By: John Wood

It’s been a long ten months since the last New England Collegiate Baseball League action took place. But with summer now just around the corner, the return of collegiate summer baseball to New England is now upon us the NECBL in its historic 25th season this year is ready to kick things off in full swing. Here’s a preview of the season to come:

Northern Division

After defeating the Ocean State Waves for the second year in a row for the NECBL Championship last season, the Valley Blue Sox will look to be the first team since the 1997-1999 Middletown Giants to three-peat as league champions. With key returners in outfielder Andre Marrero, pitcher Riley Sorenson, and infielder Richard Constantine, the Blue Sox will look create NECBL history at the end of the 2019 season.

The other six teams in the Northern Division would like to have a say in that matter. After being swept in the Northern Division championship last season, the Sanford Mainers have brought five Southeastern Conference (SEC) players on to their roster this summer, hoping for another deep postseason run.

Under a new revitalized logo for 2019, the Keene SwampBats look to have a strong campaign after an early exit in last seasons playoffs. Their roster features four Virginia Cavaliers along with Georgia Southern Eagles ready to bring their talents to New England.

Finishing just out of playoff contention, the Upper Valley Nighthawks come back in 2019 with a strong pitching staff enforced by arms from Notre Dame, Wichita State, and Troy University.

The North Adams SteepleCats have bolstered their offense and pitching staff for 2019 with strong returners in pitcher Joe Kemlage and infielder Joey Porricelli along with bringing in three pitchers from West Virginia fresh out of the College World Series. Also missing postseason action last season, both the Winnipesaukee Muskrats and Vermont Mountaineers come in to the 2019 season looking to fight their way back into playoff contention.

Southern Division

Since their arrival in the NECBL in 2013, the Ocean State Waves have been one of the league’s most successful franchises, capturing the Southern Division titles the last two seasons. Looking to finally win it all in 2019, the Waves bring in four players from Kent St. along with two Indiana Hoosiers to beef up their roster.

For the first time since 2016, there is a new face coming to the NECBL this season. The Martha’s Vineyard Sharks will make their debut in the NECBL in 2019. Having won two league titles in the FCBL, one coming just last year, the Sharks will quickly look to make a name for themselves in the highly competitive NECBL Southern Division.

The last team to win an NECBL title not named Valley, the Mystic Schooners feature a lineup that includes big bats from UMass, Alabama and Seton Hall. The Schooners have their sights set on making another postseason appearance after falling in the semifinals last summer. 

The Newport Gulls, who found themselves in the unfamiliar territory of missing the playoffs for a second consecutive summer despite a wild finish that saw them nearly qualify, will look to rebound and bring big offensive power from outfielder Hulane Haskin and returning infielder Joey Bellini.

Both the Danbury Westerners and the New Bedford Bay Sox also missed out on the postseason, each capturing 18 wins throughout 2018. The Bay Sox hope to find success with a Boston-taught bullpen, featuring players from Harvard, Boston College, and Northeastern, while the Westerners brings in numerous outfielders from southern colleges such as South Florida and Eastern Kentucky to strengthen their offense.

NECBL in the College World Series

Just as NECBL teams look to begin their season, numerous college teams are still taking the field as part of the NCAA Division I College World Series. This summer, 18 teams in the NCAA tournament will be represented in the NECBL, with at least one player from a College World Series team on every team’s roster. North Adams leads the league with eight players from a NCAA tournament squad while Keene and Newport follow right behind with seven each.

All Star Game

The annual NECBL All Star Game will make its stop in Montpelier, Vermont, this year as it will be hosted by the Vermont Mountaineers on Sunday, July 28, 2019 at Montpelier Recreation Field. The third time the Mountaineers have hosted the NECBL All-Star Game (2004 & 2012),  players from every NECBL franchises will showcase their skills in front of scouts from every Major League Baseball organization in an exciting afternoon and evening. Tickets will be available for a flat general admission price of $6 and can be purchased in advance at 2019 ASG Tickets or at the gate day of.

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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 NECBL started play in 1994 and is enjoying its 25th-year anniversary season this summer. The New England League has sent over 150 alumni to the Major Leagues and has had nearly 100 alumni drafted in each of the last 10 Major League Baseball Drafts. For continuing coverage of the NECBL, visit NECBL.com and follow the league on Twitter, Instagram and on Facebook.