Left: Nick Walker, Right: Mark Quinby
Battle Creek, Mich. – The Northwoods League announced the rosters for the 2017 Major League Dreams Showcase which will be held at Warner Park in Madison, Wisconsin on Tuesday, August 8.
The rosters are handpicked by a panel of MLB scouts, who select the top players in the Northwoods League. Players will participate in a day of workouts followed by a double-header.
From Battle Creek, MLB Scouts picked Nick Walker (Austin Peay) and Mark Quinby (UC San Diego) to attend this year’s showcase. "Nick and Mark are both very deserving of being selected to the MLB dreams showcase,” said Battle Creek field manager Brian Solemsaas. “They have been an integral part to our success and I'm confident they will represent the Bombers well."
Walker has been scorching NWL pitching since mid-June. The Spring Hill, Tennessee native sported a nineteen-game hit streak, second longest in the Northwoods and longest in the South, from June 25 – July 13. Walker hit .408 in those nineteen games (29-71) with an .488 OBP, .563 SLG% and OPS of 1.051. He’s been a vital three-hole hitter in the Bomber’s lineup batting .322 this summer. His 35 walks lead the Bombers while his 58 hits, 31 RBI, 34 runs scored are second most. The APSU Governor is having a blazing hot July, leading Battle Creek with a .363 average along with 29 hits, five doubles, two home runs and 16 RBI.
"Nick started off slow but really hit his stride in mid-June and has been on a tear ever since,” Solemsaas said.
Quinby has made a home for late-game situations and has solidified himself as Battle Creek’s go-to arm down the stretch. The Cerritos, California native leads Battle Creek in saves this summer, totaling four up to this point. He’s sporting a 1.93 ERA in fifteen appearances this year and has only allowed four runs off seven hits. Opponents have had a tough time hitting off Quinby, the opposition is averaging just .109 against him this season. His walks/hits per inning ratio is lowest in the Battle Creek bullpen, just 0.64.
"Ever since Quinby joined our team he's been a staple at the back end of the bullpen,” Solemsaas explained. “We feel very confident that when he comes in the game, the game is over.”
Both Quinby and Walker will play in game one of the double header on Tuesday, August 8 at 4:05. They will be on the same roster as players from St. Cloud, Thunder Bay and Duluth. Both Bombers will face athletes from La Crosse, Mankato, Wisconsin Rapids, Eau Claire and Rochester.
More info on the Major League Dreams Showcase can be found at northwoodsleague.com.
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.
Full 2017 MLDS rosters can be downloaded here: 2017 MLDS Rosters
More information on the Foundation can be found here: Northwoods League Foundation
Tickets for the event can still be purchased and are available at mallardsbaseball.com.
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The Battle Creek Bombers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. 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 former 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 (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.battlecreekbombers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Bombers as your favorite team.
