As the 2009 Northwoods League All-Stars take the field in Thunder Bay, Ontario Tuesday, they join 20 Northwoods League alumni who were also voted All-Stars in their respective Minor League Baseball systems.
A pair of pitchers and two second basemen have represented the Northwoods League in Double A All-Star Games this summer. Daniel Descalso (2B, Wisconsin), Brock Bond (2B, Duluth) and Casey Baron (LHP, Madison) all played for the League in 2006, while Casey Coleman (RHP, Alexandria) spent his 2007 summer playing in the Midwest.
Descalso was part of a winning North Division squad in the Texas League where the North beat the South 2-1. Bond chipped in an RBI in the Eastern League All-Star Game in a losing effort as the Northern Division lost to the Southern Division 5-3. Baron and Coleman were teammates for the North Division in the Southern League game and pitched matching, scoreless, one-hit innings in route to a North shutout of the South 7-0. Coleman set himself apart with two strikeouts to Baron’s one.
The effects of the La Crosse Loggers organization were felt throughout the Minor Leagues as a Northwoods League-high four alumni played in mid-summer showcases this season. The St. Cloud River Bats also made a strong showing with three alumni voted to All-Star teams. A list of all Northwoods League alumni who played in Minor League All-Star Games is provided below.
2009 Northwoods League Alumni in Minor League All-Star Games
Double A – Eastern League: Northern Division
Brock Bond, 2B, Connecticut – Duluth, 2006
AVG: .342 RBI: 25 SB: 11
Double A – Southern League: North Division
Casey Baron, LHP, Huntsville – Madison, 2006
ERA: 2.06 W-L: 4-5 SO: 43
Casey Coleman, RHP, Tennessee – Alexandria, 2007
ERA: 2.93 W-L: 9-4 SO: 53
Double A – Texas League: North Division
Daniel Descalso, 2B, Springfield – Wisconsin, 2006
AVG: .323 RBI: 57 H: 108
Double A – Texas League: South Division
Tommy Everidge*, 1B, Midland – Mankato, 2002
AVG: .317 HR: 15 RBI: 76
Single A (Advanced) – California League
Roger Kieschnick, OF, San Joes – St. Cloud, 2007
AVG: .292 HR: 18 RBI: 70
Craig Baker, P, Modesto – St. Cloud, 2004
ERA: 2.36 SV: 25 SO: 50
Single A (Advanced) – Carolina League
Dale Mollenhauer, 2B, Winston-Salem – Thunder Bay, 2006
AVG: .294 RBI: 35 SB: 13
Single A (Advanced) – Florida State League: North Division
Eric Thames, OF, Dunedin – La Crosse, 2007
AVG: .308 RBI: 30 H: 48
Single A (Advanced) – Florida State League: South Division
Cody Cipriano, INF, Charlotte – Duluth, 2005
AVG: .295 RBI: 39 SLG: .458
Samuel Freeman, LHP, Palm Beach – Wisconsin, 2007
ERA: 2.05 W-L: 2-2 SO: 45
Brad Holt*, P – La Crosse, 2007
ERA: 3.99 W-L: 5-4 SO: 80
Nevin Ashley, C – Eau Claire, 2006
AVG: .201 RBI: 28 H: 42
Single A – Midwest League: Eastern Division
Jaime Pedroza, 2B, Great Lakes – Rochester, 2006
AVG: .266 RBI: 56 SB: 24
Sawyer Carroll, OF, Fort Wayne – La Crosse, 2007
AVG: .320 RBI: 61 H: 105
Single A – Midwest League: Western Division
Charlie Cutler, C, Quad Cities – St. Cloud, 2006
AVG: .349 RBI: 45 H: 95
Jason Christian, 3B, Kane County – Mankato, 2007
AVG: .261 RBI: 46 SB: 28
Aaron Pribanic, RHP, Clinton – Brainerd, 2006 and 2007
ERA: 2.72 W-L: 7-5 SO: 51
Single A – South Atlantic Division: Southern Division
Jordan Pacheco, C, Asheville – La Crosse, 2005
AVG: .334 RBI: 59 HR: 11
Pat Venditte, LHP, Charleston – Wisconsin, 2007
ERA: 2.02 BB: 2 SO: 48
*Did not play in All-Star Game due to promotion