Northwoods League Announces 2019 Major League Dreams Showcase Rosters
Published on July 22, 2019 under Northwoods League (Northwoods) News Release
Rochester, Minn. - The Northwoods League has announced the rosters for the 2019 Major League Dreams Showcase, which will be hosted by the Madison Mallards at Warner Park on Tuesday, August 6.
The annual Showcase will consist of a double-header featuring the top players from the Northwoods League who were selected by a panel of Major League Baseball Scouts. The players will participate in a day of workouts in front of scouts which will be followed by the double-header.
The first game will start at 4:05 p.m. and will match two teams featuring a mix of Great Plains Division players. The players on the visiting team in this game will primarily come from Willmar, St. Cloud, Bismarck and Duluth. The home team will be made up of players mainly from Mankato, Rochester, La Crosse, Eau Claire and Waterloo. Augie Rodriguez of the St. Cloud Rox will skipper the visiting team while Dale Varsho of the Eau Claire Express will manage the home team.
The visiting team in this first game will be led by Northwoods League All-Stars Justin King (University of Alabama) of the Willmar Stingers, Zack Gregory (University of Arkansas) of the Bismarck Larks and Garett Delano (Brown university) of the St. Cloud Rox. Delano is currently 4th in the league in RBI with 38.
The home team in game one will feature Ryan Holgate (University of Arizona) who is second in the league in home runs with 10. Holgate was an All-Star this season and has 41 RBI in 43 games for the La Crosse Loggers. Matt Bottcher (University of Illinois at Chicago) of the Eau Claire Express will also play in this game. Bottcher currently leads the league with a .411 average and has stolen 15 bases in 38 games.
The second game will start at 7:35 p.m. and will be played by two teams of Great Lakes Division players. The visiting team for this game will be made up of players mostly from Green Bay, Kalamazoo Battle Creek, Wisconsin Rapids and Traverse City. The home team will have players from Madison, Lakeshore, Wisconsin, Fond du Lac and Rockford. Mike Ruppenthal of the Battle Creek Bombers will be the Field Manager for the visiting team. Mallards Field Manager and former MLB catcher, Donnie Scott will be in the dugout for the home team.
In the night cap the visiting team will be led by Andrew Morrow (Michigan State University) of the Traverse City Pit Spitters. Morrow is currently second in the league with 44 RBI. The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters have five players on this team. This contingent of Rafters is led by Davion Downey (Baylor University). Downey is currently hitting .347 with 16 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 35 games. On the mound the Rafters will feature RHP Jimmy Borzone (Dixie State University). Borzone has a 1.47 ERA in 12 games and has struck out 26 batters in 24.1 innings pitched.
Four members of the hometown Madison Mallards will compete for the home team in the second game. This talented group of players are led by Northwoods League All-Star Game MVP Justice Bigbie (Western Carolina University). Justin is currently hitting .348 and leads the league in home runs with 12 and RBI with 57. On the mound, 2019 All-Stars, Theo Denlinger (Bradley University) of the Madison Mallards and Jimmy Burnette (University of Illinois) of the Rockford Rivets will bring their best stuff to Madison. Denlinger currently has a 2.32 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 19.1 innings while Burnette has 44 strikeouts in 34.2 innings and a 3.37 ERA.
Proceeds from the Major League Dreams Showcase will benefit the Northwoods League Foundation. The Northwoods League Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that serves as a vehicle to transform a shared passion for baseball into positive change and support for communities. Of the many needs the foundation may address through grants, scholarships or donations, one ongoing focus will be to view its member communities and look upon the baseball programs they have in place with a harmonious goal of making them all finer places to live.
More information on the Foundation can be found at northwoodsleague.com/community/foundation/
Tickets for the event can still be purchased and are available at mallardsbaseball.com.
Northwoods League Stories from July 22, 2019
- St. Cloud Falls to Waterloo, Remains in First Place - St. Cloud Rox
- Six Run 8th Inning Propels Duluth to Game One Win - Duluth Huskies
- MoonDogs Fall in Another Game with the Stingers - Mankato MoonDogs
- Growlers Return to the Win Column at Rockford - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Stingers Walk-Off against Mankato - Willmar Stingers
- Rivets Drop 4th Straight Game - Rockford Rivets
- Phillips Leads Charge in Win over St. Cloud - Waterloo Bucks
- Mallards Blanked 2-0 by Chinooks - Madison Mallards
- Pit Spitters Walk off Winners in Game One Versus Kokomo - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Woodchucks Drop First of Two-Game Series against Fond du Lac - Wausau Woodchucks
- Rafters Travel to Green Bay for Division Showdown - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Rafters Announce Date for Rushing Rapids Craft Beer Festival - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Phillips & Rubalcaba Named to NWL Major League Dreams Showcase Roster - Waterloo Bucks
- Loggers Drop Weekend Series in Waterloo - La Crosse Loggers
- Mallards Meet Lakeshore for Seventh Series - Madison Mallards
- Five Dock Spiders Selected to Play in Major League Dreams Showcase - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- Northwoods League Announces 2019 Major League Dreams Showcase Rosters - Northwoods
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