With only 76 days left until the season starts, teams around the Northwoods League have been busy lately. Everyone knows that stacking your roster with talented ballplayers is the first step towards a coveted league championship, plus you never know when the next future big leaguer will come around.

The most recent wave of signings includes some familiar faces for their respective teams. Thunder Bay locked in 2009 Border Cats Drew Erwin (P), A.J. Schugel (2B), and Garrett Yount (P), righty Trent Blank will be returning to the Eau Claire Express, and the Madison Mallards made perhaps the biggest splash in recent weeks by bringing back 2009 team MVP Kurtis Muller for another year.

A popular trend among Northwoods teams is bringing in multiple players from the same school, a tactic which could pay dividends when it comes to team chemistry. The Battle Creek Bombers signed catcher Shane Street and infielder Brett Kauten from Spring Arbor University in Michigan, the Wisconsin Woodchucks brought in battery-mates Cory Hall (who hails from Canada), and catcher Patrick Terry from Santa Clara University in California. The Express also got in on the act, bringing Yavapai College infielders Ty Forney and Devon Zenn into the fold. 

And let’s not forget about the new guys! Joining us for another great year of Northwoods League baseball will be pitchers Nick Capito (Wisconsin), and Anthony Sambula (Waterloo), third basemen Sam Eberle and Jordan Steranka, who both signed with Mankato, and Ryan Palermo (Wisconsin Rapids), and outfielders Michael Smith (Wisconsin Rapids) and Landon Anderson (Waterloo).

There’s no doubt about it-spring is in the air, and so is baseball! Stay tuned to northwoodsleague.com and blog.northwoodsleague.com for exciting, up-to-date news from your favorite Northwoods League teams!