The 2015 Northwoods League season was the 22nd season of baseball in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball organization. The season concluded in August with the Kenosha Kingfish winning the championship.
Season overview Background In 2015, the NWL had eighteen teams, split evenly between a North and South Division. The Lakeshore Chinooks entered the season as defending champions, having defeated the Mankato MoonDogs in the 2014 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. Starting in 2015, two additional teams from each division were added to the playoffs based on overall season record, and competed in a quarterfinal round of the playoffs. This resulted in eight teams qualifying for the playoffs.
The playoff qualifiers for each division were as follows: North Division - St. Cloud Rox, Duluth Huskies, Rochester Honkers, Willmar Stingers South Division - La Crosse Loggers, Kenosha Kingfish, Madison Mallards, Green Bay Bullfrogs
In the four single-elimination first round playoff games, the Huskies beat the Stingers, the Rox beat the Honkers, the Kingfish beat the Loggers, and the Mallards beat the Bullfrogs. In the single-game divisional championship round, the Rox defeated the Huskies and the Kingfish beat the Mallards.
The championship series was a best-of-three set between the Kingfish and the Rox. The Kingfish swept the Rox and claimed their first NWL title.
Individual achievements Mason McCoy of the La Crosse Loggers was named 2015 NWL Most Valuable Player. Across 71 games, he led the league in batting average (.367), hits (112), and runs scored (79). His hits and runs scored set new NWL records that remain as such, as of the end of the 2026 season.
Alex Hermeling of the Battle Creek Bombers was named 2015 NWL Pitcher of the Year. He appeared in 9 games (53.2 innings), maintaining a 1.17 ERA while striking out 52 batters and only walking 12. In mid-summer, Hermeling signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Others who had excellent 2015 NWL seasons include Daulton Varsho, Ernie Clement, Luke Raley, Cal Stevenson, Miles Mastrobuoni, and Tony Gonsolin. Gonsolin, playing as an outfielder for the Mallards at age 21, batted .316 with a .913 OPS, 11 home runs, and 16 stolen bases.
In the 2015 Major League Baseball draft, 189 former NWL players were selected by MLB teams. Alex Young was the highest-selected alum, going to the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 43rd pick. Young had played for the Lakeshore Chinooks in 2013. Other notable alums selected that year include Harrison Bader (Chinooks, '13), Andrew Stevenson (Chinooks, '13), and Paul DeJong (Woodchucks, '14).
Standings and playoffs + North Division Pos Team W L Pct. 1x – St. Cloud Rox49232 x – Willmar Stingers 47243x – Duluth Huskies40324 x – Rochester Honkers39335Thunder Bay Border Cats33386 Mankato MoonDogs33397 Waterloo Bucks31418 Alexandria Blue Anchors30429 Eau Claire Express2942
+ South Division Pos Team W L Pct. 1x – Kenosha Kingfish48242x – Madison Mallards43283x – Green Bay Bullfrogs41304x – La Crosse Loggers40315 Lakeshore Chinooks36366 Wisconsin Rapids Rafters33357Battle Creek Bombers27448Wisconsin Woodchucks24479 Kalamazoo Growlers1755
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 Mason McCoy Loggers 112 HR Luke Raley Chinooks 14 RBI Luke Raley, Eric Filia Chinooks, Kingfish 55 (tie) AVG Mason McCoy Loggers .367 OPS Max Ponzurick Rafters 1.048 SB Sean Beesley Stingers 34
Pitching Stat Player Team Total W Zach Strecker, Jake Johansmeier Stingers, Rafters 7 (tie) SO Grant Hamilton MoonDogs 73 SV Trevor Charpie Rox 11
All-Star selections Mid-season All-Star Game The 2015 NWL mid-season All-Star Game was played on 7/21/15 at historic Witter Field in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. The following players were selected to participate in the All-Star game.
North Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Daulton Varsho Express C Dominic Miroglio Huskies 1B Ricky Sanchez Blue Anchors 2B Steve Sada Blue Anchors 3B Carter McEachern Border Cats 3B Luke Stratman Bucks SS Zach McKinstry Bucks SS Matt McLaughlin Huskies SS Paul PanaccioneMoonDogs OF Dan Motl Stingers OF Storm Wilson Stingers OF Josh Merrigan Blue Anchors OF Jared James Border Cats OF Cal Stevenson Huskies
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Austin Carpenter Huskies P Bo Hellquist Huskies P Grant Hamilton MoonDogs P Rickey Ramirez MoonDogs P Jayson Yano Honkers P Reese Gregory Rox P Trevor Charpie Rox P Greg WeissertBorder Cats P Brian Drapeau Bucks P Brady Anderson Stingers P Dakota Belter Stingers P Austin Warner MoonDogs
South Division
+Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Jean Ramirez Mallards C Jason Scholl Kingfish C Albee Weiss Woodchucks 1B Ryan Donovan Bullfrogs 2B Jordan Zimmerman Loggers 2B Alex Borglin Kingfish 3B Hunter Alexander Kingfish 3B Brock Carpenter Rafters SS Mason McCoy Loggers OF Eric Filia Kingfish OF Lucas Raley Chinooks OF Tony Gonsolin Mallards OF Max Ponzurick Woodchucks OF Logan RegnierMallards
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Alex Hermeling Bombers P Garrett Harrison Bullfrogs P Josh Serio Kingfish P Ty Provencher Loggers P Lake Bachar Chinooks P Mike KaelinMallards P Jeremy Graf Bullfrogs P Vice ArobioMallards P Robert Zeigler Woodchucks P Jack Riley Rafters P P.J. Schuster Kingfish P Ryan Orr Kingfish P Shane Bryant Growlers
NWL alumni in MLB MLB players who played in the NWL in 2015 The following is a list of players who appeared in the NWL during the 2015 season, en route to a future appearance/career in MLB. Name 2015 NWL teamTony GonsolinMadison MallardsRico GarciaKenosha KingfishDaulton VarshoEau Claire ExpressSterling SharpMadison MallardsKyle NelsonLa Crosse LoggersZach McKinstryWaterloo BucksJared OlivaWisconsin WoodchucksZach PopSt. Cloud RoxLuke RaleyLakeshore ChinooksZac LowtherLakeshore ChinooksLucas GilbreathSt. Cloud RoxRiley AdamsLa Crosse LoggersGriffin JaxEau Claire ExpressErnie ClementWisconsin Rapids RaftersGreg DeichmannLakeshore ChinooksMark KolozsvaryLakeshore ChinooksPenn MurfeeThunder Bay Border CatsMark ContrerasRochester HonkersBrandon HughesKalamazoo GrowlersMichael PapierskiEau Claire ExpressJonah BrideWaterloo BucksMatthew BattenThunder Bay Border CatsErich UelmenEau Claire ExpressTerrin VavraDuluth HuskiesCharles LeblancKalamazoo GrowlersCal StevensonDuluth HuskiesGreg WeissertThunder Bay Border CatsMiles MastrobuoniRochester HonkersJesse ScholtensLakeshore ChinooksZach MuckenhirnAlexandria Blue AnchorsTaylor KohlweyWisconsin WoodchucksMason McCoyLa Crosse LoggersIrving LopezEau Claire ExpressMichael PetersenBattle Creek BombersLake BacharLakeshore ChinooksBrian KellerLakeshore ChinooksJack RalstonLa Crosse Loggers
Alums with 2015 MLB debuts
The following is a list of NWL alums who made their Major League Baseball debuts in the 2015 MLB season. Name MLB debut Debut team Former NWL team(s) Season(s) in NWLJ.R. Graham 4/6TwinsMallards2009-10Tyler Olson 4/7MarinersBullfrogs2012Mark Canha 4/8AthleticsRiver Bats2008A.J. Schugel 4/12DiamondbacksBorder Cats2009-10Andrew McKirahan 4/12BravesLoggers2009Matt Grace 4/22NationalsBeetles2008Austin Barnes 5/24DodgersRiver Bats 2010Pat Venditte 6/5AthleticsWoodchucks2007Scott Schebler6/5DodgersBullfrogs2010Jon Moscot 6/5RedsWoodchucks2010Dan Burawa 6/21YankeesMallards2009Ryan Lollis 7/4GiantsHuskies2006Nick Goody 7/30YankeesMoonDogs2011Chris Reed8/1MarlinsWoodchucks2009Scott McGough8/20MarlinsHonkers 2009Jerad Eickhoff8/21PhilliesWoodchucks2010John Hicks 8/29MarinersMallards2009Scott Alexander 9/2RoyalsLoggers2008Rocky Gale 9/6PadresBullfrogs2008Nevin Ashley 9/9BrewersExpress2006Cody Decker 9/14PadresHuskies, MoonDogs2006, 2007Daniel Winkler9/21BravesHonkers2010Trevor Brown 9/15GiantsLoggers2011
Awards and highlights
NWL alums selected the 2015 MLB All-Star Game:
Brandon Crawford (Mankato MoonDogs, 2005) Mark Melancon (Duluth Huskies, 2004) Chris Sale (La Crosse Loggers, 2008) Max Scherzer (La Crosse Loggers, 2004)
NWL alums awarded with a 2015 Gold Glove: Kole Calhoun (Eau Claire Express, 2007-09) Brandon Crawford (Mankato MoonDogs, 2005)
NWL alums awarded with a 2015 Silver Slugger: Brandon Crawford (Mankato MoonDogs, 2005)
NWL alums who were members of the World Series-winning Kansas City Royals: Ben Zobrist (Wisconsin Woodchucks, 2003)
See also 2015 Major League Baseball season
References