LYNNFIELD — Lynnfield native Jonathan Luders was named the 2022 New England Collegiate Baseball League Sportsman of the Year for his tremendous work on and off the field for the North Shore Navigators.
“It is very humbling — it is really cool to be recognized in that way. I think summer ball is also about the things you do off the field, whether it is signing baseballs for little kids or what you do off the field for the community,” said Luders.
“It is always a little more than just the stuff on the baseball field itself. You are not just a baseball player — you have to be a human being,” he added.
While Luders does things like sign baseballs and give kids broken bats, he also does work for the entire North Shore community. He worked at the Navs’ Field of Dreams Clinic and is instrumental in the team’s You’re With Us program, serving as a mentor to young adults with disabilities.
“The You’re With Us program is awesome — I did something similar to it in high school, and I really liked it a lot. Our awesome batboy Nick is my You’re With Us buddy, and we have a great time — we will hang out sometimes on the off days and go mini golfing — just hang out and whatnot,” said Luders.
“It is very rewarding. I gain a lot out of it, and I think the kids gain a lot out of it too, so I am really grateful for that,” he said.
Luders was just as great on the field this season for the Navs, especially on defense, where he plays shortstop. In an impressive fashion, he only committed two errors all season. Not only was he spectacular on defense, but he also did well at the plate, hitting .233 with 5 RBIs and 13 runs.
Luders’s honor marks the first time in team history that a player has won this award. Not only that, but Luders was chosen for the award by his peers from around the league — each team nominated a player. However, coaches could not vote for their own player when ballots were filled out.
These factors made this honor even more special for Luders, so much so that he says this award might be at the top of his baseball achievements.
“I think it is right at the top because there is only one of it in the NECBL, and the fact that I received it from the coaches is really humbling. I mean, I have not gotten anything like this from the NECBL before, so I was like, wow, that is pretty cool to get recognized,” said Luders.
“I think that has to be it — definitely pretty cool to be recognized after playing the season with the Navigators. I am so thankful for their whole organization, the community, the fans, and everything — so I would say that is right up at the top for sure,” he said.
It is easy to see why Luders was chosen for this award, with all the work he does on and off the field. Especially considering he has a mindset of helping the younger generation of baseball players.
“I mean, the fans are so happy to watch you play that you want to set a good example. I do not want to be seen throwing my helmet or throwing my bat or anything along those lines because I do not want the next generations of kids that look up to me and my teammates playing doing the same thing,” said Luders.
“I want to kind of raise a good generation of baseball where it is just playing hard, having fun, and competing well. It is just greater than yourself — someone is always watching, especially the kids. They just observe and watch you play and look up to you, so you want to always be doing the right thing in that sense,” he added.
As summer winds down, Luders will be heading up to Seton Hall to continue his education and eventually begin his baseball season as a redshirt junior, something he is extremely excited about.
