“Crack!” Spectators rise to their feet as junior Hugh Bolinger struts around the bases following his first career grand slam, a feat nearly unheard of for athletes at Warren Field.
This season Bolinger has quickly become one of the best players on the varsity baseball team. Bolinger has the stats to back this up, sporting a batting average of .369, all while leading the team in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, hits, doubles, triples, home runs and runs batted in.
Bolinger made the varsity team his freshman year, and he made an impact right away. Following a sophomore year campaign that wasn’t up to his standards, Bolinger entered the offseason determined to get better. Despite a serious surgery before this season, Bolinger used his resilience to rise to the top.
“I came back from surgery, so I was out for most of the winter and early spring,” Bolinger said.
“Just being hungry, after being out for so long and ready to get back out there, that motivated me a lot.”
According to senior and captain Jimmy Depalo, Bolinger’s work ethic sets him apart from his peers.
“He’s a very hard worker, and he puts a lot of effort into trying to get better every day,” Depalo said. “A lot of kids slack off, but he’s the one that you always see working, whether it’s lifting, hitting or fielding.”
Head coach Brendan O’Connor said the combination of Bolinger’s raw talent and mature mentality factor into his success.
“He packs a lot of power in his swing,” O’Connor said. “The most important part is that he has a mind that thinks ahead. It seems like he’s always one step ahead of everyone else, and he’s just one of the most confident players that I’ve seen come through Brookline in a long time.”
Depalo said Bolinger has been a leader on the team, assisting his teammates and creating a supportive culture.
“He gives good advice about his swing, and when other kids need help, he’s there to give them pointers,” Depalo said. “He was trying to do some things outside of practices socially to get the team together and get closer.”
According to Bolinger, he relies on social media as his medium for building up his baseball IQ and formulating an approach at the plate.
“A lot of my TikToks or Instagram reels are about baseball. I think it’s about picking up little things from coaches and MLB players online and using all that information to build your approach,” Bolinger said.
Bolinger has played a variety of positions this season. According to O’Connor, he has not only performed well in all of them, but it is his versatility that makes him so special.
“He’s been one of those guys that fills whatever spot that we need,” O’Connor said. “He’s fulfilled every role and exceeded expectations in every role.”
As the season comes to a close, Bolinger has goals of becoming a Bay State Conference All-Star, something that he believes is well within reach. In the bigger picture, he said he hopes to commit soon to play college baseball.
O’Connor said Bolinger is well-suited to continue his career beyond high school.
“He knows how to take care of himself and has a good program and regimen, which speaks volumes if he’s going to try and have a long career after high school, which I think he will, ” O’Connor said. “He wants to be in important situations. He wants to be the guy to step up for the team and get the job done. And more often than not, he does.”
