NECBL Announces 2025 Best Pitcher, Top Reliever, and Batting Champion

North Adams, MA – The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) is excited to announce the Robin Robers Best Starting Pitcher, Joe Nathan Top Reliever, and the Batting Champion awards for the 2025 regular season.

Robin Roberts Best Starting Pitcher – Finbar O’Brien (Newport, Gonzaga)

Only three pitchers received votes for this year's award, and the vast majority of them went to the Newport ace. O’Brien finished the season with a dominant 1.06 ERA across six starts and eight total appearances, while striking out 45 batters over 34 total innings. His best performance came on June 17th against the North Shore Navigators, as the right-hander tossed a five-inning, no-hit, and no-walk performance, striking out 11. He was named the NECBL Week 3 Pitcher of the Week as a result.

His dominance earned praise from Newport’s General Manager, Chuck Paiva.

“Finbar was the best starting pitcher in the NECBL from the first day until the last game he pitched in the playoffs,” said Paiva. "His stuff was exceptional, 92-97 FB, punch out slider, and a very good change. He could throw all his pitches for strikes, and he pounded the strike zone with his great control. He was special to watch, and I am excited for his future in baseball. He is the real deal.”

Additionally, O’Brien was selected as the starting pitcher for the South Division in the 2025 All-Star Game. His excellence continued throughout the season, helping the Gulls clinch the No. 1 seed in the South Division.

Joe Nathan Top Relief Pitcher - Andrew Wertz (Valley, Salve Regina)

Wertz was dominant this season for the Blue Sox, as he appeared in 17 games this season for Valley, allowing a mere one earned run. Across 22 innings pitched, Wertz allowed just nine hits and four walks, setting his season ERA at 0.41. He also struck out 33 batters and recorded six saves, showcasing his reliability out of the bullpen for Valley.

Batting Champion - Ty Mainolfi (Keene, Boston College)

Mainolfi’s hot hitting was an integral part of Keene’s first-place finish this season. The lefty batted .383 with 44 total hits and just 12 strikeouts across 115 at-bats, knocking in 28 RBIs. Over an 18-game stretch, Mainolfi recorded hits in 17 of them, including a 5-for-5 performance against the Vermont Mountaineers on July 9th. While not the biggest power bat, with just one homer on the year, Mainolfi’s timely and consistent hitting helped the SwampBats to a 38-12 record.

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 New England League started play in 1994 and has sent over 230 alumni to the Major Leagues with nearly 30 alumni taken in the first round of the MLB Draft. For continuing coverage of the NECBL, visit NECBL.com and follow the league on X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.