Baseball Co-Captain Michael Gilligan ’26, with his experience and focused work ethic, has become a model for younger players on the team. Although Gilligan did not respond to provide comments to The Phillipian, his teammates spoke to his leadership.
Kaden McNeice ’28 explained how Gilligan’s personality uplifts teammates and Baseball’s overall morale.
“Michael Gilligan is one of the most energetic [Co-]Captains on our team. When we’re in games, whether he’s pitching or on the bench, he’s always up, making sure everyone stays in the game and firing everyone up. He makes sure everyone is having a great experience with Big Blue Baseball, and he’s always a friendly face if you need someone to talk to or want to pick his brain about baseball or pitching,” said McNeice.
Teammate Jed Sanchez ’29 described Gilligan’s practical influence and impact on the team’s success.
“As [Co-]Captain, he leads us throughout the games on and off the field. He shows us how to carry ourselves and do it the right way, the Big Blue way. On the field, he’s there for everyone, teaching everyone how to play the right way and keeping us disciplined,” said Sanchez.
Sanchez recalled practices where Gilligan helped him work on his technique.
“I’ve had a couple, mostly on the field and on the bus. He showed me how to read things the right way, set things up for practice, and ran me through the plays and plans. He’s helped me with his prior experience, and he’s a very diligent player. He works very hard,” said Sanchez.
In addition to his responsibilities for leading and keeping the team focused during training, Gilligan proves to be consistent in offering advice to his teammates, as McNeice recounts.
“He’s a great leader and one of our best pitchers. We’re both pitchers, so I like to ask specific questions about pitching: different pitch types, grips, how he handles situations, and what pitches he likes to throw in certain counts. I’ve also gotten to know him as a person. He’s a very friendly face for me and has done a great job introducing me to the team and making me feel at home in my first year at Andover,” said McNeice.
