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All-USPBL Team, Player Award Candidates Announced

September 5th, 2018

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ROCHESTER, Mich. – The United Shore Professional Baseball League announced the All-USPBL team and candidates for player awards on Wednesday. The player awards will be released before Friday night’s first playoff game between the No. 3 seed Utica Unicorns and No. 4 seed Westside Woolly Mammoths in a pregame recognition at Jimmy John’s Field.

The 2018 All-USPBL Team was voted on by the league coaches and baseball operations personnel. Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers Thomas Roulis won the batting title for the second straight year (.311), while Dan Ward, the 2018 Rawlings Home Run Derby Champion, won the home run title with 12 for the Utica Unicorns.

2018 All-USPBL Team

Jack Hranec, 1B (Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers)
Sebastian Diaz, 2B (Eastside Diamond Hoppers)
Thomas Roulis, SS (Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers)
Dan Ward, 3B (Utica Unicorns)
Ethan Wiskur, OF (Westside Woolly Mammoths)
Drew Kitson, OF (Westside Woolly Mammoths)
Kody Ruedisili, OF (Eastside Diamond Hoppers)
Jackson Smith, C (Westside Woolly Mammoths)
Josh Mason, Starting Pitcher (Westside Woolly Mammoths)
Cody Brown, Starting Pitcher (Formerly of Utica Unicorns / Seattle Mariners)
Michael Scimanico, Relief Pitcher (Utica Unicorns)
Brian Heldman, Relief Pitcher (Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers)
Jimmy Latona, UT (Utica Unicorns)
Tyler Pagano, UT (Westside Woolly Mammoths)

Most Valuable Player

Thomas Roulis, SS, Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers

  • Won the batting title for the second straight year (.313)
  • Led the league in strikeout percentage at 12% (20 in 165 at bats)
  • Finished fourth in the league with 29 runs scored

Dan Ward, 3B, Utica Unicorns

  • Led the league with 12 home runs
  • Finished third in the league with .293 batting average
  • Ranked fourth with 32 runs batted in

Ethan Wiskur, OF, Westside Woolly Mammoths

  • Led the league with 34 runs batted in
  • Finished second with a .304 batting average
  • Ranked second in the USPBL with 10 home runs

Pitcher of the Year

Cody Brown, RHP, Formerly of Utica Unicorns / Signed with Seattle Mariners

  • Signed a contract with the Seattle Mariners in mid-July
  • Led all starting pitchers with a 2.25 ERA
  • Struck out 65 batters in 56.0 innings pitched

Brian Heldman, RHP, Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers

  • Posted the league’s second-best ERA at 2.15
  • Earned four saves, No. 3 in the USPBL
  • Fanned 37 in 37.2 innings pitched

Josh Mason, RHP, Westside Woolly Mammoths

  • Led the league with eight wins, finishing 8-2
  • Finished first in the league with 78 strikeouts and 94 innings pitched
  • Ranked second among starters with a 2.87 earned run average

Michael Scimanico, LHP, Utica Unicorns

  • Led the league in strikeout per nine innings ratio at 18.4
  • Posted a league-best seven saves
  • Led all pitchers with a 2.07 ERA

Defensive Player of the Year

Drew Kitson, OF, Westside Woolly Mammoths

  • Had a league-best five outfield assists
  • Tallied just one error in the outfield

Thomas Roulis, SS, Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers

  • Tallied a league-best .973 fielding percentage on the infield
  • In 348.2 innings played, committed just four errors and had 86 assists

Kody Ruedisili, OF, Eastside Diamond Hoppers

  • Recorded a league-best 96 putouts in the outfield
  • Tallied two outfield assists and committed just two errors

Kevin Whatley, SS, Eastside Diamond Hoppers

  • Led the USPBL with an astounding 130 assists
  • Started in all 48 games at shortstop

Most Improved Player

Brian Heldman, RHP, Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers

  • Improved his ERA from 9.00 last season to 2.15 this year
  • Finished second in the league in ERA

Kyle Olliges, RHP, Utica Unicorns

  • Tied the league lead with eight wins on the mound, finishing 8-5
  • Moved to the bullpen midway through the season and became one of the better mid-relief pitchers in the USPBL

Michael Scimanico, LHP, Utica Unicorns

  • Struck out 71 in just 34.2 innings pitched
  • Posted a league-best seven saves

Sportsmanship Award

Cameron Coons, 1B, Eastside Diamond Hoppers

  • Played in 32 games, mostly at first base
  • Batted .556 over the final two weeks of the season with a home run and four RBIs

Jackson Smith, C/UT, Westside Woolly Mammoths

  • Set a new league record by playing all nine positions in the regular-season finale, striking out both batters faced on the mound
  • Hit .271 with four home runs

Carter Grote, OF, Utica Unicorns

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