With Labor Day a week away and the kids headed back to school across the country, the MLB Draft League season is drawing to a close and with it comes the end of the Trenton Thunder's 30th season. It was a season for the record books filled with young and talented players, first half dominance and a rollercoaster of a second half.
The Thunder are about set to wrap up their home schedule for the season with a three-game set against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers - their last home set before the MLB Draft League Championship Game the day before Labor Day. With that in mind, let's take a look back on the season as a whole and hand out some end of season superlatives to some players that stood out for the Thunder in 2023.
Most Likely to Have Multiple 30/30 Seasons in the Majors - Chris Brito
What more can you say about Rutgers product Chris Brito? He absolutely raked for the Thunder in the first half of 2023 as he turned in a .386 average with an OPS of 1.120 in 26 games for the Thunder, even earning MLB Draft League Player of the Month honors for the month of June. He is currently signed to the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League, a partner league of Major League Baseball. If he continues at the torrid pace he set in the Draft League this season, he'll make the Majors in due course.
Most Likely to win a Cy Young Award - Jonah Hurney
The Virginia Tech lefty pitched to a 3-2 record with an earned run average of just under four in the second half of the season as the Trenton Thunder maintained their first half dominance. Command was slightly suspect to start the second half, but once he hit his stride, he was nearly unstoppable. In fact, he was pacing at a 16-to-20 win pace over a 162-game Major League Baseball season. A little improvement over the winter should make Hurney an attractive middle of the rotation piece for a Major League team down the road.
Most Valuable Player/Most Likely to Succeed in the Clutch - Dan Covino
Dan Covino, the University of Delaware product, has come through in big spots for the Thunder in 2023. Going into this final series against Mahoning Valley, he is slashing .252/.417/.811. His power has shown much improvement and his fielding has only gotten better game to game. He has shown much versatility in the infield and has proven himself as a lockdown option, especially in the middle infield.
2023 season as a whole
If one were to rate 2023 as a whole for the Trenton Thunder - it would probably be a B+. Look, their first half was nothing short of remarkable. It was near reminiscent of their championship runs of 2013 and 2019 with some hints of their 2007 run. Their second half was middling to start but then the Trenton Thunder showed flashes of their 2008 and 2019 runs, showing why they could be the team to beat in the Draft League this season. They'll have a tough task ahead against West Virginia in the Championship Game next Sunday, but it's doable.
2023 grades:
1st Half: A+
2nd Half: B-
Season as a whole: B+
The Road Ahead For The Thunder
The Trenton Thunder will wrap their home schedule with the finale of their series against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers on Sunday evening - first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. After that, it's a five-game road trip: three against Frederick, then two against the Williamsport Crosscutters before the Championship Game right back at Trenton Thunder Ballpark on September 3rd.
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- Trenton Thunder end of season superlatives - August 27, 2023
