By Matt Ferreira
WEYMOUTH, Mass. (August 3, 2022) – As the 2022 season comes to an end, the Futures League has announced the 2022 finalists for Most Valuable Player and Pitcher of the Year, the league's two major postseason awards.
All statistics as of end of the day on August 2nd.
MVP FINALISTS
Jimmy Evans - Vermont Lake Monsters - Tufts University
A big bat in the middle of a potent Vermont offense, Evans batted .317 with 11 doubles. Evans was an on-base machine for this year’s regular season champions with a .438 on-base percentage, racking up 20 walks to go along with his 46 hits. He is top of the league in runs batted in, driving in 45 runs throughout the season.
Jackson Hornung - Westfield Starfires - Skidmore College
The May/June Player of the Month has stayed consistent in July and earned a spot on both Zorian Bats Team of the Month lists. Hornung has stayed in the competition for the triple crown with an average of .361 with nine home runs and 42 runs batted in.
Joel Lara - New Britain Bees - Franklin Pierce University
An All-Star Game captain and the Futures League's all-time single-season and career stolen base leader, Lara has put together a tremendous campaign for the playoff-bound New Britain Bees. Lara is leading the league with 49 stolen bases, doubling second place (24). Along with his base running abilities, Lara has hit .282 and shown some pop in his bat with two home runs and 11 doubles.
Gavin Noriega - Worcester Bravehearts - Marist College
The Bronx, New York product finished the season scorching at the plate. Batting .372 and leading the league in doubles (19) and hits (68), while showing an excellent eye at the plate, walking more than he struck out (28 BB, 23Ks). Noriega showed off all five of his tools, swiping 16 bags for the Bravehearts and with his lockdown defense, not committing an error all season at first base.
Kyle Wolff - Nashua Silver Knights - Boston College
The lone freshman of the MVP finalists has been one of the most consistent bats in the league this season. Wolff has powered the Silver Knights offense by hitting .322 with 28 runs batted in while pumping out six home runs while only striking out 25 times in 149 at bats.
PITCHER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Sean Matson - Vermont Lake Monsters - Harvard University
The 2022 All-Star Game Most Outstanding Pitcher has been dominant all season long. Matson has been both the May/June and July Pitcher of the month and deservedly so, posting a 1.61 earned run average in 44 ⅔ innings pitched. Matson is also in the race for the pitching triple crown, leading the league in earned run average and strikeouts (68) while also recording five wins in his nine starts.
Izaiya Mestre - Pittsfield Suns - University of New Haven
The All-Star Game starter for Team Lara has been an iron man for Pittsfield all season, leading the league in innings pitched with 53.2 in nine starts. In those games he has a 2.68 ERA and 53 strikeouts while only allowing 40 hits all season.
Tim Noone - Vermont Lake Monsters - Babson College
The second Lake Monster on this list, Noone has completed an excellent one-two punch for Vermont at the top of their rotation. Noone has thrown 53.1 innings pitched in 10 starts while only walking nine batters. Noone had 61 strikeouts to end the season, the second most in the league.
Kyle Rizy- Worcester Bravehearts - Bryant University
The only pitching finalist that has started and relieved games this season, Kyle Rizy can do it all. The Fiskdale, Massachusetts native has thrown 43.2 innings for the Bravehearts with a 2.88 earned run average and has accumulated 48 strikeouts. In his three relief appearances, Rizy pitched five innings, struck out four, allowed two hits, and did not allow a run.
Jonah Wachter - Nashua Silver Knights - Tulane University
Since day one, Jonah Wachter has been Nashua’s ace. The Concord, New Hampshire native pitched 45 innings while racking up 46 strikeouts. Wachter had a .89 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) with a 2.20 earned run average to solidify himself as a top pitcher in the Futures League this season.
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