Hacopian, Diaz Selected as NECBL Player and Pitcher of the Week
The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) announces the Week 5 Player & Pitcher of the Week honors including honorable mentions for the week concluding on Sunday, July 7th.
Martha’s Vineyard Sharks shortstop Chris Hacopian (Maryland) and North Adams SteepleCats righty Christopher Diaz (Miami) have been named the NECBL’s Player and Pitcher of the Week for week 5 of the 2024 regular season.
In the Sharks’ recent resurgence, Hacopian has been at the center of the offense. The shortstop went 10-for-19 this past week, hitting three home runs and driving in 10 runs. Beyond week 5, Hacopian has been right in the middle of the Sharks’ seven-game winning streak, pushing themselves back into the conversation.
In 2024 for the Maryland Terrapins, Hacopian was named to the Second-Team All-Big Ten as well as Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Hacopian started and played in 55 games for the Terps, hitting a strong .325 with 10 doubles and a triple, going along with 15 home runs and 42 RBI in a great rookie campaign for Maryland.
As for Diaz, the righty struck out 11 batters in six shutout innings on July 7 to lead the SteepleCats to victory over the Valley Blue Sox, 1–0. Diaz posts a 3.97 ERA for North Adams this season in 11.1 innings pitched, striking out 19 batters and allowing just 14 hits.
Diaz appeared in 12 games for the Miami Hurricanes in 2024, pitching 18.1 innings and striking out 20 in his first season in Miami. In high school, Diaz helped lead Miami Christian to the state championship in 2022, going 7–5 with a 2.63 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 69.1 innings in his career.
Week 5 Honor Roll - Position Players
Matthew Brinker (Mystic, C/1B, Northeastern)
Kobe Mentzer (Danbury, OF, George Washington)
Cole Fellows (Upper Valley, OF/1B, Columbia)
Matthew Bucciero (Danbury, OF/1B, Fairfield)
Tryston McCladdie (Vineyard, SS/2B, Clemson)
Jay Bant (Valley, 1B/IF, Monmouth)
Jake Koonin (Keene, 2B/SS, Princeton)
Week 5 Honor Roll - Pitchers
Joseph Carrea (Keene, RHP, UConn)
Brad Pruett (Newport, RHP, ECU)
Thomas Ellisen (Sanford, RHP, UConn)
Tanner Duke (North Adams, RHP, Baylor)
Ban Alekson (Vermont, RHP, Fairfield)
Nick Falter (Vermont, RHP, Denison)
Aidan Coleman (Newport, RHP, Pittsburgh)
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.
