Hill Named NECBL Sportsman of the Year
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – After helping his team reach the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) Championship Series for the first time in over 20 years, Mystic’s Aaron Hill (Connecticut) has been named the NECBL Sportsman of the Year, as announced Friday night.
In his second summer with the Schooners, Hill established himself as a team leader on the field and in the community, as Mystic posted back-to-back winning seasons and postseason appearances. This summer, Mystic advanced all the way to Game 3 of the NECBL Championship Series before falling to Vermont and settling for league runner-up honors.
On the diamond, Hill was magnificent; he earned a trip to the NECBL All-Star Game for the second year in a row after batting .252 with 20 runs, six doubles, 15 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. He ranked fourth in the league in stolen bases and stealing percentage (.929).
“Aaron Hill was the consummate team leader on and off the field for two seasons,” Mystic General Manager Dennis Long stated. “His accomplishments have strengthened the Schooners popularity and laid the foundation for partnerships with our community neighbors. I am both proud and grateful to have had him as a Schooner.”
In 2014, Hill earned All-NECBL Second Team honors after posting an .874 OPS with 13 extra-base hits and three home runs, and was the only Schooner to finish among the team’s top-five in all three triple crown categories.
A Groton, Connecticut, native, Hill was a Fitch High School standout and plays at nearby UConn during the spring. He batted .229 with 24 runs scored, seven RBIs and four stolen bases as a sophomore in 2015.
2015 NECBL End-of-Year Awards
Sportsman of the Year – Aaron Hill (Mystic)
Most Improved Player – Brent Rooker (Plymouth)
Christopher Ashmos 10th Player Award – Sam Dexter (Sanford)
Top Relief Pitcher – Sam Delaplane (Vermont)
Best Defensive Player – Manny De Jesus (Valley)
Robin Roberts Top Starting Pitcher – Tim Viehoff (Laconia)
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The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a wooden bat college summer league that fields teams in all six New England states. Partially funded by Major League Baseball, the NECBL started play in 1994 and has sent over 100 alumni to the Major Leagues. For continuing coverage of the NECBL, visit NECBL.com and follow the league on Twitter and on Facebook.
