WEYMOUTH, Mass. (August 3, 2021) -- As the final weeks of the season draw near, the Futures Collegiate Baseball League of New England (FCBL) has recognized its 78 Sports Player of the Month and ChangeUp Pitcher of the Month for July.
A rising freshman at the University of Virginia, Vermont Lake Monsters slugger Ethan Anderson earned the 78 Sports Player of the Month honor after hitting .429 with five home runs and 27 RBI over 21 July games, helping the first-year FCBL team post a historic 23-2 month that included a record 14-game win streak at the outset. Anderson belted all five of his homers in a 16-game stretch, while his 11-game hit streak to end the month included eight hits over the last three contests against New Britain. The Virginia Beach native went 4-for-5 with three doubles and three RBI in the NESN-televised win over the Bees on Saturday, July 31.
The ChangeUp Pitcher of the Month comes from the Division 3 Little East Conference for the second straight month as Worcester Bravehearts and University of Southern Maine righty Bryce Afthim takes the July crown. Hailing from Windham, Maine, Afthim allowed just two earned runs and struck out 22 batters over his 19.1 innings of work, equaling a miniscule 0.93 ERA. Afthim enjoyed his best start of the summer in a July 25 shutout against Brockton, fanning seven across six innings of three-hit ball.
Headlined by Anderson and Afthim, the On Demand Storage/NPI Sports Team of the Month for July will be announced later this week.
Founded in 2011, the Futures League is a wood-bat league featuring top collegiate baseball players from New England and throughout the country. More than two million fans have attended FCBL games since the league was established. On the field, over 200 alumni have been drafted by or signed with Major League Baseball organizations and six have advanced all the way to “The Show” including three during the first month of the 2021 season.
For the latest news and information on the FCBL all year long, visit thefuturesleague.com and follow the league’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
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