclub released a statement on social media which acknowledged Peterson was no longer with the team, but did not explain the reasoning.
"We wish Dave nothing but success," the statement reads.
The move to let go of Peterson came 30 days before the Bravehearts’ first home game of the 2025 season.
Vaccaro became president of the ballclub in February 2024, when his family, including his father Frank and brother Frank Jr., purchased the team. The Vaccaro family owns Masis Staffing Solutions, a Worcester-based company with 60+ branches across 25 states.
Former assistant general manager Donny Porcaro is now listed as the team’s general manager on the Bravehearts’ website. A native of Worcester, Porcaro began working with the team as a press box intern in 2017, according to his bio. He rejoined the team in 2021 as its director of fan experience, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Peterson added he plans on staying in touch with the ticket holders, host families, and others he interacted with as he looks toward the next chapter of his career.
“The future is bright,” he wrote.
The Bravehearts play in The Futures Collegiate Baseball League, an amateur baseball association headquartered in Weymouth, which seeks to give college players additional playing experience and opportunities to be noticed by professional scouts.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been updated to include details of the statement released by the Worcester Bravehearts.
Eric Casey is the managing editor at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the manufacturing and real estate industries.
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