Mankato, MN – The MoonDogs are excited to announce they are returning four players for the upcoming 2017 season. The players include Brett Newberg, Drew Fearing, Tyler Lesley, and Reece Eddins. “Our staff is very excited to have these guys back in Mankato. They are great kids first and foremost and also very good players. They are the reason I love coaching in this league. We try and get as many high character kids as we can here,” said Coach Ryan Kragh.
Brett Newberg
Austin Peay State University
Pitcher
Brett Newberg, of the Austin Peay Governers came to Mankato after his freshman year as a double threat. Not only was his pitching career successful throughout the season, but he also had some success at the plate. This left-handed pitcher ended his MoonDogs season with four wins, no losses, and an ERA of 2.34. Coach Kragh agrees “Newberg will be great to have back with his versatility on the mound as a starter or reliever, and also at the plate as a hitter.” Though his hitting career was short, he ended with a home run, RBI, and an on base percentage of .486.
Drew Fearing
North Dakota State University
Infielder
Drew Fearing, of the North Dakota State University Bison, was an imperative defensive addition to the MoonDogs roster. His ability to be a utility player in the infield was reflected in his ability to play four positions. He ended the season with 49 hits, 18 RBI’s, and 2 home-runs. The 2017 season will mark Fearing’s third year in the league, previously in Alexandria for the 2015 season before the MoonDogs. “Fearing is a player that ever coach wants in their organization because he works hard, plays the game the right way, and is a great role model for the city of Mankato” says Coach Kragh.
Tyler Lesley
University of the Incarnate Word
Pitcher
Tyler Lesley, a pitcher from the University of Incarnate Word only had the chance to be in Mankato for a short amount of time. A late addition to the MoonDogs, Lesley only appeared in two games but was critical to the team in playoff-qualifying games during a tight race for the North Division. Though he was a late addition, Coach Kragh comments, “Lesley was a huge shot in the arm for our team down the stretch. We are excited to get him back here and see if he can keep that momentum going this summer.” In his two outings he had quality starts and boasted an impressive 8/2 strikeout to walk ratio over 13.2 innings pitched.
Reece Eddins
University of Nebraska
Pitcher
“Reece will be coming back for his 3rd year and he has proven to be a top end pitcher in this league and in the Big 10,” says Coach Kragh. Now a junior, Reece has been a success for the MoonDogs for two seasons. The MoonDogs will be bringing back Reece as a temporary player with an inning limit, and in hopes of being drafted. His freshman year at Nebraska only brought five appearances, but had 13 in Mankato during the summer of 2015, and 59 innings pitched. After having a breakout year in Nebraska during 2016 as a sophomore, the MoonDogs brought him back for another summer in Mankato. Reece continued his triumphs during the season, ending with a 3.02 ERA during the regular season, and 29 strikeouts.
The MoonDogs are more than excited to bring back some great talent, and obtain another winning season.
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The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 23rd season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 150 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visitwww.mankatomoondogs.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store and set the MoonDogs as your favorite team.
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The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 23-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 160 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.
