Written by Jack Stashower | Photo by Maya Brichacek

Bethesda Big Train outfielder Alex Peltier (East Carolina) won the 2025 Cal Ripken Sr. League Championship Series Most Outstanding Player after his stellar performance in a two-game sweep of the Alexandria Aces. He played an instrumental role in securing the Big Train’s third consecutive and 12th total Cal Ripken Sr. League title. 

In the two games, Peltier went 5-for-10 with six RBIs, five runs scored, and two stolen bases. 

“It’s kind of a testament to all the hard work I’ve been putting in throughout the summer, and throughout the entire spring,” Peltier said on winning the award. “So it’s a good feeling.”

Peltier got his first hit of the championship series in the bottom of the fifth in Game 1. His single up the middle helped bring in teammate Parker Corbin (Maryland) for Big Train’s first lead of the finals. 

He wasn’t done just yet. In the bottom of the sixth, Peltier blasted a towering home run over the center field wall at Shirley Povich Field, a two-run shot that further extended the Big Train’s lead over the Aces. When asked about his favorite moment of the season, Peltier said that home run might just be it.

In his final at-bat in Game 1, Peltier hit a single to right for his third RBI of the game, bringing in teammate John Martinez (Florida Atlantic) for the Big Train’s ninth run of the game. He finished game one with an impressive 3-for-5 at the plate, notching three RBIs and scoring two runs himself. 

In Game 2, Peltier got his first hit in the top of the third, singling to left and bringing home Matthew Westley for the first run of the game. After stealing second, Peltier came home on teammate Brennon Wright’s (South Alabama) single. 

Peltier got his final hit in the top of the seventh, a single that brought in Martinez for the Big Train’s 11th run in their rout of the Aces. He would later score on a single by Peyton Steele (Alabama). He finished game two 2-for-5 at the plate with three RBIs and three runs scored. 

When asked about what he’d take away from this summer, Peltier said it was the connections he’d made with his teammates and coaches.

“A lot of them play in my conference (American), so I’ll be looking forward to seeing them in the spring,” Peltier said. “It’s good to make and keep connections like these, you never know where life will take you so it’s always good to make new friendships and keep them.”