NEWS

The New England Collegiate Baseball League will begin its 30th season Tuesday, June 4. The league’s Coastal Division will consist of the Newport Gulls (R.I.), Martha’s Vineyard Sharks (Mass.), Mystic Schooners (CT), North Shore Navigators (Mass.) and the Ocean State Waves (R.I.). 

 

Opening Night will feature a Coastal Division showdown between the last two league champions, as the 2022 champions Martha’s Vineyard Sharks face the reigning 2023 titleholders, the Newport Gulls.

 

Newport Gulls

 

With a 31-11 record, the NECBL’s defending champion, the Gulls, dominated the league last season and clinched the Coastal Division title. With legendary Head Coach Mike Coombs, recently inducted in Newport’s Hall of Fame, and Hitting Coach Ted Ragan both returning, the team also welcomes back four players: standout pitcher Adam Maher of Massachusetts Dartmouth, pitcher Kade Shatwell of Oklahoma City University, and outfielder Niko Brini of UConn. After tallying 10 home runs last summer, outfielder Tyler Hare of Wofford College will also be back with the Gulls in the NECBL this season. 

 

After facing the Sharks away on Tuesday, the Newport Gulls will play their first home game at Cardines Field on Wednesday, June 5th at 6:35 PM. 

 

The Gulls’ home games will be exclusively streamed on ESPN+ this season! 

 

Martha’s Vineyard Sharks

 

The Marthas Vineyard Sharks, who tied with the North Shore Navigators for fourth place in the division last season with 18 wins and 24 losses, are gearing up for a new season. 

 

The Sharks are excited to welcome back four returners, including the two infielders from Georgia Tech, Demitri Diamant and Carsten Sabathia, as well as their 2023 batting leader Scott Seeker of Mt. St. Mary’s, who had a batting average of .336 with 7 home runs and 34 RBI last season. Returning for his third season in Massachusetts with the Sharks, standout pitcher Jack Beauchesne of Northeastern will be coming back in search of another title. 

 

In his first season with the Sharks, Head Coach Sean Stevens, will lead them into their first game at the Shark Tankon Tuesday, June 4th, at 6:35 PM against the Newport Gulls, the defending Coastal Division champions. 

 

Mystic Schooners

 

After two years at Dodd Stadium, the Mystic Schooners are moving back to their home field at Fitch High School in Groton, CT. The Schooners are prepared to compete for the title, following their second-place finish to the Gulls, tallying 26 wins and 18 losses. 

This season’s roster is excited to welcome back pitcher Matthew Fletcher of Lasell University, pitcher Connor Podeszwa of Tufts, catcher Matthew Brinker of Northeastern, and infielder Anthony Depino of Rhode Island (U of). 

Returning to their roots with a home opener on opening day, the Schooners  will play the North Divisions’s Upper Valley Nighthawks on Tuesday, June 4th at 6:30pm.

Ocean State Waves

Finishing third last season with a 20-23 record, right behind the Mystic Schooners, the Ocean State Waves are looking to compete and replicate their success in recent years after reaching the final in both 2017 and 2018. With six returning players, including standout pitcher Jeremy Urena of Rhode Island, pitcher Brooks Ey of Indiana, pitcher Dawson Logie of Merrimack, catcher Rob Butler of Rhode Island, infielder Greg Pettay of Polk State, and pitcher Jacob Cook of Southern Mississippi, the Waves are led by new Head Coach Matt Rienzie, the Assistant Coach at Roger Williams University. Their first game is on Wednesday, June 5th, away against the West Division's Danbury Westerners at Rogers Work.

North Shore Navigators

As the host of last year's All Star Game and the first nationally televised broadcast in NECBL history, the Navigators are excited for the season, welcoming a mix of experienced returners and new talent.

Among the returning players are pitchers Jack Iannibelli and Pierce Friedman of Stonehill College, Ryan Bradley of Bryant University, Brett Dunham of Northeastern, and Will Jones of Northeastern, who was one of the team’s leading pitchers last summer. The Navigators are also stoked to welcome back catcher Matthew Chatelle of Merrimack College who had 19 RBI last summer, right behind Brendan Jones of Holy Cross, who led the team with 25 and will be returning to the NECBL this summer. 

Managed by Bob Macaluso, with Dan Hirsch as the assistant coach, the Navigators will kick off their season with a home opener at Fraser Field against the West Division's Valley Blue Sox on Tuesday, June 4th, at 11:05 am.

You can check out who is coming to play for your favorite team by heading to their team page at www.necbl.com. Make sure to follow these players as they compete for their colleges and tune up for their summer in the NECBL!

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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 New England League started play in 1994 and has sent over 230 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 Twitter, Instagram and on Facebook.