Frontier League Announces 2021 Awards - Slammers Brylie Ware

 SAUGET, Ill. – The Frontier League has announced its awards and post-season all-star teams for the 2021 season. This season’s awards are headlined by Schaumburg’s DH, Quincy Nieporte, who was named the Most Valuable Player. Washington starting pitcher Ryan Hennen has won the Pitcher of the Year Award as well as the Jason Simontacchi Award for Rookie of the Year. In addition, the Schaumburg Boomers have been selected the Organization of the Year with Michael Larson being recognized as the Bob Wolfe Executive of the Year.

The Morgan Burkhart Most Valuable Player Award goes to Quincy Nieporte of the Schaumburg Boomers. Nieporte is in his second season in the Frontier League. He joined the Boomers in 2019, following his time in the organization of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Bayville, New York native is batting .350 on the year with 91 hits and 16 home runs. Nieporte has also collected 63 runs batted in, 21 doubles and an OPS of 1.009. Nieporte was a two-time winner of the Frontier League Player of the Week award this season and is just the second player from Schaumburg to win the League’s MVP after David Harris won the award in 2017.

Washington pitcher Ryan Hennen has won the Brian Tollberg Award as the League’s Most Valuable Pitcher, as well as the Jason Simontacchi Rookie of the Year Award. The 23-year-old is in his first season with the Wild Things in the Frontier League after being selected second overall in the Frontier League’s Tryout Camp and Draft this past May. Hennen currently leads the league with a 2.16 ERA and has gone 11-3 in 16 starts this season. The Cold Springs, Minnesota native has just a .213 batting average against to go along with his 90 strikeouts in 104.1 innings. Hennen was also selected to the 2021 Can-Am Conference All-Star team.

Evansville Otters Manager Andy McCauley wins the Roger Hanners Award for Manager of the Year. He has led the Otters to a 55-37 record and they currently sit first in the West Division. This is McCauley’s third time winning the award for Manager of the Year after he won it in 1999 with the London Werewolves and in 2014 with the Otters. This year’s award comes in the season that he earned his 1000^th professional managerial win. His team is among the best in team ERA at 3.70.

The Fran Riordan Citizenship Award goes to Nick Ward of the Washington Wild Things. Washington Wild Things General Manager Tony Buccilli expresses “His efforts have drawn great attention of the Wild Things in other markets, as well as project a very positive image of professional baseball players. We have received numerous notes, emails and social media comments about Nick and his role as a brand/league/sport ambassador while playing in Washington and on the road.” Whether through sincere interactions with fans, or serving as a positive role model, Ward has made a positive impact on the Frontier League and the game of baseball. The Fran Riordan Award is named for the Frontier League Hall of Famer that is the currently the Manager of the Oakland A’s AAA team in Las Vegas.

The Frontier League’s Organization of the Year Award goes to the Schaumburg Boomers as voted on by other organizations throughout the League. Boomers General Manager Michael Larson stated “Everyone spent the last two years facing unprecedented and unexpected challenges. It is truly an honor to be recognized as the Frontier League Organization of the Year; and a tip of the cap to everyone in the Frontier League on navigating through the 2021 season”. The Boomers current total attendance this year has been 157,112 with an average of 3,415 per game. This is Schaumburg’s fourth Organization of the Year award since joining the League in 2012. The others came in 2013, 2016, and 2017.

Michael Larson also receives his second consecutive Bob Wolfe Executive of the Year Award. As mentioned, Schaumburg currently leads the League in attendance and continues to build their brand both on the field and in the community due in part to his leadership.

Here is a full list of the Award Winners for this season:

Most Valuable Player (Morgan Burkhart Award)—Quincy Nieporte, Schaumburg Boomers

Pitcher of the Year (Brian Tollberg Award)—Ryan Hennen, Washington Wild Things

Rookie of the Year (Jason Simontacchi Award)—Ryan Hennen, Washington Wild Things

Citizen of the Year (Fran Riordan Award)—Nick Ward, Washington Wild Things

Manager of the Year (Roger Hanners Award)—Andy McCauley, Evansville Otters

Coach of the Year (Darren Bush Award)—Alex Boshers, Washington Wild Things

Can-Am Conference All-Star Team:

1B—Brad Zunica, Tri-City ValleyCats

2B—David Glaude, Équipe Québec

3B—Juan Silverio, Tri-City ValleyCats

SS—Cito Culver, Sussex County Miners

C—Jeffry Parra, Équipe Québec

DH—Denis Phipps, Tri-City ValleyCats

OF—L.P. Pelletier, Équipe Québec

OF—Martin Figueroa, Sussex County Miners

OF—Chuck Taylor, Sussex County Miners

SP—Ryan Hennen, Washington Wild Things

RP—Trey Cochran-Gill, Tri-City ValleyCats

Midwestern Conference All-Star Team:

1B—Riley Krane, Evansville Otters

2B—J.R. Davis—Evansville Otters

3B—Brylie Ware, Joliet Slammers

SS—Luis Pintor, Florence Y’alls

C—Trevor Craport, Florence Y’alls

DH—Quincy Nieporte, Schaumburg Boomers

OF—Chad Sedio, Florence Y’alls

OF—Chase Dawson, Schaumburg Boomers

OF—Nolan Earley, Southern Illinois Miners

SP—Zac Westcott, Southern Illinois Miners

RP—Logan Sawyer, Evansville Otters

Organization of the Year—Schaumburg Boomers

Executive of the Year (Bob Wolfe Award)—Michael Larson, Schaumburg Boomers

Trainer of the Year—Rylee Shimmin, Washington Wild Things

Writer of the Year—Mark Singelais, Albany Times Union

Broadcaster of the Year (Robert Ford Award)—Kyle Dawson, Washington Wild Things

Clubbie of the Year (Sam Hartsfield Award)—Kee Stewart, Florence Y’alls

Field of the Year—Todd Vanostrand, Tri-City ValleyCats

Umpire of the Year—Mel Chettum

Photographer of the Year—Logan Douglas, Washington Wild Things

The Frontier League of Professional Baseball is an official Partner League of Major League Baseball and is the largest of its kind in professional baseball.  The Frontier League features 16 teams and has moved over 1,000 players to MLB Teams in its 29-year history.  Please visit www.frontierleague.com.