(TRENTON, NJ) -- Prior to the regular season finale of the 2024 Trenton Thunder Baseball Season at Trenton Thunder Ballpark, your Thunder were honored to present 3 players with End of the Season Special Awards.
Our first award was the Case’s Pork Roll Stolen Base Leader. Since George Washington Case minced, smoked, and cured his first ham, the Case Family has produced quality Pork Roll products that remain loyal to family tradition through 6 generations of the Case Family. Their secret spice mix has stood the test of time and has not changed since 1870. George Case had an 11-year Major League baseball career, was a 4-time All Star, and led the league in stolen bases 6 times. Case Pork Roll has been a proud sponsor of the Trenton Thunder since the 2008 season.
Ryan Vogel was the Case’s Pork Roll Stolen Base Leader with 14 stolen bases during the 2024 Season. Ryan is being presented with a commemorative plaque from Crown Trophy in Mercerville, NJ and a chub of Pork Roll from Case’s Pork Roll.
Towards the end of our season, your Thunder put out a poll to our Thunder Makes Members, asking them to cast their vote for our 2024 Thunder Makes Membership Team MVP. This award is meant to highlight the Thunder Player who excelled both on and off the field and embraced the Trenton Thunder Experience. This year’s Thunder Makes Membership Team MVP is Luke Rettig.
Luke returned to Trenton for the 2nd consecutive season and picked up right where he left off in 2023 as the Ace of the Staff. The left-hander posted a 4-2 record across 8 starts in 2024 with a 3.75 ERA. Opponents hit just .254 against him on the season while maintaining a WHIP of 1.17. Through his first 3 home starts of the year, Luke carried over a streak of 29 innings pitched while allowing only 1 earned run dating back to the 2023 season. Despite losing this streak, Luke delivered a complete game performance against the Scrappers back on August 7th, scattering 6 hits and striking out 7 in his 3rd win of the season. Rettig is currently tied for first in the Draft League in wins, complete games, and innings pitched while finishing 2nd in the league in starts.
Luke Rettig was presented with a commemorative plaque from Crown Trophy in Mercerville, NJ. We congratulate Luke Rettig, our 2024 Thunder Makes Membership Team MVP for his success on and off the field.
Our final recognition was for the Samuel J. Plumeri Senior Community Service Award. Since 1999, this award has been given annually to the Trenton Thunder Player who exemplifies the desire, will, and dedication to our surrounding community. This award is given in honor of the man they called “Mr. Trenton.” For 84 years, Sam Plumeri, Sr. walked the earth in search of internal and external happiness. This not only included his happiness, but the happiness of those around him.
This year’s winner has been a frequent participant in Thunder Community event. He helped coach at our Trenton Thunder Baseball Camps and served as the official liaison between the Miracle League of Mercer County and TCNJ Baseball.
The 2024 Samuel J. Plumeri Community Service Award Winner was Thunder Catcher Chris Reeder. Reeder received a commemorative Community Service Award plaque courtesy of Crown Trophy in Mercerville, NJ.
