Highlighting homegrown NECBL players

NECBL teams fill their rosters with players all across the country, but often a pivotal piece of success is homegrown talent. Teams often take a player who grew up in their towns or states and it not only raises the communities interest but they also often have successful seasons. I've decided to highlight a five of these local players.

Vermont Mountaineers
RHP Billy Whaley, Norwich University, Northfield, VT.

2015 NECBL Stats: 0-1, 3.48 ERA, 10.1 IP, 9 K
2015 College Stats: 2-4, 4.06 ERA, 37.2 IP, 42 K

Whaley attended Northfield High School and had a tremendously successful baseball career in a town just 25 minutes away from the Mountaineers field. The 2011 Times Argus Baseball Player of the Year, Whaley hit .516 with 30 RBIs while going 8-0 with 53 strikeouts in 42 innings as a junior. He excelled as a senior as well, then won a second consecutive player of the year award after winning the D-II state championship. He stayed close to home, attending Norwich University and has posted a 3.81 ERA over three seasons there. Whaley has already made three appearances out of the bullpen for Vermont and made a spot start as well.

Keene Swamp Bats
2B/SS Lucas Luopa, Eckerd College, Keene, NH.

2015 NECBL Stats: 20 G, .189 BA, 5 SB
2015 College Stats: 43 G, .357 BA, 21 SB

A graduate of Keene High School, where Swamp Bats manager Dan Moylan is currently the head coach, Luopa has enjoyed two strong seasons in Eckerd. Moylan's first season at KHS was Luopa's senior season and the talented infielder was psyched to return to Alumni Field. “It’s like a dream come true for me,” he told the Sentinel Source's Michelle Berthiaume. “I’ve grown up watching the Swamp Bats play so it’s definitely exciting. I get to play in front of friends and family again.” Luopa hit .357 as a sophomore for Eckerd this spring, but has slowed down in his return to Keene and is hitting under the Mendoza line.

North Adams SteepleCats
RHP Tanner Bird, Franklin Pierce, Adams, MA.

2015 NECBL Stats: 0-1, 3.72 ERA, 9.2 IP, 9 K
2015 College Stats: 2-0, 2.45 ERA, 11 IP, 11 K

Bird lives in the comfort of his own home, as the right-hander lives right near Joe Wolfe Field, the home of the SteepleCats. A graduate of Hoosac Valley High School, Bird has overcome tough times to pitch for North Adams. He was diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin's lymphoma but beat it and has persevered to return to the mound. It's his second year in the NECBL, as he made ten appearances for the SteepleCats last summer. He's thrown almost ten innings this summer, striking out nine in relief.

Plymouth Pilgrims
RHP Brian Christian, Northeastern, Plymouth, MA.

2015 NECBL Stats: 1-2, 5.55 ERA, 11.1 IP, 16 K
2015 College Stats: 0-4, 10.25 ERA, 26.1 IP, 19 K

Christian posted a 0.46 ERA and went 8-1 for Plymouth North High School as a senior, struggled as a freshman at Northeastern but has returned to play for the Pilgrims in his hometown. He put up video game numbers in his last high school year, throwing four consecutive one-hitters and striking out 46 in his final four starts. Christian is 1-2 with a 5.55 ERA so far this summer but he has 16 strikeouts in just 11 innings of work.

Mystic Schooners
SS Aaron Hill, UConn, Groton, CT.

2015 NECBL Stats: 18 G, .308 BA, 9 SB, 5 2B
2015 College Stats: 38 G, .229 BA, 24 R, 4 SB

A 2014 NECBL All-Star, Hill returned to Mystic and has continued to excel. The Schooners play their home games at Fitch High School, the same field Hill enjoyed a stellar high school career. A four-year starter for the Falcons, Hill hit .480 as a senior and was the Bulletin's Baseball Player of the Year. He was a member of the All-NECBL Second Team last year and he finished second on the team with an .874 OPS, 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.


There are other players of note throughout the league, as every team has players from their home state (not necessarily the same town). If their are multiple players, I put the player closest to the field.

Laconia Muskrats- LHP Tim Viehoff, SNHU, Derry, NH.
Sanford Mainers- RHP Ben Greenberg, Fordham, Scarborough, ME.
                             RHP Ben Wessel, Rhode Island, Scarborough, ME.
Valley Blue Sox- INF Christopher Starcun, America International, Easthampton, MA.
Danbury Westerners- RHP Austin Bonadio, Mt St Mary's, Newtown, CT.
New Bedford Bay Sox- RHP Dan Southerland, Wheaton, Dartmouth, MA.
Newport Gulls- INF Reed Gamache, Binghamton, Exeter, RI.
Ocean State Waves- RHP Matt Murphy, Assumption, Wakefield, RI.