South Burlington native Nick Kelly is back for his second summer with the Vermont Lake Monsters as the team enters its 31st season.
Kelly, a right-handed pitcher, said he got his start in baseball thanks to his dad.
After missing the spring season at Fairfield University due to an arm injury, he’s using the summer to work his way back.
“My goal is rehabbing my throwing arm that kept me from pitching this spring at Fairfield and getting ready for next season,” he said.
In the 2024 season with the Lake Monsters, Kelly appeared in five games, pitching a total of 9.1 innings. He held a 2-0 record and a 0.96 earned run average.
Kelly said one of the highlights of playing for the Lake Monsters is the atmosphere at the ballpark.
“What I enjoy most is the fans that come out to the ballpark,” he said.
Centennial Field, located on the University of Vermont campus, has been home to the team since its start in 1994. The historic ballpark dates back to 1906.
This is the fifth year the Lake Monsters have competed in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. The team previously played 26 seasons in Minor League Baseball as an affiliate of the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals and the Oakland Athletics.
Since joining the FCBL in 2021, the Lake Monsters have claimed one league championship and two regular-season titles. The team set league records for wins in 2021 and 2022.
Average attendance in 2024 was 2,520 fans per game, with more than 2.9 million total over the past 30 years.
For information about tickets and upcoming games, visit vermontlakemonsters.com.
Vermont Lake Monsters is part of the sponsored content program called Spotlight.
