The 2017 Northwoods League season was the 24th season of baseball in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball organization. The season concluded in August with the St. Cloud Rox winning the championship.
Season overview Background Two expansion teams were added to the Northwoods League (NWL) after the 2016 season, the Bismarck Larks and Fond du Lac Dock Spiders. Bismarck was the first team the league had in North Dakota since the Grand Forks Channel Cats and Minot Greenheads folded after the 2000 season. The name and branding was unveiled before the season. Fond du Lac was a new market for the league, becoming the ninth Wisconsin-based team in the NWL. Their identity was also unveiled before the season.
In 2017, the NWL had twenty teams, split evenly between a North and South Division. The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters entered the season as defending champions, having defeated the Eau Claire Express in the 2016 NWL championship series.
Season The regular season began in May, with the season split into two halves. The teams with the best records in the division for each half automatically qualified for a playoff berth, with two additional teams from each division added to the playoffs based on overall season record. This resulted in eight teams qualifying for the playoffs.
The playoff qualifiers for each division were as follows: North Division - St. Cloud Rox, Eau Claire Express, Mankato MoonDogs, Willmar Stingers South Division - Battle Creek Bombers, Lakeshore Chinooks, Rockford Rivets, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
In the four single-elimination first round playoff games, the MoonDogs beat the Express, the Rox beat the Stingers, the Bombers beat the Rivets, and the Rafters beat the Chinooks. In the single-game divisional championship round, the Rox defeated the MoonDogs and the Bombers defeated the Rafters.
The championship series was a best-of-three set between the Rox and the Bombers. The deciding third game was at C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek, Michigan. St. Cloud defeated Battle Creek 5-3 and claimed the 2017 NWL title.
Individual achievements Zach Zubia of the Rochester Honkers was named 2017 NWL Most Valuable Player. In 67 games (301 plate appearances), Zubia led the league in home runs (22) and RBI (62).
Aaron Rozek of the St. Cloud Rox was named 2017 NWL Pitcher of the Year. He appeared in 10 games (64 innings) and led the league with 78 strikeouts.
Bryson Stott had an exceptional season for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, playing in the NWL at age 19 after his freshman year at UNLV. In 342 plate appearances across 71 games, Stott batted .352 with a league-leading 100 hits. He also added 26 stolen bases.
In the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, 180 former NWL players were selected by MLB teams. Greg Deichmann was the highest-selected alum, going to the Oakland Athletics with the 43rd pick. Deichmann had played for the Lakeshore Chinooks in 2015. Other notable alums drafted in 2017 include Daulton Varsho (Eau Claire, 2015–16) and Ernie Clement (Wisconsin Rapids, 2015).
Standings and playoffs + North Division Pos Team W L Pct. 1x – Mankato MoonDogs44282 x – St. Cloud Rox 42303x – Willmar Stingers41314 x – Eau Claire Express39335Waterloo Bucks39336 Bismarck Larks31407 La Crosse Loggers31408 Rochester Honkers30399 Duluth Huskies314110Thunder Bay Border Cats2743
+ South Division Pos Team W L Pct. 1x – Wisconsin Rapids Rafters52202x – Battle Creek Bombers42303x – Rockford Rivets39334Fond du Lac Dock Spiders38345 x – Lakeshore Chinooks38346 Madison Mallards38347Kenosha Kingfish36368Kalamazoo Growlers28449 Wisconsin Woodchucks264610 Green Bay Bullfrogs2349
x – Qualified for playoffs based on either best record (first or second half of season) or as a wildcard due to overall record.
Playoff bracket
Statistical leaders
Qualified hitters must have minimum of 71 at-bats per season.
Hitting Stat Player Team Total H Bryson Stott Rafters 100 HR Zach Zubia Honkers 22 RBI Zach Zubia Honkers 62 AVG Toby Hanson MoonDogs .442 OPS Toby Hanson MoonDogs 1.132 SB Matthew Mika Chinooks 27
Pitching Stat Player Team Total W Jesse Slinger Rafters 8 SO Aaron Rozek Rox 78 SV Billy McKay Kingfish 10
All-Star selections Mid-season All-Star Game The 2017 NWL mid-season All-Star Game was played on 7/18/17 at Athletic Park in Wausau, Wisconsin. The following players were selected to participate in the All-Star game.
North Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Jay Schuyler Bucks C CJ Schaeffer MoonDogs 1B Zach Zubia Honkers 2B Ethan Valdez MoonDogs 3B David Villar Loggers 3B Nolan Bumstead Stingers SS Camryn Williams Huskies SS Andy Weber Border Cats OF Marcus Still Stingers OF Drew Avans Rox OF Zach Gilles Express OF Toby Hanson MoonDogs OF Shane Selman Rox OF Jake Pries Huskies
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Polo Portella Stingers P Kyle Leahy Bucks P Aaron Rozek Rox P Kevin Folman Huskies P Tyler Steele Larks P Victor Chavez Express P Derik Beauprez Loggers P Naithen Dewsnap MoonDogs P Collin Floyd MoonDogs P Brent Killam Rox P Jack Cushing Rox P Brandon Downey Bucks P Gus Varland Stingers
South Division
+Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Nick Gatewood Chinooks C Nick Zouras Kingfish C Brad Hamilton Bullfrogs 1B JD Mundy Bombers 1B Derek Bangert Kingfish 2B Matthew Mika Chinooks 3B Jacob Richardson Chinooks SS Alex Howard Bombers SS Cole Daily Mallards OF Dustin Woodcock Rafters OF Stevie Mangrum Woodchucks OF John Rave Rivets OF Doran Turchin Mallards OF Tom Stoffel Bombers OF Jake Guenther Rafters
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Trent Johnson Bombers P Connor Johnson Dock Spiders P Jon Mierzwa Dock Spiders P Logan Wiley Kingfish P Quinn Snarskis Kingfish P Parker Sanburn Chinooks P Simon Rosenblum-Larson Mallards P Cole Bellair Rivets P Cameron Busby Rafters P Jack Eagan Rafters P Quinn Dipasquale Rafters P Jesse Slinger Rafters P Orson Josephona Woodchucks P Connor Manous Growlers
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.
South Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Hunter Feduccia Rivets 1B Ryan Stekl Rafters 2B Matthew Mika Chinooks 3B Jacob Richardson Chinooks SS Bryson Stott Rafters INF Alex Howard Bombers INF Cole Daily Mallards OF Dustin Woodcock Rafters OF Stevie Mangrum Woodchucks OF Doran Turchin Mallards DH Connor Hollis Growlers
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Simon Rosenblum-Larson Mallards P Jesse Slinger Rafters P Tyler Dyson Mallards P Jack Eagan Rafters P Connor Wollersheim Bullfrogs P Isaiah Carranza Rafters
Great Plains Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Korey Lee Loggers 1B Zach Zubia Honkers 2B Chase Strumpf Huskies 3B David Villar Loggers SS Andy Weber Border Cats OF Marcus Still Stingers OF Daniel Amaral MoonDogs OF Kennie Taylor Loggers DH Zach Gilles Express
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Aaron Rozek Rox P Brent Killam Rox P Gus Varland Stingers P Brett Newberg MoonDogs P Polo Portela Stingers P Andy Fisher MoonDogs P Ryan Tapani Huskies
NWL alumni in MLB MLB players who played in the NWL in 2017 The following is a list of players who appeared in the NWL during the 2017 season, en route to a future appearance/career in MLB. Name 2017 NWL teamJoey GerberMankato MoonDogsNick MearsWillmar StingersOwen MillerLakeshore ChinooksNick FortesFond du Lac Dock SpidersBryson StottWisconsin Rapids RaftersJared SolomonSt. Cloud RoxKorey LeeLa Crosse LoggersDavid VillarLa Crosse LoggersRyan KreidlerMankato MoonDogsLouis VarlandWillmar StingersGus VarlandWillmar StingersJeff LindgrenBismarck LarksMichael BuschSt. Cloud RoxBrandon WilliamsonThunder Bay Border CatsAlec MarshLakeshore ChinooksKyle LeahyWaterloo BucksLane RamseyEau Claire ExpressCam EdenSt. Cloud RoxNick AvilaWisconsin Rapids RaftersChris RoycroftBismarck LarksDaniel SchneemannSt. Cloud RoxHunter FeducciaRockford RivetsIsaac CollinsDuluth HuskiesMaverick HandleyMadison MallardsJohn RaveRockford RivetsDrew AvansSt. Cloud RoxTroy JohnstonGreen Bay Bullfrogs
Alums with 2017 MLB debuts
The following is a list of NWL alums who made their Major League Baseball debuts in the 2017 MLB season. Name MLB debut Debut team Former NWL team(s) Season(s) in NWLBrock Stassi4/3PhilliesWoodchucks2010Jacob May 4/4White SoxBullfrogs2011Andrew Knapp 4/6PhilliesLoggers2011Phil Ervin 4/22RedsBullfrogs2011John Brebbia 5/28CardinalsMoonDogs2009Paul DeJong 5/28CardinalsWoodchucks2014Jason Wheeler 5/30TwinsRiver Bats 2010Tyler Smith 6/2MarinersLoggers2011Brad Goldberg6/3White SoxExpress2010-11Seth Frankoff6/9CubsBorder Cats2008Derek Fisher 6/14AstrosMallards2012Matt Chapman 6/15AthleticsLoggers2012Cameron Perkins 6/20PhilliesBucks2011Zack Granite7/8TwinsChinooks 2012Andrew Stevenson 7/23NationalsChinooks2013Harrison Bader7/25CardinalsChinooks2013Kyle McGrath 7/30PadresMoonDogs2012J.D. Davis 8/5AstrosWoodchucks2012Dietrich Enns 8/10TwinsExpress 2010Mitch Garver 8/19TwinsRiver Bats2010-11Chad Wallach 8/27RedsHonkers2012Brian Anderson 9/1MarlinsChinooks2012Mike Marjama 9/3MarinersLoggers2010
Awards and highlights
NWL alums selected the 2017 MLB All-Star Game:
Pat Neshek (Wisconsin Woodchucks, 2000) Chris Sale (La Crosse Loggers, 2008) Max Scherzer (La Crosse Loggers, 2004)
NWL alums awarded with a 2017 Cy Young Award: Max Scherzer (La Crosse Loggers, 2004)
NWL alums awarded with a 2017 Gold Glove: Brandon Crawford (Mankato MoonDogs, 2005)
NWL alums who were members of the World Series-winning Houston Astros: Derek Fisher (Madison Mallards, 2012)
See also 2017 Major League Baseball season
References