Sandown's Noah Lucier sets sights on majors
Jan. 30—Noah Lucier described himself as someone who grew up playing baseball with a chip on his shoulder. It appears that chip is still there.
Lucier was hoping to be signed by a major league organization following his 2023 season at Fairfield University, but wasn't offered a contract. He's still pursuing his goal of joining an MLB organization, however, and last week signed to play for the Brockton, Mass.-based New England Knockouts of the Frontier League.
The Frontier League is one of four independent pro leagues that partners with Major League Baseball. The league has 16 teams, three of which are in Canada.
"My sights are set on being signed by an affiliated MLB team," Lucier said. "Last year when I was at Fairfield, I felt like I was a little slighted. I feel like I had a good enough season to get signed, but that didn't happen. I took that and said, 'I'm going to give it one last go and prove to people that I belong at that level.'"
Lucier, a shortstop, was born in Exeter and lives in Sandown. He attended Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Mass.
Lucier, 23, played at Division II Stonehill College for four years before he transferred to Division I Fairfield for his final season of college baseball. He led Fairfield with 84 hits last season — second-most in the program's history — and helped the Stags win their third straight MAAC regular-season championship.
Lucier finished third among MAAC players with 62 runs scored and fifth in batting average (.364). He committed three errors in 174 chances (.985 fielding percentage) and was the first player in the program's history to be a finalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, which is given annually to the best college shortstop in the country.
While he was at Stonehill, Lucier spent two summers playing for the Nashua Silver Knights of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.
"Coming out of high school I thought I was good enough to play Division I, but I didn't get that opportunity," he said. "When I had the opportunity to play a fifth year and go to a Division I school, I jumped right on it.
"Not so much when I was young, but I feel like as I got older I was kind of overlooked in a lot of ways and that's something that's always stuck with me. Having that motivation, just being able to prove to people that may have passed on me over the years, kind of fueled and lit a fire under me.
"I wanted to prove something. I've always been that (Division I) player and just needed that shot. That's what kind of propelled me to play at my best level that last year."
Lucier spent last summer with the West Virginia Black Bears of the MLB Draft League.
The Knockouts joined the Frontier League last fall and will play their home games at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton. Former Saint Anselm coach Jerod Edmonson is the team's manager.
"The league has a lot of guys who might not have made it to MLB but were in MLB organizations, so the competition is there," Lucier said. "You're going to be facing some top arms, top bats day in and day out. That's what the draw was for me.
"At the end of the day, it's about going there and being able to perform. If I'm going to give it one last good shot, I have to do it in a league that has that competition that's gonna push me, and if I do well enough, a team may come calling."
