Voelker, Bear, LaLime named NJCAA Baseball All-Americans
Three members of the Northern Essex Community College baseball team have been named All-Americans as announced today by the NJCAA Baseball Committee, highlighted by first team selections for sophomore pitcher Jayden Voelker (Coventry, RI) and sophomore shortstop Chris Bear (Boston).
Haverhill, MA (June 10, 2024) – Three members of the Northern Essex Community College baseball team have been named All-Americans as announced today by the NJCAA Baseball Committee, highlighted by first team selections for sophomore pitcher Jayden Voelker (Coventry, RI) and sophomore shortstop Chris Bear (Boston). Freshman centerfielder Max LaLaime (Portsmouth, NH) also got the All-American nod as he was selected to the second team.
Voelker, a Major League Baseball prospect in the July draft, who missed the 2023 season with injury picks up his second All-America recognition as he picked up third team honors as a freshman in 2022. Throughout the season Voelker dominated the opposition as he led the nation with 18.59 strikeouts per nine innings pitched as he struck out a Northern Essex modern era record of 126 batters on the season in 61 innings pitched. The 126 strikeouts also led the nation. He also finished second in earned run average with 1.48 while picking up eight wins on the season. Over the course of the season he was named the NJCAA Pitcher of the Week on three occasions while being named First Team All-Region 21 and being named the regional Pitcher of the Year
Bear, who is headed to the University of Maine in the fall to continue his athletic and academic career finished third in the nation in stolen bases with 37, and a slash line that included a .468 batting average, .529 on base percentage and .687 slugging percentage. He recorded 68 hits in 42 games on the season with 23 hits bring of the extra base variety. Both his hit and stolen base totals led Region 21 as did his 48 RBIs as he was named the Region 21 Player of the Year at the conclusion of the conference season.
LaLime, who transferred into NECC from Baldwin Wallace plans to return for the 2025 season after he finished his campaign with a .371 batting average to go along with .477 on base percentage and .643 slugging percentage. He finished second to Bear in the region in both runs batted in (47) and stolen bases (34). Hitting out of the lead off position the majority of the season he led the region with nine home runs.
On the season, the Knights finished with a 27-15 overall recorded advancing to their third consecutive NJCAA World Series and 10th overall in program history.