WSL Announces End of Year Awards

The Wisconsin State Baseball League announced today the recipients of the WSL Most Valuable Player, WSL Most Valuable Pitcher, WSL Rookie of the Year and WSL Manager of the Year awards for the 2017 season. Winners are determined by a vote of League general managers.

WSL Most Valuable Player: John Carmody, Lombard Orioles

WSL Most Valuable Pitcher: Jason Bunton, Kenosha Kings

WSL Rookie of the Year: John Carmody, Lombard Orioles

WSL Manager of the Year: Jeff Vukovich, Lombard Orioles

Carmody (North Central College) is the first player to be named both WSL Most Valuable Player and WSL Rookie of the Year since Dylan Detert in 2015. He joins Balke Alexander, Nate Roberts, Bob Diliberto, Rob Bruce, Jeff Allen and Jim Kating as recipients of the WSL MVP Award from the Lombard Orioles. Carmody hit .421 this summer, with eight home runs and 34 RBI in 25 games played.

Bunton (Marian University alum), is the first Kenosha Kings pitcher to be named WSL Most Valuable Pitcher since Randy Johnson in 2012. He finished the season with 48 strikeouts in 45.2 innings pitched and walked only 19. He finished 6-0 in league play in eight games with a 2.76 ERA.

Vukovich takes home his 15th WSL Manager of the Year honor, including his third straight. Vukovich guided the League champion Orioles to their 21st overall WSL Championship. The Orioles have earned at least a share of the championship every season since 2004. In 2006, they finished in a three-way tie with the Kenosha Kings and Eau Claire Cavaliers. Lombard finished 7.5 games ahead of the second place Sheboygan A’s in the standings, ending the season with a 25-4 record, with one game not being made up due to it not factoring in the final standings.

The Wisconsin State Baseball League also announced the 2017 All-WSL Teams as determined by a vote of the League general managers.

Those selected to the All-WSL First Team include first baseman John Carmody (Lombard Orioles), second baseman Brian Huntzinger (West Allis Nationals), third baseman Harry Steldt (Sheboygan A’s), shortstop Joe Baier (De Pere Dodgers), catcher Mike Aiello (Kenosha Kings),  outfielders Josh Moses (Sheboygan A’s), Jeremy Quade (Lombard Orioles) and Luke Luchetti (Addison Braves), utility player Chase Scharnek (West Allis Nationals), left-handed pitcher Jason Bunton (Kenosha Kings) and right-handed pitcher Taylor Schwarz (Sheboygan A’s).

All-WSL Second Team honorees are first baseman Sam Kohnle (De Pere Dodgers), second baseman Kevin Cronin (Addison Braves), third baseman Mike Mateja (Lombard Orioles), shortstop Jake Falish (Kenosha Kings), catcher Ryan Kocher (Addison Braves), outfielders Zach Abfall (De Pere Dodgers), Paul Pulera (Kenosha Kings) and Connor Pauly (Lombard Orioles), utility player Luke Gajewski (Oshkosh Giants), left-handed pitcher David Keaton (Kenosha Kings) and right-handed pitcher Miggy Villafane (Lombard Orioles).