The 2021 Northwoods League season was the 28th season of baseball in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball organization. The season concluded in August with the Traverse City Pit Spitters winning the championship.
Season overview Background In 2021, there were 22 Northwoods League (NWL) baseball teams, split between the Great Lakes and Great Plains Divisions. These divisions were then split up between the Great Lakes East, Great Lakes West, Great Plains East, and Great Plains West subdivisions.
2021 marked a return to a full season of baseball after the Covid-19-altered 2020 season. In 2020, the league still operated, but teams competed in temporary regional pod divisions. Furthermore, several temporary team identities were created by existing teams, sharing a stadium and playing scrimmage-like games against each other. Heading into 2021, all six of these temporary teams (the K-Town Bobbers, Northern Michigan Dune Bears, Great Lakes Resorters, Kalamazoo Mac Daddies, Mandan Flickertails, and Bismarck Bull Moose) were dissolved.
Since the pandemic was still in full swing, the Thunder Bay Border Cats were unable to participate due to Canada–United States border restrictions. To make up for the schedule absence of the Border Cats, the league created the Minnesota Mud Puppies as a travel-only team, based in the greater Twin Cities area, but not having a home stadium.
Season The regular season began on May 31, with the season split into two halves, and the top two teams in each sub-division—the standings leader from each half—qualified for the playoffs. The first half sub-division winners were the Traverse City Pit Spitters (Great Lakes East), Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (Great Lakes West), Waterloo Bucks (Great Plains East), and St. Cloud Rox (Great Plains West). The second half sub-division winners were the Kokomo Jackrabbits (Great Lakes East), Madison Mallards (Great Lakes West), Duluth Huskies (Great Plains East), and Mankato MoonDogs (Great Plains West).
In the four best-of-three subdivision series, the Pit Spitters took 2 of 3 from the Jackrabbits, the Mallards swept the Dock Spiders, the Bucks swept the Huskies, and the Rox swept the MoonDogs. In the single-game Great Lakes Division championship, the Pit Spitters defeated the Mallards. In the Great Plains, the Rox defeated the Bucks.
The NWL Championship game was held at Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud, Minnesota on 8/20/21. The Rox scored first, putting up a run in the second inning. But the Pit Spitters put up two unanswered runs in the 4th, 5th, and 6th. Traverse City ultimately defeated St. Cloud 9-3 and won their second NWL championship.
Individual achievements Chandler Simpson of the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders and Matt Higgins of the Mankato MoonDogs were named 2021 NWL Co-Most Valuable Players. Simpson hit .377 with 23 RBI, 52 runs scored, and 55 stolen bases. His stolen bases tally set a new NWL single-season record at the time. Higgins hit for a .335 average with 5 home runs, 19 doubles and 50 RBI.
Cam Schuelke of the Traverse City Pit Spitters was named 2021 NWL Pitcher of the Year. He appeared in 15 games (53 innings) and had eight wins, 48 strikeouts and a 0.68 ERA
In the 2021 Major League Baseball draft, an even 100 former NWL players were selected by MLB teams. Jordan Wicks was the highest-selected alum, going to the Chicago Cubs with the 21st pick.
Standings Great Lakes Division + Great Lakes East Sub-Division Regular Season Standings Pos Team G W L Pct. 1y – Kokomo Jackrabbits7245272x – Traverse City Pit Spitters7142293Kenosha Kingfish7239334 Rockford Rivets7029415 Battle Creek Bombers7227456 Kalamazoo Growlers722646
+ Great Lakes West Sub-Division Regular Season Standings Pos Team G W L Pct. 1Wisconsin Woodchucks7244282x – Fond du Lac Dock Spiders7143283y – Madison Mallards7139324 Wisconsin Rapids Rafters7238345 Lakeshore Chinooks7031396 Green Bay Booyah722547
Great Plains Division + Great Plains East Sub-Division Regular Season Standings Pos Team G W L Pct. 1 x – Waterloo Bucks6742252 y – Duluth Huskies6830383 La Crosse Loggers6828404 Eau Claire Express6827415Minnesota Mud Puppies361026 + Great Plains West Sub-Division Regular Season Standings Pos Team G W L Pct. 1x – St. Cloud Rox6850182 y – Mankato MoonDogs 6844243Willmar Stingers6832364 Rochester Honkers6730375 Bismarck Larks683038
x – First Half Winner, clinched playoff spot y – Second Half Winner, clinched playoff spot
Playoffs
Format First and second half sub-divisional winners were eligible for the playoffs. The two playoff-eligible teams in each sub-division competed in a best-of-three Sub-Divisional Series. The two Sub-Divisional Series winners played a one-game Divisional Championship Game. The two Divisional Championship Game winners played a one-game League Championship.
Playoff bracket
Statistical leaders
For cumulative stats, leaders include all league players. For rate stats, leaders include only qualifiers. Qualified hitters must have 2.70 plate appearances per team game. Per NWL standards, qualified pitchers must have minimum .80 innings pitched per team game. This significantly limits the pool of those qualifying for pitching rate stats.
Hitting Stat Player Team Total H Mike Boeve Huskies 84 HR Alex Iadisernia Mallards 10 RBI Chris Monroe Pit Spitters 59 AVG Justin Janas Kingfish .402 OPS Justin Janas Kingfish 1.031 SB Chandler Simpson Dock Spiders 55
Pitching Stat Player Team Total ERA Nolan Pender MoonDogs 2.43 W Nolan Pender Moondogs 8 SO Brant Alazaus Honkers 67 SV Tommy Peltier Jackrabbits 10
All-Star selections Mid-season All-Star Game The 2021 NWL mid-season All-Star Game was played on 7/20/21 at ISG Field in Mankato, Minnesota. The following players were selected to participate in the All-Star game.
Great Lakes Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Kirk Liebert Kingfish C Cam Redding Kingfish 1B Justin Janas Kingfish 2B Chandler Simpson Dock Spiders 3B Max Wagner Booyah SS Chase Meidroth Jackrabbits UTL Chris Monroe Pit Spitters UTL Drake Baldwin Mallards UTL Griffin Doersching Chinooks OF Phil Matulia Rivets OF McKay Barney Kingfish OF Kevin Kilpatrick Woodchucks OF Tyler Kehoe Woodchucks OF Alex Iadisernia Mallards OF McKinley Erves Rafters
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Adam Wheaton Growlers P Tanner Knapp Growlers P Brock Weirather Kingfish P Theo Denlinger Mallards P Jeremy Neff Pit Spitters P John Beuckelaere Pit Spitters P Brayden Bonner Rafters P Nate Thomas Dock Spiders PCarlson Reed Dock Spiders P Tucker Shalley Rivets P Evan Gates Pit Spitters P Burrell Jones Bombers
Great Plains Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Caleb Ricketts Rox C Connor Burns Express 1B Garrett McGowan Bucks 2B Otto Kemp Rox 3B Mac Horvath Honkers SS Kam'ron Willman Larks UTL Mike Boeve Huskies UTL Reid Homan Stingers OF Kyle Casper Loggers OF Matt Higgins MoonDogs OF Max Jung-Goldberg Bucks OF Jaxon Rosencranz Larks OF Ambren Voitik Huskies OF Andrew Pinckney Rox
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Ryan Bourassa Larks P Eli Sundquist Huskies P Blake Reilly MoonDogs P Jacob Webb Stingers P Ryan Watson Stingers P Ryan Duffy Bucks P Kevin Davis Rox P Brant Alazaus Honkers P Nick Herold Express P Will McEntire Huskies P Seth Brewer Larks P Nolan Pender MoonDogs P Duke Benge Mud Puppies
Full-season All-Stars After the season concluded, the league announced its Post-Season All-Stars for the full regular season. This group included players who performed well over the course of the entire season. Several players were selected to both the mid-season All-Star Game and the Post-Season All-Star team.
Great Lakes Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Drake Baldwin Mallards C Kirk Liebert Kingfish 1B Justin Janas Kingfish 2B Chandler Simpson Dock Spiders 3B Chase Meidroth Jackrabbits SS Jackson Loftin Dock Spiders OF Alex Iadisernia Mallards OF Phil Matulia Rivets OF Kevin Kilpatrick Woodchucks DH Chris Monroe Pit Spitters
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Adam Wheaton Growlers P Cam Schuelke Pit Spitters P Brayden Bonner Rafters P Tyler Hoeft Woodchucks P Logan Lee Booyah P Tommy Peltier Jackrabbits
Great Plains Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Caleb Ricketts Rox 1B Ronnie Sweeny Loggers 2B Otto Kemp Rox 3B Mike Boeve Huskies SS Josh Kasevich Bucks OF Max Jung-Goldberg Bucks OF Matt Higgins MoonDogs OF Will Hamiter Stingers DH Garrett McGowan Bucks
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Hunter Dollander Rox P Josh Gainer Rox P Blake Reilly MoonDogs P Will McEntire Huskies P Vince Reilly MoonDogs P Brant Alazaus Honkers
NWL alumni in MLB MLB players who played in the NWL in 2021 The following is a list of players who appeared in the NWL during the 2021 season, en route to a future appearance/career in MLB. Name 2021 NWL team MLB debut MLB debut teamVictor Scott IIFond du Lac Dock Spiders3/28/2024St. Louis CardinalsRyan LoutosFond du Lac Dock Spiders6/1/2024St. Louis CardinalsBlake DunnKalamazoo Growlers6/4/2024Cincinnati RedsJacob WilsonMankato MoonDogs7/19/2024Oakland AthleticsDrake BaldwinMadison Mallards3/27/2025Atlanta BravesChase MeidrothKokomo Jackrabbits4/11/2025Chicago White SoxCaleb DurbinFond du Lac Dock Spiders4/18/2025Milwaukee BrewersChandler SimpsonFond du Lac Dock Spiders4/19/2025Tampa Bay RaysJack WinklerSt. Cloud Rox5/31/2025Miami MarlinsKyle TeelWisconsin Rapids Rafters6/6/2025Chicago White SoxOtto KempSt. Cloud Rox6/7/2025Philadelphia PhilliesBrice MatthewsSt. Cloud Rox7/11/2025Houston AstrosJakob MarseeKokomo Jackrabbits8/1/2025Miami MarlinsCJ KayfusWisconsin Woodchucks8/2/2025Cleveland GuardiansHayden HarrisWisconsin Rapids Rafters9/2/2025Atlanta BravesZach ColeRochester Honkers9/12/2025Houston AstrosTyler SchweitzerLakeshore Chinooks4/8/2026Chicago White SoxDuncan DavittWaterloo Bucks4/10/2026Chicago White SoxRiley CornelioSt. Cloud Rox4/24/2026Washington NationalsJohn KleinWillmar Stingers5/2/2026Minnesota TwinsBrycen MautzWaterloo Bucks5/25/2026St. Louis CardinalsLuJames GrooverWisconsin Woodchucks6/5/2026Arizona DiamondbacksAndrew PinckneySt. Cloud Rox8/5/2026Washington NationalsBrett BatemanWillmar Stingers8/7/2026Toronto Blue Jays
Alums with 2021 MLB debuts The following is a list of NWL alums who made their Major League Baseball debuts in the 2021 MLB season. Name MLB debut Debut team Former NWL team(s) Season(s) in NWLKa'ai Tom 4/1AthleticsWoodchucks2014Zach Pop 4/3MarlinsRox2015Sam Clay 4/7NationalsMoonDogs2013Luke Raley 4/9MarinersChinooks2015Ty Tice 4/9Blue JaysStingers2016Jason Vosler 4/24GiantsBorder Cats2013Louis Head4/25RaysExpress2009Zac Lowther4/25OriolesChinooks2015Jay Flaa 4/27OriolesRox2013Lucas Gilbreath 5/1RockiesRox2015Hunter Owen 5/5PiratesBullfrogs2016Owen Miller5/23IndiansChinooks 2016-17Riley Adams 6/8Blue JaysLoggers2015Griffin Jax 6/8TwinsExpress2015Ernie Clement 6/13IndiansRafters2015Matt Vierling 6/19PhilliesMallards2016Lars Nootbaar 6/22CardinalsLoggers 2016Taylor Gushue6/30CubsMallards2012Drew Ellis 7/30DiamondbacksHonkers2016Greg Deichmann 8/6CubsChinooks2015Jacob Robson 8/12TigersBorder Cats2014Ryan Dorow 8/26RangersBombers2016Nick Fortes 9/18MarlinsDock Spiders2017TJ Friedl9/18RedsRox2016
Awards and highlights
NWL alums selected the 2021 MLB All-Star Game:
Pete Alonso (Madison Mallards, 2014) Brandon Crawford (Mankato MoonDogs, 2005) Mark Melancon (Duluth Huskies, 2004) Max Scherzer (La Crosse Loggers, 2004) Marcus Semien (Alexandria Beetles, 2009–10)
NWL alums awarded with a 2021 Gold Glove: Harrison Bader (Lakeshore Chinooks, 2012) Matt Chapman (La Crosse Loggers, 2012) Brandon Crawford (Mankato MoonDogs, 2005) Marcus Semien (Alexandria Beetles, 2009–10)
NWL alums awarded with a 2021 Silver Slugger: Marcus Semien (Alexandria Beetles, 2009–10)
See also 2021 Major League Baseball season
References