Former BigCat Matt Larkins enjoyed his best season of professional baseball this year pitching for the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. The Atlantic League is considered the highest level other than Major League with over 40% of players having having some service time at the highest level. In fact 3 of Matts teammates this year at the Ducks had their contracts purchased big Major League organisations and went on to enjoy more success back in the Big Leagues, 2 of them were also in the pitching rotation at the Ducks with Matt and former Duck Rich Hill looks set to start a game for the Dodgers later this week in the World Series.
All of this makes Matts achievement in being named the Long Island starting pitcher of the year an even more impressive effort. In his first full season with the flock after crossing from the Lincoln
Saltdogs in the American Association he impressed across the board. He lead the Ducks and ranked 2nd in the league with 139 strikeouts and also lead the league in shutouts with 3 and took
a no hitter into the 9th innings against Somerset mid season. He was also the Ducks leader in innings pitched 156 and complete games 4 and finished the season with an excellent 3.69 ERA which ranked 4th amongst Atlantic League hurlers. The club wishes Matt all the best into the future and we will all follow his career with interest.