Ray Hilbrich, a Schererville resident, was named Midwest Collegiate League MVP in 2020. The Lake Central product plays in college for Purdue Northwest.
Jordan Smevoll, a Dyer resident and Marian Catholic graduate, won the Midwest Collegiate League's Pitcher of the Year award.
A pair of local players took home both of the Midwest Collegiate League’s top honors this season.
Schererville resident, Lake Central graduate and Purdue Northwest outfielder Ray Hilbrich was MVP. He played for the Crestwood Panthers.
“Since the college season was canceled, I just wanted to get some games in and hopefully keep up my craft,” Hilbrich said. “Opening day, on the fourth of July, it just felt great. There’s nothing like playing baseball in the summer.”
Dyer resident and Marian Catholic graduate Jordan Smevoll was named pitcher of the year after striking out 29 in 25 innings and posting a 1.77 ERA for the league champion DuPage County Hounds.
“I didn’t even know if I was even going to be able to play baseball this summer, let alone win the pitcher of the year in the MCL and win a championship,” Smevoll said. “There were four or five of my good friends from high school in that league, so it was fun competing against them. There were a lot of great players that stayed home this summer to play in (the MCL). It was probably the best competition the league's seen in a long time.”
Smevoll said he “rode the wave” of a spring full of preparation that some of his competitors may not have had. He was able to get three long toss sessions and a bullpen or two in each week during quarantine.
He opened the season in short relief for DuPage County but knew he’d be starting later so he worked on stretching out. The lefty also made a move to the left of the rubber in an effort to make his pitches a little more deceptive to right-handed batters.
Smevoll pitched seven innings to get the win over the Northwest Indiana Oilmen in the decisive third game of the MCL championship series.
Hilbrich slashed .356/.452/.587, hitting three home runs and driving in 23 in 126 plate appearances. One of his major goals for the summer was to try to drive the ball better for more extra base hits.
He led the league with 15 doubles, four more than anyone else and almost double any player outside of Crestwood.
“I just want to keep playing as long as possible. Playing professionally after college is the main goal, whether that’s getting selected by an MLB team or just an independent team,” Hilbrich said. “I just want to keep playing.”
Smevoll’s freshman season at Webster University was cut short in the spring. The Gorloks advanced to the NCAA Division III World Series in 2019.
“I don’t know where the game’s going to take me but I’m not really worried about that right now,” Smevoll said. “I’m worried about consistently getting better and being the best teammate I can be to help lead the charge to a national championship.”
Meet a few of the MLB players from Northwest Indiana
Sean Manaea
High school: Andrean and South Central
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 5.0 as of June 29, 2019
Career ERA/WHIP/K per 9: 3.94/1.22/7.2
MLB career: Oakland Athletics (2016–present)
MLB highlights: Manaea pitched a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox on April 21, 2018. He struck out 10 and walked two. The Red Sox were 17-2 coming into the game, making it the team with the best record to be no-hit in baseball history, according to mlb.com.
Curtis Granderson
High school: TF South
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 37.0 as of June 29, 2019
Career AVG/OBP/SLG: .250/.338/.467
MLB career: Detroit Tigers (2004–2009), New York Yankees (2010–2013), New York Mets (2014–2017), Los Angeles Dodgers (2017), Toronto Blue Jays (2018), Milwaukee Brewers (2018), Miami Marlins (2019-present)
MLB highlights: A slugging outfielder with good speed, Granderson has hit 19 or more home runs in 11 seasons — including back-to-back 40-plus seasons — and twice led the league in triples. In 2011, Granderson won the Silver Slugger Award, which is given to the best offensive player at each position in each league. He finished fourth in the MVP vote that year. Granderson also has won awards for his work off the field, garnering the Roberto Clemente Award in 2016 and the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award in 2009, 2016 and 2018.
Jeff Samardzija
High school: Valparaiso
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 20.6 as of June 29, 2019
Career ERA/WHIP/K per 9: 4.19/1.26/8.1
MLB career: Chicago Cubs (2008–2014), Oakland Athletics (2014), Chicago White Sox (2015), San Francisco Giants (2016–present)
MLB highlights: Samardzija has been a durable starter throughout his career, throwing 174.2 innings in 2012 and at least 200 innings each season from 2013-17. In 2017 he led the NL with 207.2 innings pitched. He was an all-star in 2014.
LaTroy Hawkins
High school: West Side
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 4.8
Career ERA/WHIP/K per 9: 4.31/1.41/6.0
MLB career: Minnesota Twins (1995–2003), Chicago Cubs (2004–2005), San Francisco Giants (2005), Baltimore Orioles (2006), Colorado Rockies (2007), New York Yankees (2008), Houston Astros (2008–2009), Milwaukee Brewers (2010–2011), Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2012), New York Mets (2013), Colorado Rockies (2014–2015), Toronto Blue Jays (2015)
MLB highlights: Hawkins began his career as a starter, but after posting a 6.66 ERA in 1999, the Twins moved him to the bullpen and he had a 3.28 ERA with 127 saves the rest of his career. Hawkins pitched in 1,042 games, the 10th most all time. Fellow Region native Dan Plesac (1,064) is three spots in front of him on the list.
Chris Bootcheck
High school: LaPorte
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 0.8
Career ERA/WHIP/K per 9: 6.55/1.66/6.4
MLB career: Anaheim / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2003, 2005–2008), Pittsburgh Pirates (2009), New York Yankees (2013)
MLB highlights: The Angels made Bootcheck, left, the No. 20 overall pick in the 2000 MLB Draft out of Auburn and three years later he made his big-league debut with the Angels. His best season came in 2007 when he made a career-high 51 appearances with the Angeles and posted a 4.77 ERA. However, he posted an ERA of 9.00 or better in five of his seven seasons and appeared in a total of just 91 games.
Rob Mackowiak
High school/college: Lake Central/South Suburban College
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 1.6
Career AVG/OBP/SLG: .259/.332/.405
MLB career: Pittsburgh Pirates (2001–2005), Chicago White Sox (2006–2007), San Diego Padres (2007), Washington Nationals (2008)
MLB highlights: Mackowiak was a utility player with pedestrian career numbers, but on May 28, 2004, he was the talk of the sports world. That morning he watched his wife, Jennifer, give birth to their first child, according to the Chicago Tribune. Then in a doubleheader against the Cubs in Pittsburgh he hit a walk-off grand slam in Game 1 and a two-run, game-tying homer in the ninth inning of Game 2. The Pirates won in the 10th. His story led off the subsequent "SportsCenter" on ESPN.
Kenny Lofton
High school: E.C. Washington
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 50.6
Career AVG/OBP/SLG: .299/.372/.423
MLB career: Houston Astros (1991), Cleveland Indians (1992–1996), Atlanta Braves (1997), Cleveland Indians (1998–2001), Chicago White Sox (2002), San Francisco Giants (2002), Pittsburgh Pirates (2003), Chicago Cubs (2003), New York Yankees (2004), Philadelphia Phillies (2005), Los Angeles Dodgers (2006), Texas Rangers (2007), Cleveland Indians (2007)
MLB highlights: Based on the JAWS metric created by Jay Jaffe to gauge if a player is worthy of the Hall of Fame, Lofton's career puts him on the cusp of enshrinement. His JAWS score of 55.9 ranks 10th all-time among center fielders and less than two points below the average of the 19 Hall of Famers at the position. His score is better than Hall of Famers such as Andre Dawson, Larry Doby and Kirby Puckett. However, he is no longer on the Hall of Fame ballot. Lofton was a four-time Gold Glove winner, led the AL in steals five years in a row and holds the postseason record for career stolen bases (34).
Larry Bigbie
High school: Hobart
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 1.3
Career AVG/OBP/SLG: .267/.331/.395
MLB career: Baltimore Orioles (2001–2005), Colorado Rockies (2005), St. Louis Cardinals (2006)
MLB highlights: Bigbie was the No. 21 overall pick by the Orioles in the 1999 MLB Draft, but the Ball State product's biggest impact came off the field. Around Christmas in 2005, Kirk Radomski sent a package of human growth hormone to Bigbie's home in Northwest Indiana, according to the Baltimore Sun. Federal investigators were soon at his door asking questions. Two years later, his answers became public in the Mitchell Report. Bigbie was a key witness. His name appears 93 times in the 409-page report on the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs in the game. Bigbie earned a World Series ring with the Cardinals in 2006, but he played only 17 games that season due to injuries.
Dan Plesac
High school: Crown Point
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 19.0
Career ERA/WHIP/K per 9: 3.64/1.29/8.7
MLB career: Milwaukee Brewers (1986–1992), Chicago Cubs (1993–1994), Pittsburgh Pirates (1995–1996), Toronto Blue Jays (1997–1999), Arizona Diamondbacks (1999–2000), Toronto Blue Jays (2001–2002), Philadelphia Phillies (2002–2003)
MLB highlights: Originally a closer, Plesac, center, served as a left-handed specialist for much of his career. He ranks first all-time in a number of Brewers pitching categories as of June 29, 2019: ERA (3.21), adjusted ERA+ (128), fielding independent pitching (3.30), hits per nine innings pitched (7.896), games (365) and saves (133). He was an all-star with Milwaukee in 1987, 1988 and 1989. He now serves as an analyst on MLB Network and is the uncle of Cleveland Indians pitcher Zach Plesac.
Hal Morris
High school: Munster
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 7.6
Career AVG/OBP/SLG: .304/.361/.433
MLB career: New York Yankees (1988–1989), Cincinnati Reds (1990–1997), Kansas City Royals (1998), Cincinnati Reds (1999–2000), Detroit Tigers (2000)
MLB highlights: In his rookie season, Morris helped Cincinnati sweep Oakland in the 1990 World Series. His sacrifice fly in Game 4 proved to be the series-winning RBI. He hit .340 that season with a .381 on-base percentage and .498 slugging percentage. He nearly won the NL batting title the following year, finishing second and one point behind Terry Pendleton. Starting in 1996 and stretching into the 1997 season, Morris had a 32-game hitting streak, which is tied for the 24th longest in the history of the game. After retiring he was named in the Mitchell Report and alleged to have purchased a steroid and testosterone, but through his lawyer denied using performance-enhancing drugs.
Lloyd McClendon
High school/college: Roosevelt/Valparaiso University
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 2.5
Career AVG/OBP/SLG: .244/.325/.381
MLB career: Cincinnati Reds (1987–1988), Chicago Cubs (1989–1990), Pittsburgh Pirates (1990–1994)
MLB highlights: McClendon had the best season of his career in 1989, his first season with the Cubs. He his .286 with 12 home runs and 12 doubles. After playing, McClendon became a coach. He has served as a manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates (2001–2005) and Seattle Mariners (2014–2015). As of June 29, 2019, he is the hitting coach for the Detroit Tigers.
Ron Kittle
High school: Wirt
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 8.7
Career AVG/OBP/SLG: .239/.306/.473
MLB career: Chicago White Sox (1982–1986), New York Yankees (1986–1987), Cleveland Indians (1988), Chicago White Sox (1989–1990), Baltimore Orioles (1990), Chicago White Sox (1991)
MLB highlights: After going undrafted out of Wirt, Kittle worked in the steel mills in Northwest Indiana, according to his website. He also spent most of six years in the minors before a breakout 1983 season in which he hit 35 home runs and drove in 100 runs, both career highs, en route to the American League Rookie of the Year award. The "Winning Ugly" White Sox won the A.L. West that year. He finished his career with a .234 isolated power. Kittle now works for the White Sox as an ambassador and is known for his woodwork.
Wallace Johnson
High school: Roosevelt
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 0.0
Career AVG/OBP/SLG: .255/.316/.332
MLB career: Montreal Expos (1981–83, 1984, 1986–90), San Francisco Giants (1983)
MLB highlights: In just his 10th major league game, Wallace entered in the top of the seventh as a pinch-hitter and delivered one of the biggest hits in Expos history. Wallace's two-run triple off Mets reliever Neil Allen on Oct. 3, 1981, at Shea Stadium put Montreal up by a run and it held on to win. The victory helped the Expos reach the postseason for the only time in franchise history. Wallace was used extensively as a pinch-hitter throughout his career, registering 629 plate appearances in 428 games.
Tim Stoddard
High school: E.C. Washington
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 7.2
Career ERA/WHIP/K per 9: 3.95/1.42/7.2
MLB career: Chicago White Sox (1975), Baltimore Orioles (1978–1983), Chicago Cubs (1984), San Diego Padres (1985–1986), New York Yankees (1986–1988), Cleveland Indians (1989)
MLB highlights: Stoddard became the first person to win an NCAA men's basketball title — he was a starting forward on the North Carolina State team that beat Marquette in the 1974 title game — and a World Series, earning his ring as a member of the 1983 Baltimore Orioles, according to mlb.com. However, he didn't make an appearance in that series. Stoddard, who made 485 career relief appearances, picked up a win in the 1979 World Series with the Orioles, but they lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played a Dodgers pitcher in the 1993 movie "Rookie of the Year" and became a college pitching coach when his playing career ended.
Ron Reed
High school: LaPorte
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 31.4
Career ERA/WHIP/K per 9: 3.46/1.21/5.4
MLB career: Atlanta Braves (1966–1975), St. Louis Cardinals (1975), Philadelphia Phillies (1976–1983), Chicago White Sox (1984)
MLB highlights: Reed, who began his career as a starter before transitioning to a reliever, reached the postseason seven of his 19 years in the league and captured a World Series title in 1980. He played with and against some of the game's biggest names: He matched up against Juan Marichal and gave up a home run to Willie McCovey in his debut, suffered a loss in the 1969 NLCS to the Amazin' Mets, was acquired by St. Louis to replace Bob Gibson in the Cardinals' rotation, and teammed with Tug McGraw at the back end of the Phillies' bullpen. Reed also played with the Detroit Pistons during the 1965-66 and 1966-67 seasons, averaging 8.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
Joe Gates
High school: Roosevelt
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 0.3
Career AVG/OBP/SLG: .175/.298/.225
MLB career: Chicago White Sox (1978–79)
MLB highlights: Gates, right, played in a total of 24 games and had 40 at-bats, finishing with almost as many walks (six) as hits (seven). Upon his retirement, he was a baseball coach at Wirt for 28 years and served as a Gary SouthShore RailCats assistant coach from 2003 until his death in 2010.
Darrel Chaney
High school: Morton
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 4.2
Career AVG/OBP/SLG: .217/.296/.288
MLB career: Cincinnati Reds (1969–1975), Atlanta Braves (1976–1979)
MLB highlights: Chaney played in the 1970, 1972 and 1975 World Series with the Reds' "Big Red Machine" teams, capturing a ring in 1975. He went a combined 0-for-10 in the World Series with four strikeouts. According to the Society for American Baseball Research, Chaney, "stayed in the game due largely to his versatility and positive attitude." After his playing career, he worked for the Braves as a TV and radio announcer for three years.
Larry Fritz
High school: Whiting
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 0.0
Career AVG/OBP/SLG: .000/.000/.000
MLB career: Philadelphia Phillies (1975)
MLB highlights: Fritz, a first baseman, played his only major league game on May 30, 1975, at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Unlike Archibald "Moonlight" Graham, Fritz got one at-bat in the big leagues. Serving as a pinch-hitter, Fritz flew out to left field in the bottom of the ninth to end the game. A week later, the Toledo Mud Hens first baseman fractured his wrist and Fritz was sent down to Toledo, according to the Toledo Blade. Fritz spent seven years in the minors and slashed .273/.388/.498.
Bob Anderson
High school: Hammond
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 14.9
Career ERA/WHIP/K per 9: 4.26/1.40/5.4
MLB career: Chicago Cubs (1957–1962), Detroit Tigers (1963)
MLB highlights: Anderson was a central figure in a rare play that featured Stan Musial and two balls in play on June 30, 1959, at Wrigley Field. Anderson threw ball four, the ball reached the backstop and then Musial tried for second. The home plate umpire mistakenly issued a new ball, Anderson took it and fired an errant throw to second. However, Cubs third baseman Alvin Dark retrieved the original ball at the backstop and fired it to shortstop Ernie Banks at second almost simultaneously, according to the St. Petersburg Times. Banks tagged the legendary Cardinals player and he was ruled out.
Al Pilarcik
High school/college: Whiting/Valparaiso University
Career Baseball Prospectus WAR: 1.6
Career AVG/OBP/SLG: .256/.334/.346
MLB career: Kansas City Athletics (1956), Baltimore Orioles (1957–1960), Kansas City Athletics (1961), Chicago White Sox (1961)
MLB highlights: Pilarcik started in right field for the Orioles in the final game of Ted Williams' career on Sept. 28, 1960, at Fenway Park in Boston. Williams flied out to Pilarcik in his second-to-last at-bat before famously homering in his final at-bat. After baseball, Pilarcik taught 33 years at Lake Central.
