McNeely Tabbed MVP, Wild Things Pull in Numerous FL Honors
WASHINGTON, Pa. (August 31) – The Washington Wild Things are well represented in this season’s Frontier League postseason awards as the history-making season continues for the club. Outfielder Caleb McNeely was selected as the league’s Morgan Burkhart Award winner as league MVP becoming the third Wild Thing in team history to win the honor. McNeely, Tyreque Reed and Gyoengju Kim were named post-season All Stars and pitching coach Alex Boshers was, for the second time, named Coach of the Year.
Chris Dugan, who covers the club for the Washington Observer-Reporter, was named Frontier League Writer of the Year for the 12th time on top of the team’s honors.
The Frontier League awards are voted on by the league’s managers, coaches, general managers, broadcasters and media members. The full list of award winners is available on the Frontier League website.
McNeely has had a tremendous first full season of pro ball with the Wild Things. At the time of the voting period ending, McNeely was one of 15 players with 100+ hits in the league, tied for second in triples (6), third in home runs (21), tied for second in RBI (72), 13th in stolen bases (28), second in slugging percentage (.566) and one of seven players with a 1.000 fielding percentage.
The former West Virginia Mountaineer has played in 87 games owns a slash line of .294/.372/.559 with 17 doubles, six triples, 21 home runs and 72 RBI. He owns 28 stolen bases in 34 tries and has scored 70 runs. McNeely, by hitting his 20th home run during the last road trip, became the first 20-20 club player in franchise history.
He’s the third MVP in team history and first since James Harris (2018) to win the honor. Josh Loggins was named MVP in 2003. McNeely was also selected as one of three postseason All-Star outfielders for his efforts.
Gyeongju Kim, who was also a midseason All Star selection, earns his first postseason All-Star selection in his first season of professional baseball. He’s the fourth Wild Thing to receive the honor and first since Jonathan Kountis had 32 saves, which is the franchise record, in 2014. Robert Garvin (2002) and Jim Popp (2005).
Kim, a big-time standout in college mostly at Dordt University, is 3-3 this season with a 1.62 ERA in 42 games with 27 saves in 44.1 innings. He’s allowed just 28 hits and 12 runs (eight earned) with 12 walks and 51 strikeouts. Thrust into the closer’s role early, Kim has anchored the back end of Washington’s excellent bullpen. The saves number leads the league by a bit of a margin.
Tyreque Reed, despite missing roughly a month with injury, has been named post-season All Star designated hitter. He joins Jay Coakley (2003), Jacob Dempsey (2008) and CJ Beatty (2014) as Wild Things to win the honor. In 59 games, Reed has clubbed 10 doubles and 12 home runs. He has 52 runs batted in, has scored 37 runs and owns a slash line of .335/.412/.546. At the time of this release, his .335 batting average is the best in the league, two points in front of Trois-Rivieres’ Raphael Gladu (.333) and four in front of Brendan Dadson (.331), who also plays for T-R.
Alex Boshers has been named Coach of the Year for the second time as well. He also won the award while a player/coach in 2021, his first season of now four with the organization. Mark Mason (2006) is the only other Wild Things coach to win the honor. Alex has led the Wild Things pitching staff to top ranks in multiple statistical categories this season. The staff leads the league in ERA, the starters have made more than 50 quality starts (six or more innings allowing three earned runs or fewer), and the pitchers have walked the fewest opposing hitters in the league by far.
“These awards are a fitting way to wrap up a tremendous regular season. All the winners are very deserving and a testament to what we have achieved as a team,” said manager Tom Vaeth. “[I’m] very happy for Alex. To be a two-time winner of the coach of the year award in four years speaks volumes for the work he has put in during his tenure.”
The 2024 West Division Champions play the middle game of their weekend series with the Schaumburg Boomers tonight at 7:05 p.m. before finishing the regular season tomorrow.
Tickets for the Frontier League Division Series games at Wild Things Park are available now. Game 2 (listed as 2024 Playoff Game 1 on the ticket site) is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Saturday, September 7. The game is presented by McClellands Contracting and Roofing, LLC and the first 1,000 fans will receive Thunder Sticks presented by UPMC. Game 3 (labeled as 2024 Playoff Game 2 on the ticket site), if necessary, in the best of three series, will be a Blueprints Kids Eat Free Sunday at 5:35 p.m. Sunday, September 8.
