VERMONT MOUNTAINEERS 2025 YEAR IN REVIEW
Moving back north to Montpelier, we’ll take a look at the 2025 Vermont Mountaineers season. The Mountaineers finished last season 16-28, tied for last in the North. Vermont had its fair share of All-NECBL representation, with four nominees. First baseman Jaylen Hernandez made the first team, while outfielder Conan Daniel and pitchers Ryan Brown and Jason Torres made the second team. Hernandez, Daniel, and Torres all made the North Division all-star team, with Hernandez starting at first base.
The Mountaineers wasted no time putting together a statement victory, winning an opening day thriller versus the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks at the Shark Tank.
Vermont opened the season’s scoring in the second, as shortstop Matthew Minckler laced an RBI double.
Capitalizing on a Martha’s Vineyard mistake, the Mountaineers applied more pressure in the third. After a hit by pitch and a two-out error, Charlie Rogan and Ty Acker tacked on two more runs on an RBI single and double. Through two and a half frames, they led 3-0.
With Brown on in relief for Vermont, the Sharks' offense scored their first run of the season in the bottom of the third, as leadoff man Brayden Martin produced an RBI groundout.
The Sharks managed another run in the fourth thanks to some aggressive baserunning. Designated hitter Max Kaufer reached first on a fielder's choice, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a throwing error induced by a stolen base from right fielder Will Hampton. Through four innings, Vermont led 3-2.
Opportunistic baserunning would flash once again for Martha’s Vineyard in the bottom of the fifth, as center fielder Jackson Miller scored on a passed ball to tie the game up 3-3.
Runs were tough to come by thereafter, as the two sides used a combined five pitchers to toss scoreless sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. However, the script flipped in the ninth. Catcher Brendan Buecker drew a one-out walk against left-hander Luca Alaghband. Buecker then stole second and advanced to third after Kyle Cincinnati's throw down to second went into center field. With the go-ahead run 90 feet away, first baseman Rogan shortened up, hitting an RBI groundout to give Vermont a 4-3 lead.
Torres and Jordan Savinon made quick work of the Sharks in the bottom of the ninth, setting them down 1-2-3 with two strikeouts, clinching the opening day victory.
After striking out three hitters in 1.1 innings, Torres was awarded the win, setting the tone for his stellar summer on the mound. Acker had the most success at the plate, recording three hits and a walk in five plate appearances.
Stay tuned for the next iteration of the 2025 NECBL year in review series, releasing Thursday, May 14.
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 New England League started play in 1994 and has sent over 240 alumni to the Major Leagues, with nearly 30 alumni taken in the first round of the MLB Draft. For continuing coverage of the NECBL, visit NECBL.com and follow the league on X/Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
