NACSB National Players of the Week - June 17, 2026

SANFORD, Fla.- Throughout the 2026 season, the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball will honor two players at the conclusion of each week, a National Player and Pitcher of the Week. Players are nominated for the award by earning their league's Player or Pitcher of the Week award. This week's honors represent performances through Sunday, June 15. The weekly honors are selected via a vote of league officials from around the Alliance.

The weekly awards were both awarded to players from the Grand Lake Mariners of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League for performances in the first ten days of the season.

The Player of the Week award goes to Matt Aldridge (Pitt CC). Aldridge hit for a .344 batting (11-for-32) average with a hit in eight games reaching base in all nine games on the season dating back to opening day on June 5th. Aldridge leads the GLSCL with 16 runs scored, 22 total bases and its tied for the top spot with three home runs. The left handed hitting leadoff hitter also has six stolen bases including four against the Hamilton Joes in his Mariners debut.

Aldridge has helped Grand Lake to a league best 8-1 record out of the leadoff spot in the batting order. He has been instrumental to the team's turnaround as the Mariners only need four more wins to exceed the team's total victories (11) in each of the last two seasons. His slash line has been a .344 average along with a .533 on base percentage and a .688 slugging percentage.

The second national Pitcher of the Week is Joe Lafkas (Ball State). Lafkas made two starts for the Mariners earning the win in both of the them pitching a total 10 innings. Lafkas has notched a GLSCL-leading 16 strikeouts with just one walk, a 2-0 record and a 1.80 ERA on the season.

The righthander was especially dominant in his second start on June 13 against the Muskegon Clippers. Lafkas went six innings striking out a league season high 11 batters and was perfect through the first 4.2 innings.

Additionally, the Alliance honors the players from around the nation that were nominated for this week's award.

National Honor Roll (Hitters): Trent Toole (Shore, Atlantic/Villanova), Daniel McGinnis (Alexandria, Cal Ripken Sr./Eastern Mennonite), Bryden Bull (Walnut Creek, California/Ole Miss), Akhil Nimmala (DeLand, Florida/Undecided), David Swift (Shelter Island, Hamptons/Bates), Troy Carpenter (Sanford, New England/Maine), Brian White (Syracuse, New York/Pace), Luke St. John (Concord, Southern/Wingate), Will Goff (Oconee, Sunbelt/Wingate), Baylor Roberts (Strasburg, Valley/UAB)

National Honor Roll (Pitchers): Marcus Monroe (Linden, Atlantic/Saint Peter's), Gavin Elliot (Metro South County, Cal Ripken Sr./Marymount), Spencer Gallimore (San Luis Obispo, California/Undecided), Liam Furey (Sanford, Florida/Columbus State), Evan Kay (Southampton, Hamptons/Stony Brook), Brody Krzysiak (Keene, New England/Kent State), Chase Donahue (Dansville, New York/Undecided), Connor Burcker (Concord, Southern/Potomac State), Anthony Biondo (Alpharetta, Sunbelt/Undecided), Lane Duff (Harrisonburg, Valley/James Madison)

The following leagues were not included in this week's awards: Cape Cod.

The National Alliance of College Summer Baseball (NACSB) is an alliance of twelve college summer leagues that are partially funded by Major League Baseball. Each league and all of their teams are non-profit organizations that support the highest level of collegiate players in their journey to play professional baseball. Members work closely with college baseball programs to ensure player development and eligibility during summer months while maintaining policies that keep player health paramount. This is evidenced by the Alliance's early adoption of the MLB Pitch Smart policy and maintaining a reasonable number of games played across each league. Over 4,000 players choose NACSB leagues each summer with hundreds getting their name called in the MLB draft each year. Member league information can be found on NACSB.ORG.