The 2020 Northwoods League season was the 27th season of baseball in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball organization. The season was marked by significant alterations due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Season overview Background The pandemic brought many baseball organizations to a halt, including a delay to the start of the MLB season and a complete cancellation of the minor league baseball season. Collegiate summer baseball was played, in altered form, by various teams and leagues.
The Northwoods League (NWL) was able to operate, albeit in limited fashion. For a variety of reasons, six teams (the Kokomo Jackrabbits, Madison Mallards, Lakeshore Chinooks, Eau Claire Express, Duluth Huskies, and Thunder Bay Border Cats) were unable to participate.
The NWL responded by forming seven hyper-regional pod divisions. While some of these divisions were relatively typical, others were filled out by six temporary teams that were created by existing NWL franchises. All temporary teams shared a stadium with their existing counterpart and all lasted only one season.
Temporary teams The K-Town Bobbers were created by the Kenosha Kingfish and the two played each other in the Kenosha Division. The Great Lakes Resorters and Northern Michigan Dune Bears were created by the Traverse City Pit Spitters and the three teams competed in the Michigan North Division. The Dune Bears only ended up playing two games. The Kalamazoo Mac Daddies were created by the Kalamazoo Growlers. The two Kalamazoo teams (as well as the Battle Creek Bombers) competed in the Michigan South Division. The Mandan Flickertails and Bismarck Bull Moose were created by the Bismarck Larks and competed in the North Dakota Division.
Season The first game of the season was on June 15, with the Flickertails squaring off against the Larks. The North Dakota pod was the only NWL action until July 1, when several other divisions began their seasons. While the NWL season typically wraps up in early to mid August, several teams continued beyond that date and held divisional playoffs at various times.
The two Michigan-based divisions ended their regular season on September 2 and began their playoffs immediately afterward. The North Dakota Divsion began their playoffs on September 2. The last game of the season was held on September 5, with the Mac Daddies defeating the Pit Spitters for the Michigan championship.
Individual achievements Jayson Newman appeared in 29 games for the Willmar Stingers, batting .405 with five home runs, nine doubles and one triple. Peyton Williams appeared in 33 games for the Waterloo Bucks, leading the league with 13 home runs, as well as batting. 304 with 36 RBI and 26 runs scored.
Spencer Arrighetti pitched 24 innings for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters across seven games. He maintained a perfect 0.00 ERA, with 37 strikeouts and only 10 walks.
Spencer Schwellenbach appeared in 22 games with the Traverse City Pit Spitters, playing outfield and batting .356 (.911 OPS) with 31 hits and 12 stolen bases. After his junior year at Nebraska, where he began pitching and playing as a two-way player, he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft and developed into a successful MLB pitcher.
In the 5-round 2020 Major League Baseball draft, an even 20 former NWL players were selected by MLB teams. Garrett Mitchell was the highest-selected alum, going to the Milwaukee Brewers with the 20th pick. Mitchell had played with the Mankato MoonDogs in 2018, after his freshman season at UCLA.
Standings + Kenosha Division Pos Team G W L Pct. 1Kenosha Kingfish261792K-Town Bobbers26917
+ Michigan North Division Pos Team G W L Pct. 1Traverse City Pit Spitters413382Northern Michigan Dune Bears2113Great Lakes Resorters42834
+ Michigan South Division Pos Team G W L Pct. 1Kalamazoo Growlers6540252Kalamazoo Mac Daddies7232403 Battle Creek Bombers703139
+ Minnesota-Iowa Division Pos Team G W L Pct. 1Waterloo Bucks4128132St. Cloud Rox4027133 Willmar Stingers4222204 Mankato MoonDogs4217255Rochester Honkers37730 + North Dakota Division Pos Team G W L Pct. 1Bismarck Larks4833152 Mandan Flickertails 4824243Bismarck Bull Moose471433 + Wisconsin-Illinois East Division Pos Team G W L Pct. 1Fond du Lac Dock Spiders4831172 Green Bay Booyah 4618283Rockford Rivets431627 + Wisconsin-Illinois West Division Pos Team G W L Pct. 1Wisconsin Rapids Rafters4635112 La Crosse Loggers 4823253Wisconsin Woodchucks471631
Playoffs Some divisions/teams opted to compete in short playoff series to determine playoff pod champions. The North Dakota pod was exclusive to the North Dakota Division, with the Larks and Flickertails engaging in a best-of-three series.
The Michigan pod series consisted of two teams each from the North (Traverse City) and South (Kalamazoo) competing in a best-of-three semifinal before culminating in a one-game championship hosted by the Pit Spitters.
The Wisconsin-Illinois pod consisted of two teams each from the East (Fond du Lac and Green Bay) and West (Wisconsin Rapids and La Crosse) competing in a best-of-three semifinal before culminating in a one-game championship hosted by the Dock Spiders.
The champions and runners-up are as follows:
Playoff PodChampionRunner-up North Dakota Bismarck Larks Mandan Flickertails Michigan Kalamazoo Mac Daddies Traverse City Pit Spitters Wisconsin-Illinois Fond du Lac Dock Spiders La Crosse Loggers
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.
Note: 2020 rate stats exclude players from the Northern Michigan Dune Bears. Even if they meet technical qualifying standards, the Dune Bears only played two games.
Hitting Stat Player Team Total H Jalen Smith Bucks 53 HR Peyton Williams Bucks 13 RBI Andy Garriola Rafters 48 AVG Jayson Newman Stingers .405 OPS Jayson Newman Stingers 1.128 SB Braiden Ward Dune Bears, Loggers 34
Pitching Stat Player Team Total ERA Adam Wheaton Growlers 0.60 W Adam Wheaton Growlers 7 SO Nate Madej Woodchucks 52 SV Trey Nordmann Growlers 8
All-Star selections
The mid-season All-Star Game was cancelled due to the pandemic, but after the season concluded, the league announced its Post-Season All-Stars for the full regular season.
+Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Chase Adkison Larks C Chase Stanke Stingers C Ryan Hampe Rivets 1B Tim Elko Dock Spiders 1B Peyton Williams Bucks 2B Jalen Smith Bucks 2B Sam Novitske Dock Spiders 3B Parker Noland Dock Spiders 3B Jordan Barth Rox SS Robert Moore Honkers SS Spencer Schwellenbach Pit Spitters INF Kobe Kato Loggers INF Mitch Bubban Kingfish OF Wyatt Ulrich Larks OF John Rhodes Dock Spiders OF Zach Gilles MoonDogs OF Andy Garriola Rafters OF Oraj Anu Bucks OF Nadir Lewis Booyah OF Kyle Hess Woodchucks OF Callen Schwabe Bull Moose OF Christian Garcia Resorters DH Justice Bigbie Bobbers DH Jayson Newman Stingers DH Xane Washington Bucks
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Spencer Arrighetti Rafters P Glen Albanese Rafters P Chris McElvain Rafters P Travis Adams Rafters P Nate Madej Woodchucks P Adam Wheaton Growlers P Chad Patrick Pit Spitters P John Bezdicek Stingers P Larson Kindreich Honkers P Shane Barringer MoonDogs P Christian Grigsby Bombers PDrew Irvine Dock Spiders P John Wilson Flickertails P Dane Armbrustmacher Mac Daddies
NWL alumni in MLB MLB players who played in the NWL in 2020 The following is a list of players who appeared in the NWL during the 2020 season, en route to a future appearance/career in MLB. Name 2020 NWL team MLB debut MLB debut teamGavin StoneGreat Lakes Resorters5/3/2023Los Angeles DodgersGrant HartwigBattle Creek Bombers6/19/2023New York MetsJordan WicksRockford Rivets8/26/2023Chicago CubsGraham PauleyLa Crosse Loggers3/20/2024San Diego PadresVictor Scott IIFond du Lac Dock Spiders3/28/2024St. Louis CardinalsSpencer ArrighettiWisconsin Rapids Rafters4/10/2024Houston AstrosBrett HarrisK-Town Bobbers5/3/2024Oakland AthleticsKyle ManzardoWillmar Stingers5/6/2024Cleveland GuardiansSpencer SchwellenbachTraverse City Pit Spitters5/29/2024Atlanta BravesRyan LoutosFond du Lac Dock Spiders6/1/2024St. Louis CardinalsBlake DunnKalamazoo Growlers6/4/2024Cincinnati RedsBrooks LeeWillmar Stingers7/3/2024Minnesota TwinsSeth HalvorsenGreat Lakes Resorters8/30/2024Colorado RockiesBilly CookWisconsin Rapids Rafters9/8/2024Pittsburgh PiratesDrake BaldwinK-Town Bobbers3/27/2025Atlanta BravesChad PatrickTraverse City Pit Spitters3/29/2025Milwaukee BrewersLogan VanWeyLa Crosse Loggers4/11/2025Houston AstrosCaleb DurbinFond du Lac Dock Spiders4/18/2025Milwaukee BrewersRyan BergertFond du Lac Dock Spiders4/26/2025San Diego PadresNoah CameronWillmar Stingers4/30/2025Kansas City RoyalsTim ElkoFond du Lac Dock Spiders5/10/2025Chicago White SoxAndrew HoffmanTraverse City Pit Spitters5/30/2025Kansas City RoyalsJack WinklerSt. Cloud Rox5/31/2025Miami MarlinsRyan RitterFond du Lac Dock Spiders6/6/2025Colorado RockiesKyle TeelWisconsin Rapids Rafters6/6/2025Chicago White SoxAndre GranilloMankato MoonDogs6/12/2025St. Louis CardinalsCarson SeymourRockford Rivets6/29/2025San Francisco GiantsTravis AdamsWisconsin Rapids Rafters7/5/2025Minnesota TwinsJakob MarseeGreat Lakes Resorters8/1/2025Miami MarlinsBob SeymourRockford Rivets8/15/2025Tampa Bay RaysDuncan DavittWaterloo Bucks4/10/2026Chicago White SoxTommy TroyTraverse City Pit Spitters5/24/2026Arizona DiamondbacksGabriel HughesGreat Lakes Resorters7/3/2026Colorado RockiesLuke MurphyBattle Creek Bombers7/31/2026Los Angeles AngelsAndrew PinckneySt. Cloud Rox8/5/2026Washington Nationals
Alums with 2020 MLB debuts The following is a list of NWL alums who made their Major League Baseball debuts in the 2020 MLB season.
Name MLB debut Debut team Former NWL team(s) Season(s) in NWLJoe McCarthy 7/23GiantsMallards2013J.P. Feyereisen 7/24BrewersRafters2012-13Caleb Baragar 7/25GiantsGrowlers2014Alex Vesia 7/25Miami MarlinsMoonDogs2016Brooks Kriske 7/29YankeesLoggers2013Daulton Varsho 7/30DiamondbacksExpress2015-16Joey Gerber8/04MarinersMoonDogs2017Sterling Sharp8/05MarlinsMallards2014-15Nick Mears 8/08PiratesStingers2017-18Dakota Bacus 8/14NationalsBucks2011Dane Dunning8/19White SoxBucks2014Will Craig8/27PiratesRox 2014Justin Topa 9/1BrewersMallards2012Kyle Nelson 9/10IndiansLoggers2015Zach McKinstry 9/16DodgersBucks2015Jared Oliva 9/21PiratesWoodchucks2015-16
Alumni in MLB highlights
In 2020, there was no MLB All-Star Game nor some usual awards such as Gold Glove or Silver Slugger.
The Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2020 World Series, and several NWL alums were either on the active roster or on the 2020 "Taxi Squad," referring to players who trained at the Dodgers' alternate training site (USC) in lieu of affiliated minor league baseball. The following players met this criteria for the 2020 Dodgers.
Active roster: Austin Barnes (St. Cloud Rox, 2010) Matt Beaty (Alexandria Beetles, 2012; Green Bay Bullfrogs, 2014) Tony Gonsolin (Madison Mallards, 2015)
Taxi squad: Scott Alexander (La Crosse Loggers, 2008) Rocky Gale (Green Bay Bullfrogs, 2008) Zach McKinstry (Waterloo Bucks, 2015)
See also 2020 Major League Baseball season Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on baseball
References