By Steve LaMontia-Carlentini, MSBL Director of Communications

John Kutcher — MSBL / DCMSBL Spotlight

DCMSBL Player Spotlight

John Kutcher’s life in baseball has unfolded slowly and organically — one season at a time.

He began like so many others, at nine years old, in local recreation leagues. He was not a prodigy. He was not the kid everyone predicted would still be playing decades later. He simply loved the game. And that love proved durable.

As he matured, the game matured with him. He competed in the Maryland Semi-Pro Baseball League, sharpening his skills against stronger competition. In the early adult years he stayed engaged after many peers had stepped away.

Over time, those adult baseball circles evolved into what became the Harford County Adult Baseball League. John eventually ran that league for many years. It was not glamorous work. It was scheduling, field coordination, manager conversations, weather issues, roster questions, and the thousand small responsibilities that keep adult baseball alive.

Then another chapter opened.

John’s oldest son Tim, middle son Steven, and eventual youngest son Joseph all grew up around the fields. Tim went on to play collegiate baseball at Johns Hopkins University, where he became a senior captain and helped lead the program to the Division III College World Series. Steven has gone on to help run the DCMSBL. Joseph, now a senior at Towson University, helped T4C establish a youth mentoring program for young writers who cover baseball stories and community events, and which has now grown to include 10 student interns each Summer.

One moment in particular — a 10th-inning walk-off double — remains etched in family history.

For readers who want to see the moment itself, this YouTube clip of the walk-off captures the emotion of that day in a way words alone cannot.

John made a deliberate decision during those years. He transitioned league leadership to new hands so he could be fully present as a father. That choice remains one of the most meaningful of his life. Baseball was no longer just something he played or ran. It was something he watched, supported, and experienced from the other side of the fence — just as his own father once had.

Parallel to this baseball journey, John was building a software company. When a major division of that company was sold in 2019, it created an opportunity to connect business success with community impact. That connection became Technology 4 Causes (T4C), a nonprofit designed to leverage technology in service of mission-driven organizations (technology4causes.org).

Because baseball had always been the connective thread in his life, it naturally became part of that philanthropic expression. Baseball 4 Causes (www.baseball4causes.org) emerged under the T4C umbrella — using the game as a platform for mentorship, fundraising, and community engagement. Support flowed toward organizations such as Harford Family House’s annual Home Runs for the Homeless event, Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, and Baltimore Urban Baseball Association. The diamond became more than competition; it became a gathering place for purpose.

One of the most visible expressions of that commitment was the creation of Alumni Field at Kutcher Foundation Stadium. Built as a collegiate-caliber facility with elite lighting and professional-level infrastructure, it was designed for students first — but with a broader vision in mind. A field capable of hosting high school championships, college showcases, community events, and adult league games – now with state-of-the-art lighting. A field built not just for one team, but for decades of players.

It was around this time that another important circle reconnected.

John’s long relationship with adult baseball had always extended beyond a single league. He had competed in national tournaments for years, staying active and testing himself against strong competition. Through those broader networks, he got connected to the DC Metro MSBL through a common set of baseball friends that he first met at the Baltimore Orioles Fantasy Camp in 2006 and formed lifelong friendships.

DCMSBL (dcmsbl.com) is one of the largest and most vibrant adult leagues in the country, with hundreds of players spanning divisions from 18+ through 70+. At the heart of that league since its founding over 30 years ago had been Larry Lombardi — a founder and steward who poured decades of energy into keeping the league organized, competitive, and strong.

When Larry passed the torch to John in 2024, John and his T4C team did not take the reins of DCMSBL to change it. They entered to sustain it and support it.

John and Larry developed a partnership grounded in mutual respect — a recognition that adult baseball survives because someone cares enough to carry it. As conversations evolved, John and his team began helping behind the scenes — providing operational support, nonprofit structure, and long-term planning so that DCMSBL would remain stable and vibrant beyond any single leader. That support has also included helping connect the league to mission-driven partnerships. For more background see the DCMSBL press release and the DCMSBL / Baseball 4 Causes partnership announcement.

John’s middle son, Steven, is now working full-time for the nonprofit, helping to run the day-to-day operations of the DCMSBL and helping to support a multitude of community impact programs, including several youth development, scholarship, and internship programs. Steven is part of the next generation of the Kutcher family helping to use the great sport of baseball to help make the world a better place.

Last year, John formally joined DCMSBL as a player as well. He played for Luis Aparicio’s 60+ White Sox team, along with several teammates from the Harford County leagues who joined him, and they won the league championship. Shown here with Luis, son of the major league shortstop by the same name, and Cardinals manager CJ “Heater” Heatley, John was reminded once again how adult baseball keeps remarkable people connected across generations. Heater was also featured through another Baseball 4 Causes initiative, the Baseball Legacy Society, which published a strong living legacy profile on CJ “Heater” Heatley. That article was written by Joseph Kutcher as part of his summer volunteer work for the Transformation Guild youth mentoring program (www.transformationguild.org). Heater was a naval fighter pilot and lifelong baseball player whose photos helped inspire the movie Top Gun.

After decades in adult baseball — from rec leagues to semi-pro to running a county league — stepping into DCMSBL as both a participant and a supporter felt like coming full circle. He was not just helping administratively; he was taking the field, competing, shaking hands, and sharing dugouts with men who simply refuse to let the game go.

He is proud to be part of MSBL. Proud to help keep DCMSBL strong and vibrant. Proud to support Larry’s legacy and ensure that the dozens of managers and hundreds of players who rely on the league continue to have a place to compete.

Adult baseball does not endure by accident. It endures because former players become stewards. Because founders are supported. Because someone thinks beyond the current season.

For John Kutcher, joining and supporting DCMSBL is another way of giving back. A way of honoring the players who built it. A way of carrying forward the same spirit that once led him to run a local league so others could play.

He started as a nine-year-old in rec ball. He became a semi-pro competitor. He ran a county league. He stepped aside to be a father & fan. He built a field for the community.

And today, he laces up his cleats in DCMSBL — helping ensure that adult baseball in the nation’s capital remains strong for the next generation of players who simply love the game.

That is the arc. And it’s still unfolding.