Year Established: 1993
States Represented:  Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
No. of Teams: 13
Regular Season Champion (best overall record): Ocean State Waves (31-13)
Postseason Champion:  Valley Blue Sox (31-18)
No. 1 Prospect, 2016: Tommy Doyle, rhp, Keene Swamp Bats (Virginia)
First 2016 Player Selected, 2017 Draft: Tommy Doyle, rhp, Keene Swamp Bats (Virginia; Rockies/2nd round)

Player of the Year: Tommy Jew, of, Mystic (UC Santa Barbara)
Pitcher of the Year: Blake Whitney, rhp, North Adams (USC-Upstate)

Valley’s championship run this summer marks their first time taking the title in the club’s history, sweeping regular season powerhouse Ocean State in what was a best-of-three series. After taking the lead in the game one, the Blue Sox had to wait nearly a full day to resume play as mother nature opened up and put game one into a delay.

Taking the game from Ocean State’s field and moving it to Holyoke, Massachusetts as Valley was set to host game two, the Blue Sox fans were in for a treat as the hometown nine did their job to claim the championship on their home turf. Local native Michael Wroth and fan favorite Niko Hulsizer helped catapult the offense while Andrew Schultz and Dazon Cole both pumped mid-90s fastballs in relief, doing their part to close the books on Valley’s first ever claim on the Fay Vincent SR Cup with a 6-3 victory.

The talent continues to shine through the NECBL whether it’s toolsed up outfielders in league MVP Tommy Jew, Newport’s Kameron Misner, the aforementioned Hulsizer and slick-fielding shortstop Jimmy Titus of Ocean State. Dominant arms such as North Adam’s Blake Whitney (league’s Most Valuable Pitcher) and Valley’s bullpen combo of Tyler Smith and Dazon Cole – who helped shorten games in a hurry – also point to the league's talent depth. 

The underclass talent was one again noteworthy as well, with several players not only putting up big numbers but having an everyday impact in their lineup while other draft-eligible players from mid-majors schools were able to solidify themselves on scout’s radar throughout the summer.