Chater's .524 average led the twelve-team Senior Division

By Jim Stewart

Bolton Brewers' shortstop and leadoff hitter Brett Chater was named Senior Division MVP at the North Dufferin Baseball League 2025 Awards Ceremony last week in Lisle.

Chater's prolific hitting and spectacular play at shortstop earned him the Bruce Jenkins Memorial Trophy as the NDBL's MVP for the second consecutive season. The long-time Brewer also captured the Creemore Star Trophy for leading the 12-team Senior loop in hitting last year with a .524 average.

Brewers Player-Coach Mike Wallace praised Chater's talents on and off the diamond.

“He's tremendously focused. You can tell he's going to have a great game just by watching his BP.

Coach Wallace contextualized Chater's well-deserved recognition by the League: “Although we didn't win it last year—it definitely wasn't a perfect season—we wouldn't have got to where we did [into the second round of the playoffs] without him and Brett definitely earned it.  One thing that stands out in Brett's case in addition to his great skill is that he stayed healthy and remained Mr. Consistency. He didn't take a pitch off all season.”

The veteran bench boss acknowledged Chater's long-time contributions to the Brewers.

“He's been at lead off and shortstop since he came in from the Bolton Juniors and after playing rep ball in Brampton. Brett's been with us since 2009—he was 22 when he started and he's in his mid-30s now.  Overall, he's always been the first one to arrive and the last one to leave.”

Wallace—the team's second baseman/DH and three-spot hitter—has played alongside Chater for over 15 years and offered some intangibles to explain why the five-tool ballplayer deserved the 2025 NDBL MVP.

“His leadership skills on the diamond were recognized. We're going through a transition with many new ballplayers on the roster. They look up to Brett and seek his advice. They couldn't pick a better guy to get a hitting tip from. He's also helped manage when I've been away with my rep team.”

The affable manager was also pleased to see the League recognize Chris Fafalios, the Brewers' steady leftfielder and mid-order hitter, for his diligent administrative work, including his recent three-year term as NDBL President and Chief Statistician.

Coach Wallace recognized his long-time player's contributions to the League.

“Chris did a tremendous job for the League—not an easy job at the best of times, especially as President and our League statistician. He's a typical baseball gamer and has made the League better. We're lucky to have him here. It's obvious that he loves the game and is a leader in so many ways. He's coaching two teams in Aurora and still serving as an Umpire-in-Chief.”  

In addition to singing the praises of Chater and Fafalios, Wallace is preparing the next crop of prospective Brewers by coaching the 14U AAA Caledon Nationals—the first Elite rep baseball team to play in Bolton.

Both his baseball clubs—the Brewers and the Nationals – will be inaugural tenants of Caledon's sparkling ballpark in north Bolton and the dual-Head Coach can't wait to get to the new digs.

“Taylor Field—just off the Emil Kolb Parkway—is slated to open on time so we'll be moving in soon.  We're looking forward to two beautiful fields there with grass infields. 310' down the lines. Pitchers won't like the park as much, but our hitters are going to like it. Those fly balls caught up in the wind in our old park won't be caught at Taylor Field. We'll have state of the art dugouts, too, and lots of bleachers and stands. We're also moving our home games from Thursday to Monday nights so we're looking forward to prime-time Monday Night Baseball.”

Coach Wallace also disclosed some changes regarding Bolton's traditional uniform which will coincide with their upcoming tenancy at Taylor Field: “We're re-branding the Brewers. We'll be retiring the old lighter blue and gold jerseys and going to a more Navy-look in our jerseys with grey pants—kind of a [University of] Michigan look.”  

The new-look Brewers will take the field in their Navy and Grey uniforms on May 3 when they open the 2026 season in Lisle versus the Astros.