Aug 31, 2024 By Chris Dugan 4 min read

For the third time in their 22-season history, the Wild Things have the Frontier League’s Most Valuable Player.

Center fielder and leadoff hitter Caleb McNeely was named the recipient of the Morgan Burkhart Most Valuable Player Award when the league announced its yearend awards Saturday.

McNeely joins James Harris (2018) and Josh Loggins (2003) as Wild Things who have been Frontier League MVP.

In his second year with Washington, McNeely entered Saturday with a .294 batting average and is fourth in the league with 21 home runs, second in triples (6), third with 72 RBI and has stolen 28 bases. McNeely also ranks in the top 10 in runs (70).

McNeely signed with Washington at midseason last year after playing his final two years of college baseball at West Virginia. He batted .323 with the Wild Things in 17 games a year ago.

“It wasn’t even on my radar,” McNeely said of the MVP award. “I just played every day and tried to do the best I can. … I thought maybe I had a chance at Rookie of the Year.”

It turns out that McNeely wasn’t eligible for the Rookie of the Year because of his 17 games played last season.

Washington manager Tom Vaeth knew he had a good player when he signed McNeely, but what position he would play and what his potential was were mysteries. McNeely played both third base and outfield at WVU and middle infield in junior college.

“There’s power there, but nobody could foresee 20 home runs,” Vaeth said. “He has speed, so I thought the stolen bases would be there. I knew we had a good ballplayer and a good athlete from the first time he worked out with us.

“He wasn’t a center fielder before he got here, but we knew he could run. That’s why we put him out there. We didn’t have one of those at the time and that was the best place for him to show his athleticism. … He’s good enough to start at third base, shortstop or second base for any team in the league.”

McNeely is one of several Wild Things on the all-league team and among its award winners.

Washington’s Tyreque Reed, who leads the league with a .335 batting average, was named the all-league designated hitter.

“When he on the injured list in the first half of the season, Tyreque, to his credit, worked hard on his rehab, got his work in and worked a lot on his swing,” Vaeth said. “He say a lot of his teammates playing well and winning, and he wanted to back on the field and be part of it.”

Reed has 12 home runs and 52 RBI in 59 games.

Righthander Gyeongju Kim, who has 1.62 ERA and league-leading 27 saves, was named the all-league relief pitcher. Kim was a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year.

Kim, a native of Seoul, Korea, was signed by Washington compete for a job in the starting rotation. However, when all-star closer Lukas Young was lost for the year to an injury early in the season, Kim moved into the closer’s role and flourished.

“He was the best option we had at the time because of his command of the strike zone,” Vaeth said. “No way that I could have foreseen what he did in that role.”

For the second time, Washington pitching coach Alex Boshers was selected as the Darren Bush Coach of the Year. Under Boshers, Washington’s pitching staff leads the league in ERA and fewest walks.

“I’m glad he got it,” Vaeth said. “He deserved it. Two out of four years, that’s pretty good.”

Quebec’s James Bradwell was voted the Brian Tollberg Pitcher of the Year Award, Florence outfielder T.J. Reeves is the Rookie of the Year and Quebec’s Patrick Scalabrini was named the Manager of the Year for leading the Capitales to the East Division title.

Other members of the all-league team are catcher John Cristino (New England), first baseman Matthew Warkentin (Joliet), second baseman Alec Craig (Schaumburg), shortstop Austin Dennis (New York), third baseman A.J. Wright (Ottawa), and outfielders Reeves and Justin Gideon (Quebec).