NEWS

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. - The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) is proud to announce the 2023 All-NECBL teams. The honors were voted on by all 13 on-field managers of NECBL franchises. Only regular season statistics and performances were taken into consideration during the selection process.

 

The list includes 47 players across three teams: the All-NECBL First Team, the All-NECBL Second Team and the All-NECBL Honorable Mention Team. Each is composed of one player at each non-outfield position (C, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B), three outfielders, one designated hitter, three starting pitchers, two relief pitchers and one closer. In the case of ties, some positions may include additional honorees.

All-NECBL First Team

The 2023 Fay Vincent Sr. Cup Champion Newport Gulls led all teams with three First Team selections. Vermont, Danbury, Upper Valley and Bristol each had two players selected. North Shore, Martha’s Vineyard, Sanford and Keene also saw representation with one player each.

DH - Scott Seeker (Martha’s Vineyard Sharks, Mount St. Mary’s)

Seeker led the league in RBIs (34), finished second in hits (45), third in batting average (.336) and third in home runs (7) along with 14 walks and 27 runs in 134 at-bats. His best performance of the season was a 3-for-5 performance with two home runs, five RBIs and two runs scored in a July 29 doubleheader against the Ocean State Waves. Seeker’s production as a hitter earned him Week 8 Player of the Week honors as well as a spot as the starting DH for the East Division All-Star team. 

C - Logan Poteet (Sanford Mainers, Vanderbilt)

Poteet was named Batting Champion and Rick Ligi Most Valuable Player for the 2023 regular season, leading the league in average (.347), leading the Mainers in RBIs (25) and finishing second in hits (35). Poteet was also strong in the field, recording 58 putouts and a .984 fielding percentage in 55 innings as catcher along with a 1.000 fielding percentage at first base. Poteet’s best game of the season came against the SwampBats on July 11 where he went 2-for-2 from the plate, hitting a home run and driving in four runs. His production earned him Player of the Week honors in Week 6 along with a selection in the 2023 All-Star Game as the starting catcher for the East Division.

1B - Gavin Noriega (Bristol Blues, Bryant)

Noriega led the Blues in runs (21), hits (44), triples (3) and home runs (3) while finishing second in the league in RBIs (33), just one shy of first. He was also solid in the field, finishing with a .993 fielding percentage, 141 putouts and 11 assists across 165.1 IP. Noriega’s consistency earned him a spot on the West Division All-Star team as the starting first baseman. He also helped the Bristol Blues clinch the No. 6 seed in the postseason on their way to a Championship Series appearance for the first time since joining the NECBL in 2020.

2B - Brandon Butterworth (Vermont Mountaineers, NC State)

Butterworth finished second on the Mountaineers in batting average (.309), good for tenth in the league. He also finished second on the team in hits (34) and second in doubles (8), helping Vermont win the Governor’s Cup for a second straight year and clinch the No. 2 seed in the playoffs with a 25-15-1 regular season record. Butterworth also earned a spot on the West Division All-Star team as the starting second baseman.

SS - Henry Kaczmar (North Shore Navigators, Ohio State) 

Kaczmar led the Navigators with a .313 batting average, good for eighth in the league. He also finished second on the team in hits (35), second in stolen bases (9) and third in walks (22), earning him Week 5 Player of the Week honors as well as the starting shortstop role on the East Division All-Star team. Kaczmar’s best game of the season was a four-hit, three run performance against the Keene SwampBats on July 5.

3B - Slate Alford (Newport Gulls, Georgia)

Alford led the Gulls in hits (34), tied for tenth in the league, and also recorded 22 RBIs and 18 runs in 125 at-bats in the regular season. His best performance of the season came on July 17 against the Valley Blue Sox when he went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBIs including a third inning grand slam en route to an 8-5 victory. Alford also hit a solo home run and two-run homer in the postseason, helping the Gulls win their league-leading seventh NECBL Championship.

OF - Adarius Myers (Upper Valley Nighthawks, Louisiana Tech)

Myers led the NECBL with 53 hits and led the Nighthawks in batting average (.340), good for second in the league. He also led the team in runs scored (26) and finished second in RBIs (16) in 156 at-bats, helping him earn a spot on the West Division All-Star team as a starting outfielder. His best performance of the season came in a 5-3 victory over the Danbury Westerners on July 5 when he went 4-for-4 with two infield singles, a run scored and a stolen base.

OF - Devin Taylor (Keene SwampBats, Indiana)

Taylor was a bright spot for the SwampBats this season, batting .314 and leading the team in hits (38), home runs (8) and RBIs (30) across 33 games and 121 at-bats. Taylor earned Rookie of the Year honors and was selected as a reserve on the 2023 West Division NECBL All-Star Team. Taylor also participated in the 2023 Home Run Derby, advancing to the Championship Round with five home runs and finishing with nine total, including a 389-foot blast. Taylor’s best game of the season came on July 22 at Upper Valley, where he helped propel the SwampBats to a 16-10 win with three hits, two runs scored, a home run and five RBIs. 

OF - TJ Williams (Vermont Mountaineers, Notre Dame)

TJ Williams led the Mountaineers with a .330 batting average, good for fourth in the league, and also recorded 34 hits, 25 runs and 19 RBIs in 102 at-bats. His best performance of the season came in a 10-2 victory over the Keene SwampBats on July 14 when he recorded three hits and three RBIs including a two-run single in the eighth inning. Williams earned a spot on the West Division All-Star team as a starting outfielder and helped Vermont clinch a playoff berth as the No. 2 seed with a 25-15-1 regular season record.

SP - Jagger Duquette (Bristol Blues, Wagner)

Duquette was named Robin Roberts Starter of the Year after posting a league-leading 1.14  ERA along with a 0.81 WHIP and striking out 29 hitters across 39.1 innings of work. He had four scoreless appearances this season, allowing less than five hits in all but one outing, with his best appearance coming July 6 at Danbury, allowing one unearned run in 5.2 innings, allowing just four hits and striking out six. Duquette led the Blues to an NECBL playoff berth as the No. 6 seed, where they reached the NECBL Championship Series after defeating Valley Blue Sox and the Sanford Mainers in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Facing elimination in game two against the Valley Blue Sox, Duquette threw a complete game shutout along with seven strikeouts to secure a 5-0 victory and force a deciding game three.

SP - Kevin Seitter (Newport Gulls, Quinnipiac)

Seitter led the Gulls with 50 strikeouts, good for third in the league, and finished the season with a dominant 5-1 record, 2.59 ERA and 0.82 WHIP across 41.2 IP. He started the season on a tear, allowing just one run across his first 24 innings including three straight six-inning shutouts, two of which he threw nine strikeouts. Seitter’s play earned him a spot on the East Division All-Star team as a relief pitcher.

SP - Braden Quinn (Danbury Westerners, UConn) 

Quinn finished the regular season with the league’s seventh-best ERA (2.45), second-most strikeouts (53) and a 1.04 WHIP across 40.1 IP. His best performance of the season was a six inning one-hit shutout along with eight strikeouts in game one of the Opening Round against the Vermont Mountaineers, helping the Westerners advance to the Final Four. Quinn also received  Week 3 Pitcher of the Week honors as well as a spot on the West Division All-Star team as a relief pitcher.

RP - Randall Alejo (Upper Valley Nighthawks, College of St. Rose)

Alejo was one of the league’s top relievers, posting a 1.98 ERA along with 39 strikeouts across 22.2 IP. His best outing of the regular season was a 12-strikeout performance against the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks on July 21, allowing just one run and two hits across five innings en route to a 4-3 victory.

RP - Ryan Andrade (Newport Gulls, Pittsburgh)

Andrade posted a 2.88 ERA along with 32 strikeouts across 25 IP in the regular season, allowing fewer than two runs in seven of those outings. Andrade continued his success with just one run surrendered across seven innings in three playoff games along with 12 strikeouts combined, helping the Gulls reach their league-leading seventh NECBL Championship. 

Closer - Anthony Steele (Danbury Westerners, Penn State)

Steele received the Joe Nathan Top Reliever Award after posting a 1.01 ERA and 0.79 WHIP along with 31 strikeouts across 17.2 innings of work, allowing just eight hits in the regular season. Steele was also solid behind the plate, recording three home runs, six RBIs and eight runs scored across 39 at-bats. Steele’s best game of the season came against North Shore on July 17, earning a scoreless eight-out save and striking out five. Steele’s production awarded him the closer spot on the 2023 West Division All-Star Team, retiring the final two batters in the ninth inning to seal a 5-1 victory. Steele also won the 2023 NECBL Home Run Derby with nine home runs in the final round and 14 total, including seven homers in the final minute of play and a 401-foot bomb.

All-NECBL Second Team

The 2023 Fay Vincent Sr. Cup Champion Newport Gulls led all teams with four Second Team selections. Mystic, Bristol and Danbury each had two players selected. Vermont, North Adams, Ocean State, Valley and Upper Valley also saw representation with one player each.

DH - AJ Guerrero (Valley Blue Sox, Washington)

Guerrero led the Blue Sox in hits (42), RBIs (23), finished second in runs (21), third in batting average (.298) and led the league in doubles (11) in 141 at-bats. His best performance of the season came on July 26 when he went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored, leading Valley to an 8-3 victory.

C - Kevin Bruggeman (Upper Valley Nighthawks, Hofstra University)

Bruggeman was a bright spot for the Nighthawks this season, playing in 24 games and batting .299, good for third on the team. He finished fourth on the team in runs scored (15), fifth in hits (23) and RBIs (14), second in doubles (7), and third in walks (12). His efforts earned him a spot as a reserve catcher for the West Division of the 2023 NECBL All-Star Game, where he went 2-for-2 with two RBIs en route to the All-Star Game MVP. His best game of the season came on June 29 against Bristol, where he logged a 2-for-4 performance, with two RBIs and three runs scored, helping the Nighthawks win 12-0. 

1B - Brodey Heaton (Ocean State Waves, Belmont University)

Heaton played 35 games this season for the Waves, batting .280. He was second on the team in doubles (6), third in hits (28) and led the Waves in home runs (5), RBI (22). Heaton was also selected as a starter for the East Division of the All-Star Game at first base, where he would go 1-for-2 in the game. His best game of the season came on July 11, helping the Waves overcome a four game losing streak in a 19-6 win over the Navigators, going 2-for-5 at the plate, hitting two homers and driving in six. 

2B - Jordan Peyton - (Bristol Blues, Towson University)

Peyton made an impact for the Blues this season, both in the field and on the mound. The Towson product played in 31 games for the Blues this season, as well as appearing in five games on the mound. At the plate Peyton hit .314 during the regular season, smacking 27 hits and eighteen runs scored, while driving in nine and drawing twenty walks. In the playoffs, Peyton hit .200 (6-30) with three RBI, six runs scored and six walks. On the mound, Peyton appeared in five games going 1-0, throwing 5.2 innings, allowing four hits, while striking out six. He was also named a West Division All-Star reserve for his efforts. 

SS - Javon Hernandez (Danbury Westerners, Auburn)

Hernandez led the Westerners in stolen bases (8), runs scored (25) and hits (35), including a walk-off solo home run as part of a two-homer performance against the Ocean State Waves in Danbury’s home opener. He also finished fifth in the league with a .324 batting average, earning him the starting shortstop role for the West Division All-Star team. Hernandez finished the season with a .963 fielding percentage, tied for seventh among all shortstops, and committed just three errors across 192 innings. His 35 putouts, tied for third among all shortstops, along with 42 assists led the Danbury Westerners to a fourth-best .971 fielding percentage and just 41 total errors. 

3B - Anthony DePino (Mystic Schooners, URI) 

DePino led the Schooners with 17 RBIs and four home runs, also posting a .228 batting average along with 21 hits, 20 runs and 19 walks in 92 at-bats. He also finished the regular season with a .953 fielding percentage, 27 putouts to lead all third basemen and 55 assists, good for second in the league. DePino’s production both offensively and defensively earned him a spot on the East Division All-Star team as the starting third baseman.

OF - Samuel Tackett (North Adams Steeplecats, Virginia Tech University)

Tackett was a monster for the SteepleCats this season, leading the team in home runs (8), RBIs (25), walks (29), doubles (10), hits (37), games (39), at-bats (132) and runs (32), while being third in average (.280). Tackett was second in the league in home runs and doubles, and led the league in runs scored. Tackett was named to the West Division All-Star Team as a starter in the outfield, joining SteepleCat teammate Kyle Hannon in the starting lineup. Tackett was also named as the SteepleCat representative for the 2023 NECBL Home Run Derby. His best game of the season came on June 30, where he went 2-for-4 from the plate, smacking two home runs and six RBIs in a 14-2 victory. 

OF - Tyler Hare (Newport Gulls, Wofford College)

The NECBL’s home run leader, Hare was on fire for the Gulls in their 2023 Championship season. Hare played in 35 games during the regular season, hitting .257 and smacking ten home runs, 37 RBIs, and scoring 27 runs. He followed that up with a great postseason, hitting .200, adding two home runs, eight RBIs and six runs scored en route to a championship. Hare had multiple four-RBI games this season, including one on July 19 against Upper Valley when he hit a grand slam en route to a 13-1 win. The other came two nights later, a July 21 8-6 win against Keene, this time with a 2-for-4 performance with two home runs. 

OF - Bobby Zmarzlak (Danbury Westerners, Maryland)

Zmarzlak finished the season with 10 home runs, tied with Newport’s Tyler Hare for first in the league. He also posted a .288 batting average, led the Westerners with 25 RBIs and finished second on the team with 30 hits in 104 at-bats. His best game of the season was a two-homer performance against the Newport Gulls on June 13 as part of his three hits and three RBIs in an 11-6 victory. Zmarzlak’s production earned him a spot on the West Division All-Star team as a reserve outfielder.

SP - Nolan Sparks (Vermont Mountaineers, Rochester)

Sparks led all Mountaineers starters with a 1.16 ERA and finished fourth in the league with 43 strikeouts across 31 IP. His best performance of the season came on July 26 against the Sanford Mainers when he allowed just one hit and one walk across five scoreless innings along with six strikeouts. Sparks had one of the most effective fastballs in the league along with a 0.87 WHIP, earning him a spot on the West Division All-Star team as the starting pitcher.

SP - Santhosh Gottam (Newport Gulls, Brown University)

Gottam made a huge impact for the Gulls this season, finishing second in the NECBL with four wins. Gottam appeared in nine games, starting four and earning a 2.37 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over 38 IP. Gottam was also named a 2023 NECBL All-Star, starting the game for the East Division. In the playoffs, Gottam was just as dominant. He started two games, pitching 8.2 innings and posting a 2.16 ERA with five strikeouts. 

SP - Jake Hunter (Newport Gulls, East Carolina)

Hunter finished seventh in the league with 40 strikeouts, tied for first with five wins and led Newport starters with a 0.93 ERA across 29 IP. Hunter finished the regular season on a year, pitching a five inning shutout along with seven strikeouts against the Mystic Schooners on July 26 followed by an 11-strikeout performance in which he allowed just one run across seven innings in a playoff series-clinching 7-1 victory over the Ocean State Waves on August 2.

RP - Peter Phillips (Bristol Blues, Southern Connecticut State University)

Phillips was a shutdown option out of the Blues’ bullpen this season, pitching in 18 games in the regular season, and in 20.2 innings of work pitched to a 0.87 ERA. Phillips only allowed one earned run during the entire length of the regular season, allowing less than two hits in every appearance. 

RP - Braden Ostrander (Newport Gulls, Florida Atlantic)

Ostrander posted a 3.00 ERA along with 18 strikeouts across 12 IP, picking up three saves along the way. He allowed two or fewer runs in all nine of his appearances, six of which were scoreless. Ostrander continued his reliability in the playoffs, tossing two scoreless innings to cap an 8-4 victory in game two of the Championship Series against the Bristol Blues, helping Newport secure its league-leading seventh NECBL Championship.

Closer - Jay Allmer (Mystic Schooners, Seton Hall)

Allmer pitched primarily in save situations, leading the league with 10 saves in the regular season. He also recorded a 0.60 ERA along with 15 strikeouts across 15 IP, allowing just two runs in 12 games. Allmer’s lone win of the season came on June 19 in a thrilling 8-7 11-inning victory over the North Shore Navigators in which he pitched three scoreless no-hit innings. He was also selected to the East Division All-Star team as a closer.

2023 NECBL Honorable Mention Team

The Sanford Mainers, Mystic Schooners and Ocean State Waves each had three Honorable Mention Team selections apiece. North Shore and Newport had two players selected while Keene, Danbury, Martha’s Vineyard and North Adams also saw representation with one player each.

DH - Matthew Schark (Newport Gulls, Southern Illinois)

Schark finished third on the Gulls with 21 RBIs along with 22 hits, 12 walks, five home runs and a .259 batting average in 85 at-bats, earning an all-star selection as a reserve first baseman for the East Division. His best performance of the season was on July 14 when he went 2-for-4 with two home runs, four RBIs and two runs scored in an 11-3 victory over the Ocean State Waves. He also added a solo home run in game one of the Opening Series against the Waves, helping Newport earn its league-leading seventh NECBL Championship.

C - Greg Bozzo (Keene SwampBats, Northeastern University)

Bozzo was a bright spot for the SwampBats this season, batting .256 with 20 hits, 12 RBIs and nine runs scored. He finished the season with four multi-hit performances including a 2-for-4 performance with a two-run double and three RBIs total in a 12-5 victory over the Vermont Mountaineers on July 7. Bozzo also finished with a .977 fielding percentage along with 117 putouts and 10 assists defensively, helping him earn an All-Star selection as a starting catcher for the West Division.

1B - Luke Boynton (Danbury Westerners, Georgia State)

Boynton finished fourth on the Westerners in hits (25), second in home runs (6), third in RBIs (18) and third in walks (14) in 95 at-bats in the regular season. His best performance of the season came on June 29 in an 8-4 victory over the Valley Blue Sox in which he recorded two hits and three RBIs including a two-run homer in the fourth inning. Boynton’s .263 batting average was good enough for a spot on the West Division All-Star team as a reserve first baseman.

2B - Luke Beckstein (Newport Gulls, Northeastern)

Beckstein led the Gulls with 23 walks and finished the regular season with 20 hits, 11 RBIs, 16 runs and a .253 batting average in 79 at-bats, earning a spot on the East Division All-Star team after winning the 2023 All-Star Fan Vote. He recorded two three-hit performances in the 2023 playoffs, going 3-for-4 with three singles and two runs scored in a series-clinching 8-4 victory against the Bristol Blues. Beckstein elevated his game in the postseason, recording three multi-hit performances and hitting his lone home run of the season in an elimination game against the Ocean State Waves.

SS - Nolan Nawrocki (Martha’s Vineyard Sharks, Clemson)

Nawrocki finished fourth on the Sharks in batting average (.310), second in hits (36), second in walks (27) and tied for first in runs scored (30) in 116 regular season at-bats. He recorded 12 multi-hit performances including two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored in a 15-4 victory over the Mystic Schooners on July 28. Nawrocki’s production offensively earned him a spot on the East Division All-Star team as a reserve shortstop. 

3B - Kyle Hannon (North Adams SteepleCats, Penn State)

Hannon led the SteepleCats in stolen bases (14), finished second in doubles (7), third in hits (32) and fourth in batting average (.278) during the regular season. His best game of the season was a three-hit performance including a three-run homer on June 28 against the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks. Hannon earned Week 4 Player of the Week honors as well as a spot on the West Division All-Star team as the starting third baseman.

OF - Calvin Hewett (Sanford Mainers, Vanderbilt)

Hewett led the league with 27 stolen bases and finished second on the Mainers in runs (23), fourth in batting average (.282) and fifth in hits (29) across 29 regular season games. His best performance of the season was when he went 4-for-6 with a two-run double, two-run triple and RBI single against the Upper Valley Nighthawks on July 14, just a home run short of the cycle.

OF - Evan Griffis (North Shore Navigators, Stetson)

Griffis led the Navigators in hits (36), doubles (9) and home runs (4), finished second on the team in batting average (.308) and RBIs (25) in 31 regular season games. His best performance came on July 11 against the Ocean State Waves when he went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBIs including a three-run homer. Griffis also earned a spot on the East Division All-Star team as the starting outfielder, getting the opportunity to play in front of his home crowd at Fraser Field.

OF - Mike Bello (Mystic Schooners, Auburn)

Bello finished second on the Schooners in walks (20), third in hits (23) and third in runs (16), helping Mystic clinch the No. 4 seed and top Wild Card spot in the 2023 NECBL Postseason. His best performance of the season came on July 11 against the Upper Valley Nighthawks when he went 3-for-5 with a two-run triple and two runs scored in a 9-0 victory. Bello’s .264 batting average helped him earn a spot on the East Division All-Star team as a reserve outfielder. 

SP - Justin Honeycutt (Sanford Mainers, UNC Asheville)

Honeycutt finished the regular season with a 1.39 ERA, good for third in the league, along with 27 strikeouts across 38.2 IP. He struck out five through seven scoreless innings in a 5-0 shutout victory over the Upper Valley Nighthawks on July 20. Honeycutt continued his dominance in the playoffs, allowing just three hits across six scoreless frames in game one of the Opening Series against the Mystic Schooners. 

SP - Cooper Smith (North Shore Navigators, Stetson)

Smith led the Navigators with a 2.13 ERA, 3-1 record and 41 strikeouts across 38 IP. He got off to a shaky start to the season after allowing seven runs within his first three starts, but he rebounded nicely by winning three straight games in July and allowing just two runs in his final 24 IP of the season. Smith struck out eight and allowed just two hits across five scoreless innings against the Ocean State Waves on June 14. 
 

SP - Seamus Barrett (Sanford Mainers, Loyola Marymount)

Barrett led the league with 58 strikeouts and posted a 3.23 ERA and 1.12 WHIP across 47.1 IP in the regular season. He pitched five outings with eight or more strikeouts including two 10-strikeout performances and eight strikeouts across six scoreless frames in a July 21 matchup with the North Adams SteepleCats. Barrett continued his momentum in the postseason, winning a 2-1 pitcher’s duel on August 1 against the Mystic Schooners after striking out eight and allowing just one run across seven innings. 

 

SP - Everett Catlett (Mystic Schooners, Georgetown)

Catlett led the Schooners with 34 strikeouts along with a 0.86 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 3-0 record across 31.1 IP, tossing a scoreless frame as a reliever for the East Division in the 2023 All-Star Game. The southpaw allowed just three runs in eight regular season outings, his best being a seven-strikeout performance across six scoreless innings against the North Adams SteepleCats on July 13.

SP - Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman (Ocean State Waves, East Carolina)

Lunsford-Shenkman led all Waves starters with a 1.65 ERA along with 34 strikeouts and a 0.86 WHIP across 32.2 IP. He got off to a hot start to the regular season, throwing 14.2 scoreless innings in his first five outings, including a six-inning shutout against the Keene SwampBats on June 28. Lunsford-Shenkman also pitched a scoreless frame as a reliever for the East Division in the 2023 All-Star Game.

RP - Brandon Smith (Mystic Schooners, Florida Atlantic) 

Smith finished the regular season with a 3-1 record, 1.71 ERA and 25 strikeouts across 21 IP. He didn’t allow a single run in seven of his nine outings including a 4-1 victory over the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks on June 20 in which he threw four strikeouts and allowed just two hits across four scoreless innings. 

RP - Alex Logusch (Ocean State Waves, Winthrop)

Logusch led the Waves with a 4-0 record along with 42 strikeouts, a 4.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 27 IP. He pitched seven scoreless frames across four outings towards the midway point of the season, earning a spot on the East Division All-Star team as a relief pitcher. Logusch threw two more scoreless frames in his only playoff appearance in game three of the Opening Series against the Newport Gulls on August 2.

Closer - Austin Wainer (Ocean State Waves, Bryant)

Wainer finished the regular season with a 1.19 ERA along with a 0.93 WHIP, 26 strikeouts and five saves, tied for second-most in the league. He surrendered just three runs across 22.2 IP in 15 games.