NECBL Announces 2022 All-League Selections
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) is excited to announce the 2022 All-NECBL teams. The honors were voted on by all fourteen on-field managers of NECBL franchises. Only regular season statistics and performances were taken into account during the selection process.
The list includes three squads: the All-NECBL First Team, the All-NECBL Second Team and the All-NECBL Honorable Mention Team. Each is composed of thirteen players. They include one player at each non-outfield skill position (C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS), three outfielders, two starting pitchers, two relief pitchers and one closer. The Honorable Mention squad consists of three starting pitchers due to a tie in votes.
All-NECBL First Team
The 2022 Fay Vincent Sr. Cup Champion Martha’s Vineyard Sharks led all teams with four All-NECBL First Team selections, including two position players and two pitchers. Sanford, Newport and Ocean State all followed with two players selected. Bristol, Upper Valley and Mystic also had one each.
C - Thomas Bramley (Martha’s Vineyard, Penn St.)
Bramley took the league by storm in his twenty-seven games and eighty-five at bats. He batted .365 in the regular season while collecting thirty-one hits, five doubles and seventeen walks. The Nittany Lion drove in thirteen runs, hit two homers and scored twenty-two times. He ended the regular season with a .471 on-base percentage and a near-1.0 OPS. He continued his production into the playoffs, driving in seven runs, walking eleven times and batting .467 in five games. Bramley was named the 2022 NECBL All-Star Game MVP after hitting two solo homers in his only at bats.
1B - Noah Martinez (Newport, Central Connecticut St.)
Martinez was consistent in his thirty-five games and 118 at bats. He ended the regular season with a .288 average, driving in twenty-nine runs (led Newport). He smacked four home runs, seven doubles and scored twenty-three times. His thirty-four hits and fourteen walks helped his on-base percentage reach .373 and his OPS to climb over .800. Martinez was an All-Star starter for the Southern All-Star team. He went 2-5 with a bomb and two RBI in his only playoff game.
2B - Quinn McDaniel (Sanford, UMaine)
McDaniel was the most reliable member of Sanford’s offense this season. He appeared in forty-two of the Mainers’ forty-four games, totaling 156 at bats. He ranked second on the team with a .308 average but led the team in home runs (8), RBI (30), runs (33) and total hits (48). McDaniel also walked twenty-eight times, raising his on-base percentage to .417. He slugged .538 and had a .955 OPS. McDaniel ranked top-ten in the NECBL with fifteen stolen bases. In the playoffs, McDaniel had one homer and two RBI in Sanford’s four games. He was an All-Star starter for the Northern All-Stars and smacked seven homers in the Home Run Derby.
SS - Chaz Myers (Bristol, Pacific)
Myers was a main reason why Bristol tied the NECBL record with thirty-two regular season wins. In thirty-six games and 106 at bats, he was tied for second in the league with a .377 batting average. Myers led the Blues in total hits (40), home runs (3) and was tied for the team lead in doubles (7). The shortstop added eighteen RBI, fifteen runs and eleven walks to his summer resume. He posted a .463 on-base percentage, a .528 slugging percentage and a near-1.0 OPS. Myers was the starting shortstop for the Southern All-Stars in the NECBL All-Star game.
3B - Ryan Ignoffo (Upper Valley, Eastern Illinois)
Ignoffo dominated the NECBL landscape in his thirty-seven games and 138 at bats, ranking top-five in almost every offensive category. The third baseman was tied for first with eleven regular season homers and tied for second in the league with a .377 average. He ranked second in RBI (45), ninth in runs (29) and was tied for fourth in total hits (52) and doubles (12). Ignoffo stole fourteen bases and added eighteen walks to his season to finish with a .453 on-base percentage. He slugged .717 and had an astounding 1.170 OPS. The Nighthawk also appeared as a pitcher in five games, posting a 4.26 ERA. Ignoffo started for the Northern All-Stars in the All-Star Game and won the 2022 NECBL Home Run Derby with twenty-seven total bombs.
OF - Colton Ledbetter (Newport, Mississippi St)
Ledbetter led the NECBL in a multitude of offensive categories. He appeared in all forty-four of Newport’s regular season games, accumulating 156 at bats (tied for second in NECBL). He ranked fourth in the league with a .365 average and was tied for first with eleven home runs. He also led the NECBL in RBI (47), runs scored (43) and total hits (57). He ranked third with thirty walks and stole eleven bases. The Gull ended the season with a .464 on-base percentage, a .654 slugging percentage and a high 1.12 OPS. Ledbetter started for the Southern All-Stars in the NECBL All-Star Game and went 4-4 with a homer and five RBI. He was the runner-up in the Home Run Derby and totaled one hit and two walks in his only playoff game. Ledbetter won the Rick Ligi Most Valuable Player and the Stephen Strasburg Top Prospect awards for the 2022 season.
OF - Logan Chambers (Martha’s Vineyard, Tennessee)
Chambers first played in the NECBL on June 22 but quickly got acclimated. In twenty-six games and ninety-four at bats, the Shark put up a .362 batting average with thirty-four hits and twenty-one walks. Chambers added two homers, eighteen RBI and twenty-two runs scored in the regular season. He ended with a .478 on-base percentage and a .946 OPS. He was selected as a 2022 All-Star for the Southern roster. Chambers proved to be a huge part of Martha’s Vineyard’s undefeated playoff run. In five postseason games, Chambers batted .435, drove in nine runs, hit three homers and had two doubles. He hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning of Game 2 of the Championship Series to hand the Sharks their first ever Fay Vincent Sr. Cup.
OF - Kevin Ferrer (Mystic, Connecticut)
Ferrer was Mystic’s most consistent hitter during the regular season. He led the Schooners and ranked fifth in the NECBL with a .354 average over thirty-four games and 144 at bats. He also ranked top-ten in the league with fifty-one hits. Ferrer led Mystic with twenty-six runs and twenty-seven RBI and was tied for the lead with four homers and eight doubles. He walked seven times and had a .391 on-base percentage with a near-.900 OPS. The Husky was named a Southern All-Star starter for the All-Star Game. Ferrer also appeared in Mystic’s only postseason game.
SP - Bryce Afthim (Sanford, RHP, Southern Maine)
Afthim was named the 2022 Robin Roberts Best Starting Pitcher after a dominant 2022 regular season. The Mainer led all qualified starters with a 1.01 ERA over almost forty-five innings and started seven of his ten appearances. Afthim was the only NECBL pitcher to throw a nine inning complete-game shutout, coming in a must-win game for Sanford. He gave up just five runs, all of which were earned, and allowed only thirty-one hits and seven walks. He struck out thirty-two batters and earned a record of 5-1. Afthim gave up more than one run once, coming in his first appearance of the season. He held opponents scoreless during four of his seven starts. After giving up four earned runs in his first nine innings during the regular season, Afthim allowed just one in his final thirty-five and a two thirds pitched. Opponents batted just .191, slugged .226 and had a .236 on-base percentage against Afthim. He had just a 0.85 WHIP in the regular season. The righty started the All-Star Game for the Northern All-Stars.
SP - Tyler Mudd (Ocean State, LHP, Holy Cross)
Mudd shined in his seven appearances, five starts and thirty and a third innings with the Waves. The lefty had just a 0.29 ERA and gave up only one earned run over the course of the regular season. Mudd struck out twenty-seven batters while allowing twenty-one hits and eleven walks. He posted a record of 2-0, lasting five or more innings in four of his five starts. Opponents hit just .188 and had a .272 on-base percentage against Mudd while slugging .232. His WHIP sat just over one (1.05) after his last start of the season. Mudd started for the Southern All-Stars in the All-Star Game.
RP - Alejandro Torres (Martha’s Vineyard, RHP, Miami)
Torres was a staple of the Martha’s Vineyard championship-winning bullpen. Over twenty-one innings and thirteen appearances, the righty ranked second on the Sharks with a 1.28 ERA. Torres was tied for second in the NECBL with five saves. He struck out thirty-four batters while giving up just twelve hits, six walks and three earned runs. The right-hander pitched a scoreless outing in eleven of his thirteen regular-season games and pitched more than an inning on eight different occasions. Torres held opponents to just a .158 average, a .276 slugging percentage and a .238 on-base percentage. He ended the regular season with a 0.86 WHIP and earned one win. Torres appeared for the Southern All-Stars in the All-Star Game. In the playoffs, the Hurricane pitched twice for a total of over seven innings. He sported a 2.45 ERA while striking out eleven batters.
RP - Brooks Ey (Ocean State, RHP, Virginia Commonwealth)
Ey starred in Ocean State’s bullpen, pitching twenty-six innings over twelve appearances. He had just a 0.69 ERA while allowing only two earned runs. Ey held opponents to eleven hits and six walks. Ten of his twelve games were scoreless and he ended the regular season with a 3-1 record. His only loss came in his one start of the season. Ey lasted more than an inning in ten of his twelve contests, never giving up more than three hits. He accumulated three saves for the Waves and held opponents to just a .116 average, a .147 slugging percentage and a .168 on-base percentage. Ey ended the season with a 0.65 WHIP and appeared for the Southern All-Stars in the All-Star Game.
Closer - Camron Hill (Martha’s Vineyard, LHP, Georgia Tech)
Hill led the Sharks with a 0.75 ERA over twenty-four innings and twelve games. He allowed just two earned runs, five hits and four walks. The lefty struck out an astounding forty-one batters. Hill earned four saves and ended the regular season with a 5-0 record. He gave up a hit or less in eleven of his twelve appearances and held opponents hitless ten times. Hill stifled opponents to just a 0.65 average, a 0.90 slugging percentage and a .120 on-base percentage. He sported a low WHIP of 0.38 and never put on more than three baserunners in an outing. He pitched two or more innings on nine occasions. Hill recorded two or more strikeouts in every game he pitched. He made an appearance for the Southern All-Stars in the All-Star Game. In the playoffs, Hill had a 1.92 ERA over two appearances and four and two thirds innings. He closed out Game 2 of the Championship Series against Vermont and threw the final pitch of Martha’s Vineyard championship campaign. Hill won the 2022 NECBL Joe Nathan Top Relief Pitcher award.
All-NECBL Second Team
The Mystic Schooners and Newport Gulls led All-NECBL Second Team selections with three apiece. The Sanford Mainers had two players chosen, both of which were pitchers. The Danbury Westerners, Ocean State Waves, Martha’s Vineyard Sharks, Bristol Blues and Valley Blue Sox also saw representation on the Second Team.
C - Addison Kopack (Mystic, Rhode Island)
Kopack was extremely reliable behind the plate for the Schooners. He appeared in forty of the teams forty-four regular season games and had 143 at bats. Kopack had thirty-four hits and twenty walks and ended with a .351 on-base percentage and a .238 batting average. He was tied for third on Mystic with three homers and tied for fourth with eighteen RBI and five doubles. The stopper added fifteen runs and five stolen bases to his summer resume. He was named a Southern All-Star and had one at bat in the All-Star Game. Kopack had one hit, one walk and scored in the Schooners’ lone playoff game.
1B - Hank Thomas (Danbury, Ohio St.)
Thomas used his powerful bat effectively in his thirty-five games and 133 at bats. The first baseman smacked nine homers, tying him for fourth in the NECBL. Five of his nine homers came within a five game span between July 23-29. He was fifth in the league with thirty-three RBI and scored twenty-four runs. The Buckeye added twenty walks, four doubles and a .256 batting average to his summer campaign. He ended the regular season with a .357 on-base percentage, slugged over .500 and had a plus-.800 OPS.
2B - Trent Farquhar (Newport, Michigan St.)
Farquhar became a mainstay in the Gulls’ lineup throughout his thirty-six games and 123 at bats. The Spartan scored thirty times and drove in eighteen runs for Newport, helping it win the Coastal Division. He hit five homers and doubles, had thirty-one hits and batted .252 during the regular season. Farquhar ranked fourth in the NECBL with twenty-nine walks, pushing his on-base percentage to .429. The infielder also posted an OPS of .860. In one playoff game, Farquhar had two hits and an RBI.
SS - Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (Newport, Rutgers)
Kuroda-Grauer impressed in his forty-four games and league-leading 169 at bats. He ranked seventh in the NECBL with a .331 batting average, tallying a second-best fifty-six hits. He drove in thirty-one runs (tied for sixth) and scored a sixth-best thirty-two runs. Kuroda-Grauer ranked top five in the league with twelve doubles and added four home runs and fifteen walks to his regular season. The Scarlet Knight stole six bases and had a .394 on-base percentage. His OPS also reached .867 by the beginning of the postseason. Kuroda-Grauer had a double and scored a run in his lone playoff game.
3B - Michael Snyder (Martha’s Vineyard, Washington)
Snyder was the NECBL Batting Champion with a .406 batting average in thirty-five games and 128 at bats. He was tied for sixth with thirty-one RBI and tied for fourth with thirty-four runs. His fifty-two hits ranked tied for fourth in the league. Snyder added five doubles, four homers and thirteen walks to his regular season. The third baseman entered the postseason with a .494 on-base percentage, a .555 slugging percentage and a 1.049 OPS. Snyder was named the starting third baseman for the South in the All-Star Game. In five playoff games, he led the league with ten RBI, four of which came in Martha’s Vineyard’s championship-clinching game.
OF - Pete Ciuffreda (Ocean State, Lafayette)
Ciuffreda ranked second on the Waves with a .300 average in thirty-three games and 110 at bats. He was second on the team with twenty-two RBI and led Ocean State with nineteen walks. Ciuffreda’s five bombs also ranked second on the Waves. He totalled thirty-three hits, twenty-three runs and six doubles while stealing nine bases. He ended the regular season with a .422 on-base percentage, a plus-.500 slugging percentage and a .931 OPS. Ciuffreda started in the All-Star Game for the South and had three hits, three runs and two RBI.
OF - Griffin Arnone (Bristol, Elon)
Arnone played a large role in Bristol’s thirty-two win season. He appeared in forty games and accumulated 122 at bats. Arnone was tied for the Blues lead with seven doubles. He added two homers, sixteen RBI and a team-best twenty-four runs. He smacked two bombs, had twenty-one walks, thirty-two hits and a .262 batting average. The outfielder had a .375 on-base percentage in the regular season. He appeared in one playoff game for Bristol, drawing a walk.
OF - AJ Guerrero (Valley, Washington)
Guerrero led the Blue Sox with a .378 batting average in twenty-three games and ninety at bats. He accumulated thirty-four hits, seven doubles, two triples and a home run. Guerrero’s sixteen RBI and nineteen runs both ranked tied for second on Valley. The outfielder also walked eleven times, bringing his on-base percentage to .448. He had a near-1.000 OPS in the regular season and appeared for the South in the All-Star Game.
SP - Logan McGuire (Newport, RHP, Georgia Tech)
McGuire dominated in his five starts and nine total appearances. In twenty-nine innings, the righty had just a 1.86 ERA and struck out forty-four batters. He allowed just six walks and twenty hits. McGuire went 5-1 and earned a save in one of his four relief appearances. In his five starts, McGuire gave up all six of his runs for the season. He went seven scoreless innings in his longest start of the season against Mystic on July 19, striking out five batters while only allowing two hits and a walk. He recorded a season-high ten strikeouts in a one-run, five inning outing against Mystic on June 26. McGuire held opponents to a .189 average, a .215 slugging percentage and a .230 on-base percentage. McGuire had a .90 WHIP during the regular season and appeared once in the postseason for the Gulls.
SP - Jonathan Gonzalez (Mystic, LHP, Stetson)
Gonzalez was steady in the Schooners rotation in his six starts and almost thirty-three innings pitched. The lefty posted a 2.20 ERA, striking out forty batters. He gave up only twenty-seven hits while surrendering just three walks. Gonzalez ended the regular season with a 2-0 record, making his last start on July 13. Five of his six starts were five or more innings, with three going six-plus. Gonzalez threw seven scoreless in his longest start against Martha’s Vineyard on June 23, earning the win while striking out six and giving up four hits. He recorded his season-high in strikeouts on June 30 against Ocean State. Gonzalez struck out eight, gave up one run and seven hits over five and a third innings. He struck out at least six batters in every start. Gonzalez stifled batters to a .229 average and a .252 on-base percentage. He ended the regular season with a 0.92 WHIP.
RP - Reid Easterly (Mystic, Yale)
Easterly enjoyed a smooth season out of the Schooners bullpen. He appeared in twelve regular season games, making two starts, and pitched a total of twenty-seven innings. Easterly had just a 1.33 ERA while holding batters to twenty-two hits and eight walks. He struck out thirty-three opponents and gave up more than two hits just once. Easterly gave up just four earned runs, three coming in the same game, and had nine straight scoreless appearances in the middle of the season. He threw his longest outing of the season against Upper Valley on July 16, going four and a third scoreless innings while striking out a season-high six batters. Easterly was a member of the Southern All-Star team and made one appearance in the playoffs, pitching three innings of one-run ball while striking out five batters. He ended the regular season holding opponents to a .222 average and a .267 slugging percentage. Easterly’s WHIP just creeped over one, sitting at 1.11 entering the postseason.
RP - Brian Craven (Sanford, RHP, William & Mary)
Craven was a staple of the Sanford bullpen during the regular season, appearing in seventeen games for a total of twenty-three innings. He posted a 1.56 ERA with twenty-six strikeouts. Craven only allowed four earned runs, seventeen hits and fifteen walks. The right-hander finished the regular season with a 2-3 record and had five saves. He gave up one run on four occasions and gave up more than two hits just three times. Craven struck out an opponent in fifteen of his seventeen appearances. He ended the regular season with a .200 opponent batting average and a .221 opponent slugging percentage. Craven was selected to and appeared in the All-Star Game as a part of the Northern squad. He pitched twice in the postseason, giving up no runs over two innings while striking out three.
Closer - Brady Afthim (Sanford, RHP, Connecticut)
Brady Afthim, like Craven, dominated in the Sanford bullpen. Alongside his brother Bryce, who played with the Mainers as a starter, Brady pitched to a team-best 0.67 ERA in almost twenty-seven innings and eleven appearances. He gave up just two earned runs, fourteen hits and eleven walks. Afthim led the NECBL with an absurd forty-nine strikeouts, averaging almost two punchouts an inning. He totalled three saves and ended the regular season with a 5-1 record. Afthim gave up more than two hits in an outing once and never allowed more than a run in a game. Seven of his eleven relief appearances lasted at least three innings. His longest included the right-hander’s season-high in strikeouts. Afthim pitched five scoreless innings and earned the win against Winnipesaukee on June 29, giving up just two hits and two walks while striking out twelve batters. Only three of his fifteen outs resulted in a batted ball. Afthim appeared for the Northern All-Star team in the All-Star Game. He pitched twice in the postseason for over eight innings, striking out twelve batters.
All-NECBL Honorable Mention Team
The Vermont Mountaineers led the way with three All-NECBL Honorable Mentions. The Mystic Schooners, Newport Gulls, Winnipesaukee Muskrats and Bristol Blues all had two players selected. The Danbury Westerners, North Adams SteepleCats and Keene Swamp Bats rounded out the fourteen players chosen.
C- Joe Skarad (Danbury, Sacred Heart)
Skarad was consistent for the Westerners in his twenty-six games and eighty-nine at bats. The backstop put up a .292 batting average with twenty-six hits and thirteen walks. Skarad added fourteen runs, thirteen RBI, four homers and seven doubles. He hit three of his four bombs in a two-game span on July 28 and 29, smacking two in a 16-9 win over North Adams in the first game. At the end of the regular season, Skarad posted a .394 on-base percentage, slugged over .500 and had a .900 OPS.
1B - Mark Trotta (Vermont, William & Mary)
Trotta shined in the NECBL after joining the Mountaineers in early July. Over eighteen games and sixty-eight at bats, the infielder batted .324 with twenty-two hits and four walks. He drove in sixteen runs and scored thirteen times. Trotta hit one homer and five doubles in the regular season with Vermont. He ended the regular season with a .364 on-base percentage and a plus-.800 OPS. Trotta played in five games in the postseason, driving in one run and hitting three doubles.
2B - Patrick Roche (Winnipesaukee, Boston College)
Roche led Winnipesaukee with twenty-three RBI and posted a .296 average in thirty-four games and 115 at bats. The middle infielder had thirty-four hits and nine walks. He added nineteen runs, nine doubles, thirteen stolen bases and five homers to his 2022 resume. Roche smacked three of his home runs in consecutive games. He represented the Muskrats in the Home Run Derby, hitting seven bombs. For the regular season, Roche put up a .362 on-base percentage, a .522 slugging percentage and a .884 OPS.
SS - Mason LaPlante (Mystic, Georgia)
LaPlante won the 2022 NECBL Defensive Player of the Year award, but shined on offense as well. He batted .350 in nineteen regular season games and sixty at bats after joining the Schooners in early July. LaPlante totalled twenty-one hits and eight walks. He drove in six runs, scored seven times and hit four doubles. The Bulldog ended the regular season with a .443 on-base percentage and a .893 OPS. In one playoff game, LaPlante had two hits, a walk and a run scored.
3B - Slate Alford (Newport, Mississippi St)
Alford won the 2022 Rookie of the Year award after a dominant campaign. He was sixth in the NECBL with a .346 average in forty-two games and 153 at bats. Alford ended the regular season in third with thirty-four runs and forty RBI. He ranked tied for fourth in the league with nine homers and led the NECBL with fifteen doubles. Alford was third with fifty-three hits and added seventeen walks to his 2022 season. The Bulldog posted a .425 on-base percentage, a .621 slugging percentage and a 1.046 OPS at the end of the regular season. He started for the Southern squad in the All-Star Game. In one postseason contest, Alford had two hits, a walk and an RBI.
OF - Jacob Corson (Winnipesaukee, Bucknell)
Corson was on fire in his twenty-five games and eighty-six at bats. The Muskrat had a .407 batting average, leading the team with thirty-five hits. He ranked third in the league with thirteen doubles. Corson added seventeen RBI, nineteen runs scored and two homers. He swiped seven bases and walked fifteen times. The outfielder ended the regular season with a high .510 on-base percentage. He slugged .651 and had an absurd 1.161 OPS. Corson had eleven multi-hit contests and had three hits six times.
OF - Gerry Siracusa (Vermont, Massachusetts Lowell)
Siracusa led the Mountaineers with a .330 average in twenty-four games and ninety-seven at bats. He totalled thirty-two hits, five doubles and a homer. Siracusa drove in and scored eighteen runs. He stole six bases and had a hit in nineteen of his twenty-four appearances. The outfielder had nine walks, raising his on-base percentage to .393. He had an OPS over .800 and was selected to the Northern All-Star team.
OF - Anthony D’Onofrio (Mystic, Quinnipiac)
In twenty-seven games and 107 at bats, D’Onofrio helped Mystic reach the postseason. He batted .299 with thirty-two hits and ten walks. D’Onofrio added twenty runs and eighteen RBI. He hit one homer and recorded five doubles. The speedster swiped fourteen bases over the course of the regular season. D’Onofrio put up a .364 on-base percentage during his time with the Schooners and was selected to the Southern All-Star team.
SP - Colin McVeigh (Bristol, RHP, Fairfield)
McVeigh propelled the Blues to a NECBL record-tying thirty-two wins. In over thirty-six innings pitched, the righty had just a 1.73 ERA in five starts and ten appearances, ranking third among qualified starters. He struck out thirty-eight batters and allowed only twenty-three hits and ten walks. Six of McVeigh’s ten outings were scoreless, including his longest start of the season. The right-hander went six scoreless innings and earned the win over North Adams on July 14. McVeigh never allowed more than five hits in an appearance and struck out a season-high eight batters in four and two thirds innings against North Adams on June 22. He ended the regular season with a 4-1 record, a .181 opponent average, a .268 opponent slugging percentage and a .257 opponent on-base percentage. He also posted just a .91 WHIP. McVeigh was named a Southern All-Star and made one appearance in the postseason for Bristol.
SP - Kevin Seitter (Newport, RHP, Quinnipiac)
Seitter mowed down opponents over his thirty-five innings and eight appearances with the Gulls. He started six games and put up just a 1.80 ERA. Seitter ranked tied for third in the NECBL with forty-four punchouts. He allowed just seven earned runs, twenty-one hits and eleven walks. Seitter ended the regular season with a 3-1 record and lasted six innings four times. He allowed more than one run once and had two no-hit six inning outings. The right-hander recorded a season-high twelve strikeouts and earned the win in six no-hit innings against Mystic on June 29. Seitter ended the regular season with just a .168 opponent average and a .91 WHIP. Batters slugged .206 and had a .255 on-base percentage when Seitter toed the mound.
SP - Randy Reyes (North Adams, LHP, Central Connecticut St)
Reyes ranked second among qualified starters with a 1.69 ERA for the SteepleCats. In thirty-seven and a third inning and seven appearances, Reyes struck out thirty-one batters. He started six games and allowed only seven earned runs, twenty-three hits and fifteen walks. The lefty went 2-2 and lasted five or more innings in every start. Reyes recorded a season-high seven strikeouts in six scoreless innings against Bristol on July 16. He ended the regular season with just a .176 opponent average and a 1.02 WHIP. Batters slugged .237 against Reyes and had a .275 on-base percentage. Reyes was selected to the Northern All-Star team and appeared in the All-Star Game.
RP - Grant Besser (Keene, LHP, Florida Southwestern)
Besser won the 2022 NECBL Most Improved Player award after a strong season with the Swamp Bats. In nine games and five starts, Besser pitched over twenty-seven innings with just a 1.31 ERA. He struck out twenty-nine opponents while allowing just twenty hits, nine walks and four earned runs. Besser never gave up more than one run in an appearance. The lefty had seven outings go two or more innings and four that were four or more. Besser ended the season with a 2-2 record and had a season-high eight strikeouts over five innings against Martha’s Vineyard on July 16. In the regular season, Besser had a 1.06 WHIP and a .213 opponent on-base percentage. Batters slugged just .247 against him and got on base less than thirty percent of the time. The left-hander was selected to the All-Star Game as a part of the Northern squad.
RP - Brendan McFall (Vermont, RHP, Tufts)
McFall was a main part of thirty-two win Vermont’s bullpen. Over twenty-four and a third innings and thirteen appearances, the righty had a 1.84 ERA and was 7-0, leading the league in wins. McFall punched out twenty-nine batters and allowed twenty hits and nine walks. He secured one save over the course of the regular season. McFall gave up runs in just three of his thirteen appearances, allowing more than one once. He went more than an inning ten times, allowing multiple hits just five times. Opponents batted just .227, slugged .275 and had a sub-.300 on-base percentage against the right-hander. McFall was selected to and appeared in the All-Star Game with the Northern team. He pitched four innings in the postseason for the runner-up Mountaineers.
Closer - Luke Garofalo (Bristol, RHP, Central Connecticut St.)
Garofalo led the NECBL with six saves in his twelve and a third innings. In twelve appearances, the right-hander posted just a 0.73 ERA with seventeen strikeouts. He allowed twelve hits and three walks and gave up a run just once all season. All of Garofalo’s outings lasted less than an inning and two thirds and he never let up more than two hits. He pitched four one-two-three innings and ended the regular season with a 2-0 record. Opponents batted and slugged just .250 against the righty. Garofalo was selected to the All-Star Game as a member of the Southern squad.
