SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. -- The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) is proud to announce the recipients of four 2022 regular season awards - the Chris Ashmos 10th Player Award, Best Defensive Player, Most Improved Player, and Rookie of the Year. The winners of all four awards were voted on by the on-field managers of the league’s 14 teams. 

2022 Chris Ashmos 10th Player Award: Danny Crossen (Martha’s Vineyard Sharks, 3B, Northeastern) 

The Chris Ashmos 10th Player Award is granted to a player who made an impact for his team outside of the starting nine whether it be pitching, fielding, or batting. 

This year’s winner is Danny Crossen of the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks. Crossen was one of the top stat leaders at bat for the Sharks. Crossen posted the fifth best batting average (.294) and the second most hits (37). He was also efficient in the RBI department, tied for sixth best with 13. 

Crossen was a big help in the postseason, where he was a part of a historic performance by the Sharks who went undefeated through all three playoff rounds to win the team’s first Fay Vincent Cup in franchise history. Crossen had at least two hits, a run and a stolen base in 3 of the 4 postseason games.

His best performance came against Mystic during the wild card round, where he snagged two homers along with 3 RBI and had a batting average of .800 to help lead his team to a 6-5 victory to begin the postseason conquest. Crossen was also selected by the fans as the South team’s fan voted player for the All-Star game, where he also had a hit and RBI in the 13-2 win against the North. 

Not only was Crossen a force at bat, but he also made an impact as a fielder and runner. Crossen had the highest fielding percentage on his team at first base and at shortstop with .987 and 1.000 respectively. As a runner, he had the second most runs (27) and stolen bases (6). 

2022 Best Defensive Player: Mason LaPlante (Mystic Schooners, SS, Georgia)

The Best Defensive Player is given to a player who has displayed himself as a top tier defensive player in the league. 

The reigning Best Defensive Player, Mason LaPlante, has now claimed this title once again. He was voted Best Defensive Player last season, when he was a shortstop for the Valley Blue Sox. 

As a Schooner, he improved from his six errors and .937 fielding percentage last year to an outstanding .980 and only two errors in total. His fielding percentage ranks top-5 in the league. 

The University of Georgia senior was also efficient at the plate, as he had the second-best batting average on the Schooners. LaPlante hit .350 with 21 hits in 60 at bats, while drawing eight walks. 

2022 Most Improved Player: Grant Besser (Keene Swamp Bats, P, Southwestern)

The Most Improved Player is voted based upon a player’s growth throughout their time in the NECBL and has shown the most improvement. 

Florida Southwestern State product Grant Besser has earned this award, as he had a major improvement within the last two seasons on the mound.

In 2021, Besser played in eight games with the Swamp Bats as a relief pitcher, allowing 10 hits and seven earned runs in nine innings for an ERA of 7.00. This season, Besser played in nine games, started five, and only allowed 20 hits and 4 earned runs in 27.1 innings pitched for an ERA of 1.31. He also more than doubled his strikeout total, with 29 as opposed to his previous 11. 

The sophomore from Indiana had his best outing in a game against the Sanford Mainers when he held their offense to just one hit in 1.2 innings and struck out three to secure his first win of the season. Besser is another award recipient who was selected into the All-Star game as a relief pitcher for the North team. 

2022 Rookie of the Year: Slate Alford (Newport Gulls, 3B. Mississippi State) 

Rookie of the Year is awarded to a rising sophomore who shined the most during the NECBL season.

Heading into a sophomore season at Mississippi State, Alford registered a top-10 performance across many offensive categories to take the honor of Rookie of the Year. He placed sixth in batting average (.346), third in hits (53) and RBI (40), and fourth in home runs with nine on the year. 

Alford’s best performance came near the end of the regular season against the North Shore Navigators where he tallied two home runs and five RBI while going 2-for-4 at bat in a crucial 9-4 victory. He also tacked on two runs on the day. Alford was a 2022 All-Star as the starting designated hitter, where he was 1-for-4 along with a run to help the South team to a 13-2 win. 

Alford played a big role in helping the Newport Gulls lead the league in many offensive categories, including hits (414), home runs (48), and RBIs (266). This brought the Gulls into the playoffs as the third seed and the winner of the Coastal Division.