The 2016 Northwoods League season was the 23rd season of baseball in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball organization. The season concluded in August with the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters winning the championship.
Season overview Background In 2016, the NWL had eighteen teams, split evenly between a North and South Division. The Kenosha Kingfish entered the season as defending champions, having defeated the St. Cloud Rox in the 2015 NWL championship series.
Following the 2015 season, the Alexandria Blue Anchors ceased operations due to financial problems. The league was able to stay at 18 teams due to the Rockford Rivets being added. The Rivets were the NWL's first foray into Illinois. Rockford was added to the South Division, and the La Crosse Loggers were shifted to the North, filling the spot left by Alexandria leaving.
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, Madison Mallards, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
In the four single-elimination first round playoff games, the Express beat the MoonDogs, the Rox beat the Stingers, the Bombers beat the Mallards, and the Rafters beat the Chinooks. In the single-game divisional championship round, the Express defeated the Rox and the Rafters defeated the Bombers.
The championship series was a best-of-three set between the Rafters and the Express. The Rafters swept the Express and claimed their first NWL title.
Individual achievements Jake Shepski of the Mankato MoonDogs was named 2016 NWL Most Valuable Player after batting .339 with 11 home runs and 54 RBI. Marshall Kasowski of the Lakeshore Chinooks was named 2016 NWL Pitcher of the Year. He appeared in 12 games (63.1 innings), maintaining 1.56 ERA, and led the league with 87 strikeouts.
Daulton Varsho had an exceptional season as catcher for the Eau Claire Express. 2017 was his second season in the NWL, at age 19, after his sophomore year at UW-Milwaukee. Varsho, who grew up in Marshfield, Wisconsin, was coached by his uncle Dale Varsho, the field manager of the Express. In 293 plate appearances across 63 games, Varsho batted .321 (1.014 OPS) with 15 home runs, 63 RBI, 45 walks, and 26 stolen bases. Other future MLB players who had excellent 2016 NWL seasons include Nico Hoerner, Griffin Conine, TJ Friedl, Steele Walker, Mason McCoy, and Lars Nootbaar.
In the 2016 Major League Baseball draft, 176 former NWL players were selected by MLB teams. A.J. Puk was the highest-selected alum, going to the Oakland Athletics with the 6th pick. Puk had played for the Waterloo Bucks in 2014. Puk was one of five alums taken in the first round, with the others being Matt Thaiss (Angels), Will Craig (Pirates), Cody Sedlock (Orioles), and Dane Dunning (Nationals). Former Madison Mallard Pete Alonso was drafted by the New York Mets in the second round.
Standings and playoffs + North Division Pos Team W L Pct. 1x – St. Cloud Rox48232 x – Mankato MoonDogs 46263x – Eau Claire Express45274 x – Willmar Stingers41315La Crosse Loggers38336 Waterloo Bucks36367 Duluth Huskies30428 Thunder Bay Border Cats21519 Rochester Honkers2052
+ South Division Pos Team W L Pct. 1x – Wisconsin Rapids Rafters49232x – Madison Mallards43293x – Battle Creek Bombers39334x – Lakeshore Chinooks35375 Kalamazoo Growlers33396 Rockford Rivets33397Green Bay Bullfrogs32408Wisconsin Woodchucks31409 Kenosha Kingfish2646
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 Danny Paredo Stingers 95 HR Griffin Conine Loggers 16 RBI Greg Lambert Stingers 66 AVG Steele Walker Woodchucks .406 OPS Joe Wainhouse Rafters 1.042 SB Connor Kopach Chinooks 50
Pitching Stat Player Team Total W Caleb Boushley, Scott Parker Express, Woodchucks 8 (tie) SO Marshall Kasowski Chinooks 87 SV Collin Strall, Gordon Cardenas Rox, Woodchucks 10 (tie)
All-Star selections Mid-season All-Star Game The 2016 NWL mid-season All-Star Game was played on 7/19/16 at historic Simmons Field in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The following players were selected to participate in the All-Star game.
North Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Daulton Varsho Express C Adam McGinnis Bucks C Luke Ringhofer Rox 1B Greg Lambert Stingers 1B Jordan Kozicky MoonDogs 2B Drew Freedman Rox 3B Carter Hanford Huskies SS Mason McCoy Loggers SS Andrew Fregia Border Cats OF Jake Shepski MoonDogs OF Danny Pardo Stingers OF Ricky Ramirez Rox OF Ben Mezzenga Express OF TJ Friedl Rox OF Turner Buis Honkers OF Daniel Amaral Huskies
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Wade Regas Huskies P Austin Dubsky Rox P Caleb Boushley Express P Ryan Tapani Huskies P Dalton Roach Express P Austin Schulfer Express P Collin Strall Rox P Brandon Downey Bucks P Derek Hendrixson Bucks P Jared Crescentini Bucks P Mitch Stalsberg Loggers P Ricky Digrugilliers MoonDogs P Logan Salow Rox P Blake Stockert Stingers
South Division
+Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Nick Hutchins Growlers C Tim DalPorto Chinooks 1B Steve Passatempo Woodchucks 2B Jake Lumley Rafters 2B David Cronin Rivets 3B Marty Bechina Kingfish SS Conner Kopach Growlers OF Daniel Jipping Bombers OF Daniel Robinson Growlers OF Marcus Shoemaker Bullfrogs OF Zach Jarrett Mallards OF Laren Eustace Bullfrogs OF Logan Mattix Rafters
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P B.J. Butler Growlers P Devin Pellien Growlers P Chris Cooper Rafters P Marshall Kasowski Chinooks P Troy Bacon Mallards P Anthony Dahl Rivets P Garrett Schilling Rafters P Austin Hancock Bullfrogs P Jeremy Graf Bullfrogs P Brendon Allen Kingfish P Keenan Bartlett Chinooks P Ryan Orr Kingfish P Kacey Murphy Rivets P Scott Parker Woodchucks P Cameron Busby Rafters P Luke Lind Bullfrogs
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 Nick Hutchins Growlers 1B Steve Passatempo Woodchucks 2B Jake Lumley Rafters 3B Marty Bechina Kingfish SS Conner Kopach Growlers OF Daniel Jipping Bombers OF Steele Walker Woodchucks OF Marcus Shoemaker Bullfrogs DH Nico Hoerner Mallards
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P B.J. Butler Growlers P Devin Pellien Growlers P Chris Cooper Rafters P Marshall Kasowski Chinooks P Troy Bacon Mallards P Garrett Schilling Rafters P Luke Lind Bullfrogs
Great Plains Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Daulton Varsho Express 1B Greg Lambert Stingers 2B Cullen Large Loggers 3B David Metzgar MoonDogs SS Mason McCoy Loggers OF Jake Shepski MoonDogs OF Danny Pardo Stingers OF Ricky Ramirez Rox DH Griffin Conine Loggers
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Caleb Boushley Express P Collin Strall Rox P Derek Hendrixson Bucks P Ricky Digrugilliers MoonDogs P Brian Glowicki Rox P Nick Raquet Loggers
NWL alumni in MLB MLB players who played in the NWL in 2016 The following is a list of players who appeared in the NWL during the 2016 season, en route to a future appearance/career in MLB. Name 2016 NWL teamNico HoernerMadison MallardsAlex VesiaMankato MoonDogsDaulton VarshoEau Claire ExpressJared OlivaWisconsin WoodchucksTy TiceWillmar StingersHunter OwenGreen Bay BullfrogsOwen MillerLakeshore ChinooksMatt VierlingMadison MallardsLars NootbaarLa Crosse LoggersDrew EllisRochester HonkersRyan DorowBattle Creek BombersTJ FriedlSt. Cloud RoxMickey McDonaldEau Claire ExpressRichie PalaciosWisconsin Rapids RaftersMark ContrerasRochester HonkersMichael PapierskiThunder Bay Border CatsSteele WalkerWisconsin WoodchucksDavid HensleyKalamazoo GrowlersBen DeLuzioSt. Cloud RoxFrank GermanMadison MallardsCésar SalazarLa Crosse LoggersKyle LeahyWaterloo BucksMason McCoyLa Crosse LoggersCaleb BoushleyEau Claire ExpressGriffin ConineLa Crosse LoggersHayden SengerLakeshore ChinooksGrant WolframKalamazoo GrowlersNick RaquetLa Crosse LoggersTanner AndrewsKalamazoo GrowlersJack RalstonLa Crosse Loggers
Alums with 2016 MLB debuts
The following is a list of NWL alums who made their Major League Baseball debuts in the 2016 MLB season. Name MLB debut Debut team Former NWL team(s) Season(s) in NWLTyler Naquin 4/5IndiansMoonDogs2010Andy Burns 5/9Blue JaysHuskies2008-09Matt Reynolds5/17MetsRiver Bats2010Tony Kemp 5/17AstrosHonkers2011Alec Mills 5/18RoyalsMallards2012Richard Bleier5/30YankeesBeetles2007Jacob Barnes 6/3BrewersStingers 2010Brock Stewart 6/29DodgerMallards2013Steven Brault 7/5PiratesLunkers, Stingers2011, 2012-13Buddy Baumann 7/16PadresRiver Bats2007Matt Strahm 7/31RoyalsHonkers2011Tony Renda8/2RedsRiver Bats2009Mitch Haniger 8/16DiamondbacksBullfrogs2011Ben Heller 8/26YankeesRafters2012Jake Esch8/31MarlinsMallards 2009-10Eddie Gamboa 9/2RaysExpress2007Jake Smith 9/7PadresRiver Bats2011Blake Smith 9/10White SoxBeetles2007Hunter Dozier 9/12RoyalsStingers2012
Awards and highlights
NWL alums selected the 2016 MLB All-Star Game:
Mark Melancon (Duluth Huskies, 2004) Chris Sale (La Crosse Loggers, 2008) Max Scherzer (La Crosse Loggers, 2004) Ben Zobrist (Wisconsin Woodchucks, 2003)
NWL alums awarded with a 2016 Cy Young Award: Max Scherzer (La Crosse Loggers, 2004)
NWL alums awarded with a 2016 Gold Glove: Brandon Crawford (Mankato MoonDogs, 2005)
NWL alums who were members of the World Series-winning Chicago Cubs: Ben Zobrist (Wisconsin Woodchucks, 2003)
See also 2016 Major League Baseball season
References