Pictured here: Hometown product, Gavin Nolin receives the 2019 Eldon Elliot-Dr. Ian Smith MVP trophy from Martin Smith (son of the late Dr. Ian Smith, right) and NSRBL Commissioner Kelvin Colliar (left). Nolin has been a force in the senior baseball ranks since joining the NSRBL back in the spring of 2017. (Submitted photo/Kelvin Colliar)

By Martin Martinson

Hometown Standout

Former MVP Gavin Nolin reflects on road to baseball stardom with Trappers

May 28, 2021 | 6:00 PM

Since he was seven years old, North Battleford’s Gavin Nolin has always had a second home during the spring season on the local baseball diamond.

While his first love may have been on the ice, growing up playing a range of sports, from hockey to football, volleyball and basketball, it was baseball—which he began playing in second grade—that began to stand out among the rest in a noticeable way as Nolin progressed through his early-to-mid teen years.

“I was a big hockey kid until I was about 15 or 16, when I had kind of had enough of hockey,” Nolin said, reflecting back with a laugh. “I had played ball all those years, but that was kind of when I fell in love with it more and started playing it more often. Along the way, I guess, I got a little better at it, which probably helped too.”

From the grassroots level to senior ball, Gavin Nolin has been a force both at the plate and on the mound. (Submitted photos/Gavin Nolin)

For Nolin, it wasn’t just the outdoor air that drew him into the sport, but rather the largely unique dynamic baseball provides between both personal and team performance.

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“I think it’s the best sport, because it relies so much on you as an individual, yet you could have the game of your life and could still lose,” Nolin said. “As much as parts of the game [like batting and fielding the ball] are individual and you have to count on yourself, you also can’t win without the other nine guys on the field and if you only have two hits in the game and they’re both one guy, you’re probably not going to win.”

A Swiss Army knife on the diamond, Nolin played a mix of middle infield through his early years, before shifting to specialize more specifically shortstop at age 15. That’s been his primary position since, although he also pitches regularly as well within the Battlefords Trappers rotation, in the North Sask. River Baseball League (NSRBL).

Since joining the NSRBL in the spring of 2017, Nolin has quickly established himself as a standout amongst even the best senior baseball players in the region.

Improving each of his three full seasons to date in hits, runs and batting average, Nolin had a special season to remember during the 2019 campaign, when he became the first Trappers player ever—and just the third player ever from a community team—to receive League MVP honours.

Nolin joined Rylan Rodgers of the 2010 North Battleford Beavers, and Brett Harrison of the ‘99 North Battleford Junior Beavers (who took home the inaugural MVP trophy) as the only others to accomplish the feat.

Over a full 18-game season, Nolin tallied a league-best .600 batting percentage, 1.00 slugging percentage, and .679 on-base percentage, while striking out just four times.

Additionally, Nolin also led all batters with 56 plate appearances, and 27 hits, while his 16 runs batted in (RBI) were third-most in the league. His two home runs (second in NSRBL), 20 runs (3rd), and 10 walks (4th) were also amongst the very elite in senior baseball.

To better understand the context of the numbers, Barry Bonds who won an MLB-best seven MVP Awards in the Major Leagues, put up a personal-best .370 batting average in 2002, and .609 on-base percentage in 2004, numbers less efficient at the plate than Nolin’s last two seasons (albeit Bonds’ was against the best pitchers in the world).

With deadly-accurate precision and a heavy swing, Gavin Nolin provides the Trappers with a threat to get on base each time he takes to the batters’ box. (Submitted photo/Gavin Nolin)

On the pitcher’s mound, Nolin also finished top-10 in the league with a 2.33 ERA (earned run average), and 26 strikeouts.

Perhaps even more than the numbers, what might best encapsulate who Nolin is, are the first words out of his mouth talking about his season for the ages. Rather than vanity and personal stats, he speaks about his teammates and winning baseball games.

“Really, the best part about that season was that we were winning games, and that was probably the most successful year we’ve had as a team,” Nolin said. “Obviously, it’s nice to get recognized, but to be honest it’s not really something you think about.”

“I had a good year hitting, but I think what really won it for me was that I threw well from the [pitchers] mound too. Despite the fact that I’m not a big strikeout pitcher, I didn’t give up a whole lot of runs that year. So that means there were a lot of ground-ball and fly-ball outs, so I had a lot of help from the boys in the [field], as well.”

Not to be outdone by his past performance, during the shortened 2020 spring season, Nolin lead the Trappers to a fourth place finish with a 5-3 record through the abbreviated eight-game schedule. And while the team would ultimately fall in the playoff quarterfinals to the cross-town rival, North Battleford Beavers, the captain/player-coach of the Trappers had another season for the history books.

Nolin led his club, finishing top-five of virtually every offensive stat-category in the league, with 33 plate appearances (second in NSRBL), 27 at-bats (2nd), nine runs (2nd), 13 hits (2nd), nine runs batted in (RBI) (3rd), while being walked six times (5th) and having zero strikeouts.

Additionally, Nolin’s .481 batting average was tops amongst players to play all eight games, as were his .576 on-base percentage and .630 slugging percentage.

With all but one player set to return to the Trappers this season, Nolin said he and the team are looking forward to getting back together on the diamond to start the season early next month.

The NSRBL season is scheduled to begin June 7. For all the latest on the Battlefords Trappers, visit the NSRBL website, or follow the Trappers on Facebook.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1