The Liberty League has announced its 2024 Baseball Major Awards and All-League teams following a vote by the conference's 11 head coaches prior to the conference tournament.
Player of the Year: Caleb Miller, Sophomore, Catcher, Union College
For the first time since 2018, a Union College baseball player was recognized as the Liberty League Player of the Year with sophomore Caleb Miller earning the nod following the 2024 campaign. Miller had a strong season at the plate for the Garnet Chargers hitting .374 through 40 games, good for third on the team, to go along with 44 runs, 58 hits, and 44 runs batted in. Among league leaders, he finished the year tied for second in home runs (7), as well as triples (4) and was fourth in doubles (12). He was also among the top-five in runs batted in (3rd), runs scored (3rd), hits (4th), slugging percentage (4th, .639) while ranking seventh in batting average. This season Miller had a 24-game hitting streak spanning from March 25th through May 1st and recorded at least one hit in 15 of 16 conference games. In league play, he sported a .389 batting average, scored a run in 13-of-16 games, and drove in a run in 9-of-16.
Pitcher of the Year: Nolan Sparks, Senior, University of Rochester
For the second consecutive year, Rochester’s Nolan Spark has been named the Liberty League Pitcher of the Year. The Yellowjackets’ ace finished the 2024 season with a 4-2 record across 10 appearances, all starts. In 60.0 innings, he compiled a 2.25 earned run average, allowed 45 hits, and 33 runs (only 15 earned). He paced the league in strikeouts with 80 while ranking second in conference ERA, opposing batting average (.201), and earned runs allowed. In six starts in league games, he went 3-0 with a 2.15 earned run average while holding batters to a .214 batting average. Sparks closed out his senior season in the Liberty League tournament, where he tossed a complete nine-inning game, a 3-1 victory for the Yellowjackets. He allowed six hits and one run while striking out 13 batters. With his first strikeout of the game, the two-time Pitcher of the Week, became Rochester’s all-time strikeout career leader (236).
Rookie of the Year: Jack Collins, Pitcher, Union College
Union College first-year Jack Collins was selected as the Liberty League Rookie of the Year. It’s the first time since 2018, a Union first year garnered the accolade. Collins was a stalwart presence on the mound for the Garnet Chargers, finishing the year with a 6-1 record in nine starts. The rookie pitched 56.2 innings with a 4.45 earned run average and 31 strikeouts while holding opposing batters to a .256 batting average. He tied for second in the conference in wins while ranking seventh in innings pitched.
Coaching Staff of the Year: Union College – John Muller, Head Coach; Assistant Coaches Sal Pezzolla and Nick Butler
Union College head coach John Muller and his staff earned Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year honors. In the first year with Muller at the helm, the Garnet Chargers improved their win total by 14 games from 2023 to 2024 to finish the year at 29-12 (12-5 Liberty League). Union returned to the league’s tournament for the first time since 2021 as the third seed. As a team, the Garnet Chargers were tops in the conference in hitting with a league-best .342 batting average. They also led the way in slugging percentage (.523), on-base percentage (.452), doubles (91), home runs (45), runs (421), hits (499), and runs batted in (379). The pitching staff finished with a 4.88 earned run average, good for fourth in the conference.