Rochester, MN – Seventeen former Northwoods League players will be competing over the next two months

in Arizona against the top players in Minor League baseball. Six former Northwoods League players that

played in the league last season made their Major League debuts in 2013.
 

There are six teams in the Arizona Fall League: the Scottsdale Scorpions, Mesa Solar Sox, Salt River Rafters,

Glendale Desert Dogs, Peoria Javelinas and Surprise Saguaros. The names of the teams were picked by

Major League Baseball to reflect the Southwestern desert traditions in the state.

 

The teams are broken into two divisions, East and West. Each Major League Baseball team sends six top

prospects to the Arizona Fall League. The games are played in the Spring Training stadiums used by the

Giants, Mariners, Padres, Cubs, A's, Royals, Rangers, D-backs and Rockies.
 

The 2013 All-Star Game in New York featured a former AFL alum in the American League's starting pitcher,

Max Scherzer who pitched in the Northwoods League in La Crosse with the Loggers in 2004.
 

Each August, Major League teams hold a position draft to determine the players who will go to Arizona.

Most of the players are Double-A and Triple-A Minor League players. Each team can choose to send one

player considered a Class A player.
 

 

The former Northwoods League players and their AFL team are as follows:
 

Glendale Desert Dogs

Michael Thomas (Green Bay '10)

Marcus Semien (Alexandria '09-'10)

Brian Cavazos-Galvez (Battle Creek '08)

Ryan LaMarre (Alexandria '08)

 

Peoria Javelinas

Jonas Dufek (Wisconsin '09)

Andrew Robinson (Alexandria '07-'08)

Kyle Simon (La Crosse '09)

Scottsdale Scorpions

Matt Benedict (Duluth '08)

Cory Vaughn (La Crosse '08)

 

 

Salt River Rafters

Andy Burns (Duluth '08-'09)

Tim Wheeler (St. Cloud '07)

 

Surprise Saguaros

Adam Weisenburger (St. Cloud '08-'10)

Mitch Haniger (Green Bay '11)

Tyler Naquin (Mankato '10)

 

Mesa Solar Sox

Seth Frankoff (Thunder Bay '08)

Blaine Hardy (Thunder Bay '08)

Zach Borenstein (Mankato '11)

 

The Northwoods League has more teams, plays more games, and draws more fans than any other

Summer Collegiate League in North America. The 2013 season marked the 20th season of Northwoods

League baseball. 116 former players have gone on to play Major League baseball. Notable alumni of the

league include Curtis Granderson (Yankees), Chris Sale (White Sox), Max Scherzer (Tigers), Josh

Willingham (Twins) and Jordan Zimmermann (Nationals).