Bickford among nine Mr. Baseball finalists
Recently named 2018 Gatorade Maine player of the year Brendan Tinsman of Cape Elizabeth is among nine finalists for the Dr. John W. Winkin “Mr. Baseball” award presented annually to the state’s top high school senior baseball player by the Maine Baseball Coaches Association.
Tinsman, a catcher, also has been named Western Maine Conference Class B co-player of the year this spring and will play baseball next year at Division I Wake Forest University in North Carolina.
The award winner will be honored at the Maine Senior All-Star Games on Thursday, June 21, at Colby College in Waterville. A brief ceremony will be held at approximately 6:30 p.m., just before the first pitch of the Class A-B North vs. South senior all-star game.
The ceremony will be preceded at 3 p.m. by the Class C-D North vs. South senior all-star game.
Other Mr. Baseball finalists include pitcher Jacob Bickford of Dexter, the Penobscot Valley Conference Class C player of the year who will attend the University of Maine in the fall; pitcher Dean Grass of Bangor Christian, the co-Class D North-South player of the year who will attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.; pitcher-shortstop Pedro Matos of Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield, the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B player of the year who will attend UMaine; and pitcher-catcher Evan Bess of Madison and the Bridgeway (Madison-Carrabec) cooperative baseball team, the Mountain Valley Conference Class C player of the year who will attend UMaine.
Also, pitcher-first baseman Grant Hartley of Edward Little of Auburn, the KVAC Class A North player of the year who will play baseball at UMaine; catcher Cameron King of Portland, a first-team All-Southwestern Maine Activities Association selection who will play baseball at Bridgton Academy; pitcher-shortstop Cam Cousins of Wells, the co-WMC Class B player of the year who will play at Southern Maine Community College; and outfielder Shane McNeil of Traip Academy in Kittery, the WMC Classes C-D player of the year who will play at Thomas College next season.