Smithfield, RI -- Bryant University baseball rising junior Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.) was named the Futures League Most Valuable Player and rising senior Jake Marotta (Bridgewater, Mass.) was awarded the Adam Keenan Sportsmanship and Scholarship Award, the league announced over the weekend.
Gasper, a member of the Nashua Silver Knights, set new single-season Futures League records in batting average (.421) and doubles (21) during the regular season. He led the league in both categories while also contributing nine home runs, 42 RBI, 39 runs scored and 39 walks. Gasper posted a .532 OBP and set a new league record with a 1.258 OPS. He posted 23 multi-hit games, eight multi-RBI games and reached safely in all but four of the 48 games he appeared in.
Marotta, a member of the Brockton Rox, appeared in 33 games this summer, helping his team earn a playoff spot. He hit .202 with eight RBI, 11 runs scored and eight stolen bases on the season. Adam Keenan was born and raised in Lowell, Mass., and played in the Futures League for the Seacoast Mavericks before passing away suddenly on June 6, 2011. He was an exceptional individual that exemplified an unbridled enthusiasm and passion for baseball and this award is bestowed upon the player that exemplifies the outstanding attitude, character and sportsmanship that is synonymous with Adam Keenan's legacy.