Futures League Notebook - July 6, 2026

ROCKLAND, Mass. -- Believe it or not, but the final month of the Futures League regular season has just about arrived.

This past week's action saw the Vermont Lake Monsters build on their first-place lead as the four teams currently holding playoff positions separated from the field. However, the Lowell Spinners put together a four-win week and are now just two games behind fifth in the standings.

The latest look around the Futures League covers the games of June 29-July 5.

Zephyr Hats Futures League Player of the Week: Julian Mercado, Worcester Bravehearts (Stetson University)

Mercado put together a monster week to help the Bravehearts stay in a tie for second place in the Futures League standings, going 8-for-20 with a double, two home runs, 11 RBI, six runs scored, five walks and a stolen base. Two of his six games last week were three-hit performances, including a three-hit, four-RBI night on Friday at Norwich. He homered in Worcester's wins over Westfield and New Britain.

Firecracker Sports Futures League Pitcher of the Week: Garret Garbinski, New Britain Bees (University of Connecticut)

Garbinski turned in his most dominant start yet in Tuesday's 2-0 win over Norwich, pitching seven shutout innings while scattering five hits and striking out seven. It was the second-year Bee's third win in five starts this summer and his third straight outing without an earned run allowed, as his ERA dropped to a minuscule 0.89 through 30.1 innings. 

TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES

LOWELL SPINNERS (13-22)

• The Spinners had their winningest week of the Futures League season, beating four different opponents en route to a 4-2 record. The week began with a 10-9 Monday win to take a three-game series against first-place Vermont, while back-to-back double-digit explosions against Norwich and Nashua brought pre-Independence Day fireworks to LeLacheur Park.

• Bradley McCafferty (Virginia) went 5-for-8 with two doubles and three RBI across his last two games, earning a Player of the Night honor with a 3-for-4 performance in Thursday's 16-4 win over Norwich. Also in that game, Cam Biller (Mount St. Mary's) highlighted his 8-for-20, six-RBI week with a grand slam and Jack Quigley (Maine) had a 3-for-4 night of his own to start a four-game hit streak.

• Josh Bryant (Saint Anselm) was credited with two of Lowell's wins out of the bullpen. He struck out five and allowed just two hits and two unearned runs in 3.1 innings. Caden Smith (Saint Anselm) and Danny Ditullio (Northeastern) gave up just one earned run through their respective starts.

• Anthony Mateo (Alabama A&M) earned his second and third saves of the summer, throwing 2.2 innings of two-hit ball. He recorded the final five outs against Vermont.

NASHUA SILVER KNIGHTS (16-16)

• Nashua finished the week 4-2 to move to 16-16, highlighted by a 5-3 road win over Norwich, an 8-7 walk-off victory over Worcester in 10 innings, and a 4-3 Independence Day win over Norwich. 

• The Silver Knights opened the week with a complete team effort against Norwich as Ty Lohsen (Lasell) tossed six scoreless innings to earn his first win, Connor Smith (Gannon) drove in two runs during Nashua's five-run fifth inning, and Declan Wilkes (Lehigh) struck out the side in the ninth for the save. 

• Nashua's biggest win of the week came against Worcester, rallying from an early three-run deficit before Jordan Welch (Stony Brook) delivered the walk-off two-run single in the 10th inning. Caleb Vacchiano (Southern Maine) drove in three runs, while Michael Crowley (Assumption) and Ryan Maiorano (Fairfield) combined for seven strikeouts over five innings of relief. 

• Despite losses to Vermont and Lowell, the Silver Knights closed the week on a high note as AJ Kolb (Towson) went 3-for-4 and Smith added two hits in the July 4 win over Norwich. Jameson Dobis (Bryant) earned the win before Josh Martino (Southern New Hampshire) and Aaron Forgues (Hobart) combined for two scoreless innings to secure the victory. 

NEW BRITAIN BEES (18-14)

• The Bees were led offensively by Grady Schopps (Salve Regina), who went 5-for-8 and drove in two runs across the 3-3 week. Owen Rich (Binghamton) also gave New Britain a steady spark, batting 5-for-12 with two runs scored, two RBI, and three walks.

• Tim Hennig (Binghamton) added an extra-base impact with two doubles on his 6-for-18 week, while Ben Kuja (Brandeis) contributed with four hits, four RBI, three runs scored and two walks in five games.

• On the mound, Garret Garbinski (UConn) delivered the standout performance of the week last Tuesday, firing seven scoreless innings while allowing just five hits and striking out seven to earn the win. Thomas Harding (St. John's), who tossed four scoreless innings with nine strikeouts, and Robby Wunsch (UMass Boston) were also Pitcher of the Night winners last week. 

• The Bees also saw quality bullpen work from Alex Casey (Union) who had 3.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts, and Tommy Conley (St. John's University) who added three hitless and scoreless frames. 

NORWICH SEA UNICORNS (14-19)

• The Sea Unicorns were paced by several steady bats, led by Jackson Powers (Saint Anselm), who hit 8-for-16 with eight RBI, and a .750 slugging percentage. Mike Fiatarone (Bryant) was another major hitter, collecting eight hits with two doubles and five runs scored over six games. 

• Matt Park (Quinnipiac) contributed with a .385 average, four walks, and a .500 on base percentage. Caden Williamson (Quinnipiac) chipped in four hits, including two doubles, and scored three runs in three games.

• Norwich's top pitching effort came from Sean McGettigan (Monmouth), who earned a win with 3.1 scoreless innings of relief, allowing no runs and striking out three. Aidan Cochrane (UConn) also impressed from the bullpen, going 4.1 innings with just one earned run and four strikeouts.

• Jacob Schrage (Post University) worked five innings while holding opponents to a .118 average in the best Sea Unicorn stat of the week, and Jackson Pray (UConn Avery Point) was a relief arm through the week, striking out 12 in 7.2 innings pitched.

VERMONT LAKE MONSTERS (23-10)

• The Lake Monsters put together another strong week, winning five of six games behind timely hitting and solid pitching to improve to 23-10 on the season and extend their first-place lead to 4.5 games.

• Jake Dunlap (Catawba) was 8-for-17 with four runs scored and five RBI over the week, while Hunter Strohm (Mississippi State) continued to swing a hot bat, going 7-for-16 with one double, one triple, four RBI and five walks while posting a .625 on-base percentage.

• Doug Pyle (Azusa Pacific) totaled six scoreless innings across both a start and relief outing, totaling six scoreless innings. Finn Haines (Rutgers) was effective in three relief appearances, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out six. He earned a victory on Wednesday against Westfield. 

• Sam Labrecque (Oberlin) fanned four across his three hitless innings to post a win and a save, turning in a Pitcher of the Night honor on Saturday.

WESTFIELD STARFIRES (13-20)

• The Starfires finished the week 2-4, highlighted by a split in their doubleheaders on Friday and Sunday. Westfield earned a 4-3 win over New Britain alongside a 2-1 victory over Lowell.

• Westfield's offense was powered by Aiden Barclay (Cornell), who was 6-for-13 with four RBI, six runs scored and three stolen bases. Jamison Howland (Stonehill) added a strong 5-for-14 showing with a .471 on-base percentage, while Vance Bonior (UMass) maintained consistency with a 7-for-16 week.

• Tyler Dunlea (UMass Lowell) pitched six innings of one-run ball to start the Sunday win over Lowell, which Dillon Harding (UMass Dartmouth) closed. Mike Cervoni (Stony Brook) had a two-run single to provide all of the Starfires' offense. 

• On Friday, Noah Farrell (UConn) pitched two innings of shutout, one-hit ball and Barclay hit the game-winning RBI single to lift Westfield past New Britain in the first game of a doubleheader. 

WORCESTER BRAVEHEARTS (19-15)

• The Bravehearts ended a busy week slate with three wins and five losses, highlighted by explosive performances at the plate and on the mound in a 15-0 Sunday shutout win over New Britain.

• Julian Mercado (Stetson) continued to provide power while hitting 8-for-20 with two home runs, 11 RBI, and six runs scored. He earned Futures League Player of the Week honors on the strength of his 3-for-4 Sunday with four runs scored, while Alan Carpenter (Worcester State) and Tate Bannish (Tufts) also had three hits in that game. 

• Hunter St. Denis (Maine) also helped to lead Worcester at the plate, going 8-for-17 with four runs scored, one home run and three RBI. He continued a five-game hit streak.

• Jake Shaughnessy (Eastern Connecticut State) turned in Worcester's top pitching performance, tossing a seven-inning complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits while striking out six to earn the Sunday win. Aiden Cardoza (Wheaton) tossed five shutout innings in relief.