Here are North American League Baseball’s prestigious individual award winners for 2023.

League 1

Outstanding Batter Award: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Marcos Delgadillo (Brooklyn Knights)
Reliever of the Year Award: Ken Hannah (Brooklyn Knights)
Newcomer of the Year: Bill Wallace (Dunedin Otters)
Manager of the Year: Kevin Fields (Brooklyn Knights)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Catcher: Nick Koche (Brooklyn Knights)
First Baseman: Okura Kono (Luisville Beasts)
Second Baseman: Amsalu Kanda (Luisville Beasts)
Third Baseman: Damion Caligas (Dunedin Otters)
Shortstop: Bubba Webb (Luisville Beasts)
Left Fielder: Zacarías Marquís (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Right Fielder: Andrew Dickens (Cornfield Axemen)
Designated Hitter: Alberto Pajón (Las Vegas Luck)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)
Catcher: Nick Koche (Brooklyn Knights)
First Baseman: John Ruben (Las Vegas Luck)
Second Baseman: Joshua Ridings (Las Vegas Luck)
Third Baseman: Joe Epp (Las Vegas Luck)
Shortstop: Morgan Kittle (Cornfield Axemen)
Left Fielder: Yvon Chouinard (Luisville Beasts)
Center Fielder: Valentín Valigura (Cornfield Axemen)
Right Fielder: Andrew Dickens (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2

Outstanding Batter Award: Derk McParland (Richmond Slam)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Rey Alvarado (Vancouver Wild)
Reliever of the Year Award: Whitney Todd (Richmond Slam)
Newcomer of the Year: Bobby Fox (Richmond Slam)
Manager of the Year: Anthony Zimmer (Vancouver Wild)

Platinum Stick Award Winners
Pitcher: Braulio Crame (Stade Maples)
Catcher: Matthew Loy (Key West Corals)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Second Baseman: Brock James (Vancouver Wild)
Third Baseman: Derk McParland (Richmond Slam)
Shortstop: Márque Parita (Washington Allies)
Left Fielder: Javier Cirneros (Stade Maples)
Center Fielder: Nathan Clontz (St. James Crusaders)
Right Fielder: Aramis Jáquez (Richmond Slam)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Secundus Cunningham (Phoenix Rattlers)
Catcher: Lorenzo Torres (Stade Maples)
First Baseman: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Second Baseman: Jae-won So (St. James Crusaders)
Third Baseman: Derk McParland (Richmond Slam)
Shortstop: Francisco Lafantano (Vancouver Wild)
Left Fielder: Oscar Barrientes (Phoenix Rattlers)
Center Fielder: Nathan Clontz (St. James Crusaders)
Right Fielder: John Patterson (Key West Corals)

2023 World Championship Series - Vancouver Wild (98-64) vs. Brooklyn Knights (113-49)

Game 1: Vancouver 5, Brooklyn 2
Game 2: Brooklyn 2, Vancouver 1
Game 3: Vancouver 4, Brooklyn 2
Game 4: Vancouver 2, Brooklyn 1
Game 5: Brooklyn 3, Vancouver 1
Game 6: Brooklyn 8, Vancouver 3
Game 7: Vancouver 3, Brooklyn 2

Series MVP: 3B Fernando Chira (Vancouver Wild)

The Vancouver Wild topped the Brooklyn Knights 3-2 in a 12-inning game seven to win the World Championship. It was the second title in franchise history. This was an extremely competitive series. Brooklyn actually outscored Vancouver 20-19 across seven games but the Wild came through when it counted. In the deciding game, the Knights were on the verge on winning the game in the eighth inning. The Wild turned a clutch double play to preserve the tie, however. In extra innings, reliever José Scharf's contributions were as important as any player on either team. Scharf was nearly flawless as he pitched the 10th, 11th, and 12th innings. He did not allow a single base runner.

"When you play for championships, you have to play better than the team in the other dugout. We did that in this series, and all year. Now we're the best team in baseball," said Vancouver third baseman Fernando Chira, who was named series MVP.

The new titleholders completed the regular season with a first-place finish in the League 2 Division 2 and a 98-64 record. Vancouver manager Anthony Zimmer grinned and nodded when asked to comment on Chira's words. "Fernando said it best -- we played better than the other team," the skipper said. Hometown officials announced they were already planning a "grand celebration" for the winners in the days to come.



Click the image for the NALB 2023 World Championship roster

It seemed only fitting that NALB's two best teams would need seven games to determine who would be crowned World Champion. The pitching matchup featured two of the absolute best, the Wild's Rey Alvarado (23-4, 1.87 ERA) and the Knights' Tony Tamayo (17-5, 2.47 ERA).

In the game's first at bat, Codie Laton got right to work and led off with single. Pedro Castro hit a home run and the Brooklyn fans were quieted by Vancouver's 2-0 lead. Tamayo settled in and didn't allow another run. He lasted 7⅓ innings and struck out eight. Unfortunately for the Knights, they had no answers for Rey Alvarado. Alvarado looking completely in control as he pitched seven scoreless innings. In the seventh inning, the Knights got a pair of base runners. Despite men on first and third with only one out, they failed to score. Facing closer Joe Farrell in the eighth inning, the Knights finally got on the scoreboard. Shimohira, Ramos, and Koche hit consecutive doubles, which scored a two runs. The game was tied 2-2. As the bullpens settled in, the game went into extra innings. The Wild got a pair of walks off of Humphrey Wonnacott. Lefty Jesús Motufar was brought in to face Oliverios Gallegos. Gallegos singled to right field and Evardo Gustamente was waved on by the third base coach. Brooklyn's right fielder, Dick Gosden, ripped off a strong throw that beat the runner to home plate. Unfortunately, the throw was wide. Gustamonte was safe and the throw was ruled an error. José Scharf retired the Knights in order in the twelfth inning to deliver the 3-2 win.

With this thrilling game seven victory on the road, the Vancouver Wild are the 2023 NALB World Champions!

Final score: Vancouver 3, Brooklyn 2

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12   R  H  E
Vancouver    2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0  0  1   3  8  0
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0  0  0  0   2 10  1

W: J. Scharf
L: H. Wonnacott

Player of the game: Rey Alvarado

The World Championship Series returned to Brooklyn for game six. The starters were the same as in game two, Rudolph Carpoza (14-9, 3.71 ERA) and Aaron Patterson (9-8, 3.16 ERA). The Knights prevailed in that game 2-1 although neither starter got the decision.

The Wild wasted no time getting started in this one. Leadoff hitter Codie Laton singled and Rubén Viladina followed with a single as well. Laton made a daring steal of third base and Morris Brown batted him in for a quick 1-0 lead. The Knights countered with a two out rally in the bottom of the first inning. After back to back singles by Nick Koche and Dick Gosden, Ramon Alconer crushed a three-run home run to center field. In the bottom of the third, the Knights struck again with another three-run homer. This time, it was couttesy of shortstop Frank Brunson. A triple by Joe Geddes in the top of the fourth scored Fernando Chira. Geddes later scored on a single by Codie Laton. The Wild narrowed the deficit to 8-3. Brooklyn's relief pitching took them the rest of the way, however. Takanobu Kishita and James McKinning provided scoreless long relief the rest of the way.

The Brooklyn Knights and the Vancouver Wild will take the World Championship to a decisive seventh game.

Final score: Brooklyn 8, Vancouver 3

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Vancouver    1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0   3  8  0
Brooklyn     3 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 X   8  8  0

W: T. Kishita
L: R. Carpoza

Player of the game: Ramone Alconer

Game five was the final game in Vancouver. Up 3-1, the Wild desperately wanted to win the Championship at home. Standing in their way was Knights' starter Marcos Delgadillo (17-6, 2.02 ERA). The Wild felt good with Anastasio Urbáez (13-15, 3.22 ERA) on the mound. Urbáez had looked sharp in the playoffs with a 2-0 record.

The Knights' offense had been anemic in the World Championship Series. In game five, however, Brooklyn wanted to score early with aggressive hitting. They did exactly that. With two outs in the first inning, Dick Gosden singled. Nick Koche followed with another single and Don Hartz drew a walk. With the bases loaded, Ramone Alconer drove a ball deep to center field. It initially looked like a grand slam but fell just short of the wall. Alconer settled for a bases clearing double that put the Knights up 3-0. The game quickly turned into a pitcher's duel. Delgadillo pitched six shutout innings and Urbáez pitched into the seventh. In the eighth inning, Fernando Chira hit a solo home run over the right field wall to give the Wild some life. Knights' closer Ken Hannah pitched a clean ninth, however, and dashed Vancouver's hope for a comeback.

The WCS heads back to Brooklyn with the Wild up three games to two.

Final score: Brooklyn 3, Vancouver 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   3  5  0
Vancouver    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0   1  6  0

W: M. Delgadillo
L: A. Urbáez
S: K. Hannah

Player of the game: Marcos Delgadillo

The game four starters were Brooklyn's Dan Courtlandt (15-5, 2.06 ERA) and Vancouver's Miguel Vela (8-8, 2.61 ERA). The Wild entered the game with a 2-1 Series lead.

It was a low-scoring well-pitched game. The Knights scored the first run on a Ramone Alconer homer in the fifth inning. The bottom of the sixth inning, however, was decisive. The Wild got a leadoff single from Codie Laton. Sardar Dzhafarov then came on in relief for Courtlandt. Brock James laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner. Pedro Castro drew a walk and then stole second base. Fernando Chira delivered a clutch 2-RBI single to put the Wild ahead for good.

Final score: Vancouver 2, Brooklyn 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0   1  4  0
Vancouver    0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 X   2  5  0

W: M. Vela
L: S. Dzhafarov
S: J. Scharf

Player of the game: Miguel Vela

Game three was a heavyweight matchup of pitching aces—the Knights' Tony Tamayo (17-5, 2.47 ERA) vs. the Wild's Rey Alvarado (23-4, 1.87 ERA).

The game was scoreless through four innings. Heading into the fifth, Alvarado had given up a mere two hits while Tamayo was pitching a no-hitter. The Vancouver Wild came alive, however, with consecutive hits by James, Gustamante, and Geddes to score the game's first run. Just when it looked like Tamayo would limit the damage, Codie Laton hit a two-out triple, which scored two runs. The Knights responded in the top of the sixth. After Ramos singled, catcher Nick Koche doubled to give Brooklyn its first run. In the bottom of the sixth, catcher Morris Brown blasted a solo homer to extend the Wild's lead to 4-1. The Knights showed some life in the eighth inning when Shimohira doubled off of closer Joe Farrell and later scored. That was all Brooklyn could manage, however. Farrell closed out the ninth to save the win.

Final score: Vancouver 4, Brooklyn 2

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0   2  5  0
Vancouver    0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 X   4  6  1

W: T. Tamayo
L: R. Alvarado
S: J. Farrell

Player of the game: Rey Alvarado

The Brooklyn Knights were feeling a bit of pressure after losing the home opener of the World Championship Series. The last thing they wanted was to travel to Vancouver down two games.

The Wild's game two starter was Rudolph Carpoza (14-9, 3.71 ERA), an excellent young Mexican power pitcher. Aaron Patterson (9-8, 3.16 ERA) started for the Knights. Patterson pitched pretty well throughout the season but got very little run support.

The game was scoreless for three innings as both starters looked in command. In the fourth, the Wild scored the first run of the game thanks to doubles by Rubén Viladina and Morris Brown. The Knights countered in the bottom half of the inning. Blas Ramos walked and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ramone Alconer. With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the eighth, Maurílio Godim was called on to leadoff as a pinch hitter. He singled and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Estevan Portillo. Namboka Shimohira followed with a single, advancing Godim to third base. Blas Ramos came through with a clutch sac fly to left field. Knights' closer Ken Hannah retired three batters in the ninth for the save.

Final score: Brooklyn 2, Vancouver 1

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Vancouver    0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0   1  5  0
Brooklyn     0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 X   2  5  0

W: H. Wonnacott
L: J. Farrell
S: K. Hannah

Player of the game: Aaron Patterson

In 2023, two teams clearly emerged as the league's best—the Brooklyn Knights (113-49) and the Vancouver Wild (98-64). The Knights ranked second in scoring, first in pitching, and first in fielding. The Wild were first in scoring, second in pitching, and League 2's top fielding team. After winning their respective League Series in six games, they now meet in the World Championship Series. This is the first time since 2018 that NALB's two winningest teams will play in the WCS.

Veteran starter Anastasio Urbáez (13-15, 3.22 ERA) was the Wild's pitcher for game one. The Knights had their own veteran, Marcos Delgadillo (17-6, 2.02 ERA), on the mound.

Marcos Delgadillo is known for his pinpoint control and poise on the mound. Unfortunately for Brooklyn, the 36-year old didn't look sharp. He gave up hits to the first three batters of the game and then walked the cleanup hitter to force in the game's first run. Thanks to some good defense, the Knights were only down 1-0 after two innings. Delgadillo continued to struggle in the third, however. After a Viladina single, Castro and Brown hit consecutive doubles. The Wild stretched their lead to 3-0. After a scoreless fourth inning, Delgadillo struggled to survive the fifth. He gave up one more run and was pulled after two outs. Takanobu Kishita came on in relief to finish the inning. Kishita began the sixth by walking the first two batters. A wild pitch and sac fly ensued and Vancouver extended the lead to 5-0. The Knights finally showed signs of life in the sixth inning. Shimohira was hit by a pitch to leadoff. Singles by Gosden and Hartz led to Brooklyn's first run. In the bottom of the seventh, Estevan Portillo hit a solo homer and the Knights were only down 5-2. With closer Joe Farrell on the mound in the ninth, the Knights still had a chance. Joe Lindsey got on via a base on balls. Portillo singled and the tying run came to the plate with two outs. The comeback was extinguished when Farrell struck out Shimohira swinging.

Final score: Vancouver 5, Brooklyn 2

             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   R  H  E
Vancouver    1 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0   5 11  0
Brooklyn     0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0   2  7  0

W: A. Urbáez
L: M. Delgadillo

Player of the game: Anastasio Urbáez

2023 League 1 Series - Luisville Beasts (85-77) vs. Brooklyn Knights (113-49)

Game 1: Luisville 3, Brooklyn 2
Game 2: Brooklyn 4, Luisville 1
Game 3: Luisville 3, Brooklyn 0
Game 4: Brooklyn 4, Luisville 3
Game 5: Brooklyn 5, Luisville 2
Game 6: Brooklyn 8, Luisville 1

For the seventh consecutive season, the Luisville Beasts were division champions and playoff bound. The 2023 Beasts struggled a bit this season. They only won 85 games, which was their lowest total in seven years. The Brooklyn Knights left no doubt as to which team was NALB's best. With 113 wins, the Knights displayed excellence in hitting, pitching, and fielding.

Game one in Brooklyn had a starting pitching matchup of the Beasts' Paco Rivera (13-13, 3.74 ERA) vs. the Knights' Tony Tamayo (175-, 2.47 ERA). With the game tied 2-2 in the eighth inning, Luisville's Yvon Chouinard hit an RBI single for the 3-2 win.

Whitney Sanders (13-8, 3.76 ERA) took the mound for the Beasts in game two. Dan Courtlandt (15-5, 2.06 ERA) got the start for the Knights. Courtlandt shined as the player of the game. Don Hartz hit a two-run home run to help lead Brooklyn to victory by the score of 4-1.

With game three in Luisville, starter Noel Trevenot (16-10, 3.40 ERA) treated the fans to a gem. He pitched 6.1 scoreless innings and struck out eight. Knights' starter Marcos Delgadillo (17-6, 2.02 ERA) looked good but he couldn't match Trevenot's excellence. The Beasts scored a run in three separate innings on the way to a 3-0 victory.

There was some question as to the Knights' starter for game four. Patterson or Kishita? They decided on Aaron Patterson (9-8, 3.16 ERA) and were glad they did. Patterson was sharp over 6.1 innings, giving up only one run. The Beasts' Jonathan Farsey was not as sharp. The Knights tagged him for two homers (by Koche and Ramos) and four runs total. The Beasts made it interesting, however. Home runs by Joe Epp in the seventh and Leonard O'Marron in the ninth closed the gap to 4-3. That is how the game would end. The series was now tied at two games a piece.

Game five was pivotal. With the series tied, the final game in Luisville was particularly critical for the Beasts. The pitching matchup was a rematch of game one—Tamayo vs. Rivera. This time, Tamayo came out on top. The Knights lit up Rivera early, scoring three runs in the first, one in the second, and one in the third. The biggest damage was catcher Nick Koche's three-run homer in the first inning. Although the Knights prevailed 5-2, the win was costly. Left fielder Syman Lowery made a spectacular defensive play with a diving catch. He hurt his back and had to come out of the game. Afterwards, he was diagnosed with a herniated disc and will miss the rest of the playoffs.

With Syman Lowery out due to injury, the Knights added left-fielder Joe Lindsey to their playoff roster. It was Courtlandt vs. Sanders again for game six. The game was a must-win for the Beasts. Unfortunately for them, the Knights played their best baseball of the series. Brooklyn jumped on Sanders early. They delivered eight hits and four runs against him in 3.1 innings. In the sixth inning, right-fielder Dick Gosden hit a three-run homer to give the Knights a 7-1 lead. If there was any doubt to the outcome, Joe Lindsey removed it. He blasted a solo home run in the seventh, which sealed the Knights' 8-1 win.

The Brooklyn Knights avenged their 2022 League 1 Series loss to the Luisville Beasts by defeating them in six games.

Knights' designated hitter Blas Ramos earned series MVP honors, hitting for a .385 average with 1 home run and 4 RBI.

2023 League 2 Series - Key West Corals (83-79) vs. Vancouver Wild (98-64)

Game 1: Key West 3, Vancouver 0
Game 2: Key West 6, Vancouver 2
Game 3: Vancouver 8, Key West 3
Game 4: Vancouver 2, Key West 1
Game 5: Vancouver 2, Key West 0
Game 6: Vancouver 3, Key West 1

After a dominant playoff run from 2012 to 2017, the Key West Corals hadn't been to the postseason since 2019. That year the Corals won 100 games but this year's team snuck into the playoffs with a mere 83 wins. For the Vancouver Wild, they returned to the postseason after losing to the underdog Stade Maples last year. The 2023 Wild won an impressive 98 games, which was the most in franchise history.

The opening game featured starters Cary Hash (11-11, 3.22 ERA) vs. Miguel Vela (8-8, 2.61 ERA) for the Corals and Wild, respectively. Key West prevailed in a low-scoring duel of fine pitching. The Corals won on the road 3-0.

In game two, the Corals sent veteran Charlie Revels (8-14, 4.77 ERA) to the mound against the Wild's Rey Alvarado (23-4, 1.87 ERA). Revels had a tough season while Alvarado put up one of the most dominating pitching seasons in league history. After seven shutout innings, Alvarado left the game with a 2-0 lead. Joe Farrell blew the lead, however. The Corals struck for six runs (five unearned) in the eighth inning, helped by a pair of Vancouver errors. The home crowd was stunned by the 6-2 loss.

The series shifted to Key West for game three. Anastasio Urbáez (13-15, 3.22 ERA) got the start for the Corals. The Wild countered with starter Catón Huincho (13-9, 3.57 ERA). Vancouver's bats were hot. The Wild's twelve hits translated to eight runs, including four in the sixth inning. Vancouver looked impressive in the 8-3 win.

Vancouver's Rudolph Carpoza (14-9, 3.71 ERA) and Key West's Danny Ruíz (8-13, 3.83 ERA) were named the game four starters. It was another pitcher's duel. Despite outhitting the Corals 10-5, the Wild managed a narrow 2-1 victory.

Game five, the final game in Key West was a rematch between game one starters Miguel Vela and Cary Hash. Both were outstanding. Vela hurled seven shutout innings while Hash pitched a two-hit shutout into the eighth. The game was still scoreless when it went into extra innings. In the top of the 11th inning, hits by Laton, Chira, Brown, and James led to two runs off of reliever Ximien Palmeiro. The Wild closed out the 2-0 shutout for the win.

Back in Vancouver, the Wild had to love their chances with Rey Alvarado on the mound again. They were not disappointed. The Corals' Charlie Revels couldn't match Alvarado's mastery. Alvarado pitched seven innings with no walks and six strikeouts. He only gave up a single run. A three-run homer by left-fielder Pedro Castro in the third was all the offense that the Wild needed. A 3-1 outcome made the Vancouver Wild League 2 champions.

Wild first baseman Codie Laton was named the series MVP. In the series, he hit .360 (9 for 25).

The Brooklyn Knights had a nearly flawless season. They wrapped up the division by the end of August and led League 1 in almost every team stat. For most of the season, injuries did not plague the Knights. Unfortunately, CF Clement Barrows fractured his fibula on August 2. The second big blow came on September 20 when top slugger 1B Toshiro Kakuta suffered a broken ulna when he was hit by a pitch. Brooklyn's offense sputtered to the finish line and they lost seven of their final nine games. After winning 90+ games in each of the last six seasons, the Luisville Beasts only managed 85 wins this year. In 2022, the Beasts won the League 1 Series over the Knights in seven games. They ultimately fell to the Stade Maples in the World Championship Series.

The Key West Corals were a perennial power for many years. They slipped in 2021 and 2022, however, with back to back third place finishes. This year, the Corals went on a September surge to overtake the Washington Allies and win the division by three games. The Vancouver Wild fought off the Richmond Slam this season but ultimately cruised to nine game lead and a division title.

The League Series match-ups:
Luisville Beasts (85-77) vs. Brooklyn Knights (113-49)
Key West Corals (83-79) vs. Vancouver Wild (98-64)

Head to head this season:
The Knights were 15-8 against the Beasts.
The Wild were 14-9 against the Corals.

Playoff injury report:

The Beasts are hot and ready for the League 1 Series with a healthy roster. The Knights are without two of their star players—CF Clement Barrows and 1B Toshiro Kakuta. Barrows was the team's leadoff hitter and Kakuta led the team in home runs and RBIs.

The Corals have several injured players. The most notable are CF Félix Mulen, RP Jaime Coría, and SS Larry Arceniaga. The Wild will have to make do without SP Vincent Cadieux and RP Iván Martinez.

September 2023 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Leonard O'Marron (Luisville Beasts)
Pitcher of the Month: Paco Rivera (Luisville Beasts)
Rookie of the Month: Fred Routh (St. Rock Mudcats)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Mabon Beniniger (Washington Allies)
Pitcher of the Month: Catón Huincho (Key West Corals)
Rookie of the Month: Bobby Fox (Richmond Slam)

With a 20-8 record in August, the Brooklyn Knights were crowned division champions on the final day of the month. The other divisions are still up for grabs, however. The Beasts lead the Otters by four games and the Allies lead the Maples by the same margin. The Wild currently lead the Slam by a slightly more comfortable six games. Now it is time to expand the rosters for the final stretch of the season.

August 2023 awards:

League 1
Batter of the Month: Steve Sherlock (St. Rock Mudcats)
Pitcher of the Month: Dan Courtlandt (Brooklyn Knights)
Rookie of the Month: Irving von Klingenberg (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2
Batter of the Month: Yves Provençal (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
Pitcher of the Month: Rey Alvarado (Vancouver Wild)
Rookie of the Month: Roddie Estes (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)