The 2019 Northwoods League season was the 26th season of baseball in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball organization. The season concluded in August with the Traverse City Pit Spitters winning the championship in their first season.
Season overview Background Ahead of the 2019 season, the Northwoods League (NWL) expanded by two. The Frontier League's Traverse City Beach Bums franchise was transferred, although renamed to the Pit Spitters after the move. The Kokomo Jackrabbits were brought over from the Prospect League, name retained, and were the first NWL team in Indiana. Also in 2019, the Green Bay Bullfrogs changed their nickname and played as the Green Bay Booyah.
In response to the increased number of teams and new geographic implications, the league realigned for 2019, going from two divisions (North and South) to two divisions (Great Plains and Great Lakes) with East and West subdivisions within each. The playoff structure was also changed. The one-game quarterfinal was replaced with a best-of-three series, and the best-of-three championship series was replaced with a single League Championship game. 2019 was also the first season in which the NWL implemented the rule of extra innings starting with a runner on second base. Although this rule had not yet reached MLB in 2019, it was being used in affiliated Minor League Baseball as well as other leagues.
Season The regular season began on May 28, with the season split into two halves, and the top two teams in each sub-division—the standings leader from each half—qualified for the playoffs.
The playoff qualifiers for each subdivision were as follows: Great Lakes East - Traverse City Pit Spitters and Kalamazoo Growlers Great Lakes West - Madison Mallards and Wisconsin Rapids Rafters Great Plains East - Eau Claire Express and Waterloo Bucks Great Plains West - Willmar Stingers and St. Cloud Rox
In the four best-of-three subdivision series, the Pit Spitters swept the Growlers, the Mallards swept the Rafters, the Express swept the Bucks, and the Stingers swept the Rox. In the single-game Great Lakes Division championship, the Pit Spitters defeated the Mallards. In the Great Plains, the Express defeated the Stingers.
The NWL Championship game was held at Pit Spitters Park in Chums Corner, Michigan on 8/16/19. The Express scored first, putting up two runs in the first inning when Sam Kohnle hit a two-RBI single off Chad Patrick. The Pit Spitters put up a run in the 5th, but were trailing 2-1 heading into the bottom of the 9th inning. After two walks, a throwing error on a bunt single allowed the Pit Spitters to tie the score at 2. Another walk loaded the based, but Express pitcher Brandon Dieter retired the next two batters. Traverse City's Andrew Morrow hit a ground ball to third base, but an errant throw allowed Adam Proctor to score, sealing the walk-off victory for Traverse City.
Individual achievements Justice Bigbie of the Madison Mallards was named 2019 NWL Most Valuable Player. Bigbie hit .349 across 68 games (322 plate appearances), leading the league in RBI (70) collecting 12 home runs. In the NWL All-Star Game, he hit two home runs and was selected as the MVP of the game.
Andrew Hoffman of the Traverse City Pit Spitters was named 2019 NWL Pitcher of the Year. He appeared in 12 games (58.1 innings) and had eight wins, 43 strikeouts and a league-best 1.08 ERA
In the 2019 Major League Baseball draft, 166 former NWL players were selected by MLB teams. Bryson Stott was the highest-selected alum, going to the Philadelphia Phillies with the 14th pick. Stott had played for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters in 2017. Other first round picks were Michael Busch (St. Cloud, '17) who was taken by the Los Angeles Dodgers at pick 31 and Korey Lee (La Crosse, '17-'18), taken by the Houston Astros a pick later.
Standings Great Lakes Division + Great Lakes East Sub-Division Regular Season Standings Pos Team W L Pct. 1x – Traverse City Pit Spitters52202x – Kalamazoo Growlers37353Kenosha Kingfish34384 Rockford Rivets33395 Kokomo Jackrabbits29426 Battle Creek Bombers2349
+ Great Lakes West Sub-Division Regular Season Standings Pos Team W L Pct. 1x –Wisconsin Rapids Rafters46262x – Madison Mallards42303Fond du Lac Dock Spiders36354 Wisconsin Woodchucks34385 Green Bay Booyah33396 Lakeshore Chinooks3240
Great Plains Division + Great Plains East Sub-Division Regular Season Standings Pos Team W L Pct. 1 x – Eau Claire Express40302 La Crosse Loggers37353 x – Waterloo Bucks34354 Duluth Huskies29385Thunder Bay Border Cats2447 + Great Plains West Sub-Division Regular Season Standings Pos Team W L Pct. 1x – St. Cloud Rox44282 x – Willmar Stingers 40323Rochester Honkers38344 Mankato MoonDogs36365 Bismarck Larks3240
x – Qualified for playoffs based on best record in either first or second half of season
Playoffs
Format First and second half sub-divisional winners were eligible for the playoffs. The two playoff-eligible teams in each sub-division competed in a best-of-three Sub-Divisional Series. The two Sub-Divisional Series winners played a one-game Divisional Championship Game. The two Divisional Championship Game winners played a one-game League Championship.
Playoff bracket
Statistical leaders
Qualified hitters must have minimum of 71 at-bats per season.
Hitting Stat Player Team Total H Justice Bigbie, Jordan Barth Mallards, Rox 98 (tie) HR Ryan Holgate Loggers 13 RBI Justice Bigbie Mallards 70 AVG Brennan McKenzie Stingers .386 OPS Brennan McKenzie Stingers 1.055 SB Wyatt Ulrich Larks 32
Pitching Stat Player Team Total W Andrew Hoffman, Polo Portela Pit Spitters, Stingers 8 (tie) SO Aaron Husson Jackrabbits 69 SV Keon Taylor, Theo Denlinger Honkers, Mallards 12 (tie)
All-Star selections Mid-season All-Star Game The 2019 NWL mid-season All-Star Game was played on 7/16/19 at Riverfront Stadium in Waterloo, Iowa. The following players were selected to participate in the All-Star game.
Great Lakes Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Logan Michaels Mallards C Jake Dunham Rafters 1B Justice Bigbie Mallards 2B Byron Murray Woodchucks 3B Adam Frank Woodchucks SS Michael Slaten Pit Spitters INF Timo Schau Mallards INF Drew Williams Mallards INF Nate Thomas Kingfish DH Andrew Bullock Dock Spiders DH Josh Sears Bombers OF Drew Benefield Mallards OF Brandon Seitzer Woodchucks OF Richie Schiekofer Rafters OF Zeb Adreon Dock Spiders OF Ben Anderson Mallards
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Lowell Schipper Mallards P Neil Abbatiello Rafters P Andrew Hoffman Pit Spitters P Matt Osterberg Rafters P Michael Dunkleberger Growlers P Blaine Traxel Jackrabbits P Kyle Jones Pit Spitters P Jimmy Burnette Rivets P Brad Littleton Rivets P Will Klein Chinooks P Ryan Boyer Jackrabbits P A.J. Archambo Mallards P Theo Denlinger Mallards P Tanner Lane Booyah
Great Plains Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Alonzo Rubalcaba Bucks C Ryan Wrobleski Honkers 1B Tristan Peterson Honkers 2B Matt Bottcher Express 3B Troy Beilsmith Express SS Evan Berkey Honkers SS Zack Gregory Larks INF Daniel Walsh Stingers INF Nick Kent Huskies DH Dylan Phillips Bucks OF Garett Delano Rox OF Ryan Holgate Loggers OF Wyatt Ulrich Larks OF Spencer Myers Express OF Justin King Stingers
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Polo Portela Stingers P R.J. Martinez Rox P Ryan Middendorf Honkers P Dane Morrow Huskies P Keon Taylor Honkers P Tyler Lesley MoonDogs P Dom Arias Larks P Joe Moran Border Cats P Jared Frielich Loggers P Trevor Koenig Rox P Jimmy Smiley Bucks P Noah DeNoyer Express P Brannon Jordan Express P Hunter Kloke Larks P Garret Rukes Stingers
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.
Great Lakes Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Jake Dunham Rafters 1B Shea Kramer Growlers 2B Mario Camilletti Pit Spitters 3B Andrew Morrow Pit Spitters SS Daryl Myers Chinooks OF Justice Bigbie Mallards OF Michael Slaten Pit Spitters OF Richie Schiekofer Rafters DH Brandon Chinea Jackrabbits
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Andrew Hoffman Pit Spitters P Gareth Stroh Rafters P Theo Denlinger Mallards P Jack Mahoney Booyah P Kyle Jones Pit Spitters P Brayden Bonner Rafters
Great Plains Division +Hitters PositionPlayerTeam C Alonzo Rubalcaba Bucks 1B J.T. Schwartz Loggers 2B Matt Bottcher Express 3B Jordan Barth Rox SS Evan Berkey Honkers OF Garett Delano Rox OF Ryan Holgate Loggers OF Josh Elvir MoonDogs DH Patrick Ferguson Bucks
+Pitchers PositionPlayerTeam P Polo Portela Stingers P R.J. Martinez Rox P Keon Taylor Honkers P Jared Frielich Loggers P Trevor Koenig Rox P Brett Newberg MoonDogs
NWL alumni in MLB MLB players who played in the NWL in 2019 The following is a list of players who appeared in the NWL during the 2019 season, en route to a future appearance/career in MLB. Name 2019 NWL team MLB debut MLB debut teamGavin StoneBattle Creek Bombers5/3/2023Los Angeles DodgersGrant HartwigLakeshore Chinooks6/19/2023New York MetsZack GelofKalamazoo Growlers7/14/2023Oakland AthleticsWade MecklerDuluth Huskies8/14/2023San Francisco GiantsLuke LittleTraverse City Pit Spitters9/6/2023Chicago CubsWill KleinLakeshore Chinooks4/28/2024Kansas City RoyalsChris RoycroftGreen Bay Booyah5/7/2024St. Louis CardinalsChad PatrickTraverse City Pit Spitters3/29/2025Milwaukee BrewersLogan VanWeyDuluth Huskies4/11/2025Houston AstrosCaleb DurbinRockford Rivets4/18/2025Milwaukee BrewersTim ElkoFond du Lac Dock Spiders5/10/2025Chicago White SoxColton GordonKenosha Kingfish5/14/2025Houston AstrosDenzel ClarkeKokomo Jackrabbits5/23/2025AthleticsAndrew HoffmanTraverse City Pit Spitters5/30/2025Kansas City RoyalsAlex CarrilloSt. Cloud Rox7/8/2025New York MetsDugan DarnellRockford Rivets8/1/2025Colorado RockiesHayden JuengerMankato MoonDogs5/31/2026Toronto Blue JaysMike ParedesKalamazoo Growlers5/31/2026Minnesota TwinsJack SinclairWisconsin Rapids Rafters9/4/2026Washington Nationals
Alums with 2019 MLB debuts
The following is a list of NWL alums who made their Major League Baseball debuts in the 2019 MLB season. Name MLB debut Debut team Former NWL team(s) Season(s) in NWLPete Alonso 3/28MetsMallards2014Nick Anderson 3/28MarlinsLunkers2010Connor Joe 3/28GiantsHuskies2012Jake Noll 3/30NationalsChinooks2014Josh Fuentes 4/6RockiesMoonDogs2013Joe Harvey 4/10YankeesLunkers2011Matt Beaty 4/30DodgersBeetles, Bullfrogs2012, 2014Anthony Bemboom 5/12RaysStingers2010-11Shaun Anderson5/15GiantsChinooks2014Kyle Garlick 5/19DodgersHonkers 2012Josh Smith 5/25IndiansRiver Bats2010Jacob Waguespack 5/27Blue JaysBombers2014Josh Taylor5/29Red SoxRox2014Colin Poche 6/8RaysStingers2013Sean Poppen 6/19TwinsHuskies2014Tony Gonsolin6/26DodgersMallards2015Alex Young 6/27DiamondbacksChinooks 2014Matt Thaiss 7/3AngelsMallards2014Ryan Court 7/26MarinersBorder Cats2010Sam Selman 8/1GiantsMoonDogs2010-11John Schreiber8/9TigersGrowlers2014A.J. Puk 8/21AthleticsBucks2014Rico Garcia 8/27RockiesKingfish2014-15Sam Haggerty 9/4MetsExpress2013Tyler Heineman9/4Blue JaysWoodchucks2011Seth Mejias-Brean 9/4PadresLoggers2010Nico Hoerner9/9CubsMallards2016
Awards and highlights
NWL alums selected the 2019 MLB All-Star Game:
Pete Alonso (Madison Mallards, 2014) Matt Chapman (La Crosse Loggers, 2012) Paul DeJong (Wisconsin Woodchucks, 2014) Max Scherzer (La Crosse Loggers, 2004)
NWL alums awarded with MLB Rookie of the Year award: Pete Alonso (Madison Mallards, 2014)
NWL alums awarded with a 2019 Gold Glove: Matt Chapman (La Crosse Loggers, 2012)
NWL alums awarded with a 2019 Silver Slugger: Mitch Garver (St. Cloud River Bats, 2010–11)
NWL alums who were members of the World Series-winning Washington Nationals: Max Scherzer (La Crosse Loggers, 2004)
See also 2019 Major League Baseball season
References