Cody Asche (Duluth) and Roger Kieschnik (St. Cloud) are 107th and 108th former Northwoods League players to reach the Major Leagues
Rochester, MN – Former Duluth Huskie Cody Asche was called up by the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, July 30. Asche is the 107th former Northwoods League player to reach the Major League level. Former St. Cloud River Bat Roger Kieschnick was also called up on Tuesday. Kieschnick, the 108th former Northwoods League player to reach the Major Leagues, was promoted by the San Francisco Giants.
Kieschnick, who played collegiately at Texas Tech University, played for the St. Cloud River Bats during the 2006 season, and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 3rd round of the 2008 MLB draft.
During the 2006 season Kieschnick hit .235 over 18 games. He also hit 2 home runs and drove in 7 RBI while stealing 4 bases.
Kieschnick began his minor league career in 2009 with the San Jose Giants in the California League and hit .296 in 131 games. He hit 23 home runs and had 110 RBI to go along with 37 doubles and 9 stolen bases.
From 2010 through 2012 Kieschnick spent time at AA Richmond and AAA Fresno. He also spent three games with the Rookie level Giants in the Arizona League in 2012.
During the 2013 season Kieschnick was in AAA with the Fresno Grizzlies. He was hitting .273 with 13 home runs and 56 RBI over 101 games before being promoted.
Cody Asche played for the Duluth Huskies during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. He was a 4th round pick in the 2011 MLB draft out of the University of Nebraska.
Asche played 68 games at low A Williamsport during the 2011 season and hit .192. During the 2012 season he spent time in high A with the Clearwater Threshers and in AA with the Reading Phillies. Asche hit a combined .324 with 12 home runs and 72 RBI in 130 games.
The 2013 season saw Asche start the season at AAA with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. With the Iron Pigs, Asche was hitting .295 with 15 home runs and 68 RBI when he was called up. He also had stolen 11 bases.
In his Major League debut Asche appeared in the 7th inning of Tuesday night’s game versus the Giants. Asche came in to the game as a pinch hitter for Phillies pitcher John Lannan. Asche popped out to second baseman Marco Scutaro to end the inning in his only plate appearance.
Kieschnick made his Major League debut on Wednesday night starting in left field for the Giants. In his first Major League at bat he singled to centerfield off of Kyle Kendrick of the Phillies. The hit also drove in his first Major League RBI as Brett Pill scored from second. Kieschnick also singled in his second at bat and drove in Buster Posey in the 3rd inning. He finished the night 2 for 5 with two RBI.
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 marks the 20th season of Northwoods League baseball. 108 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).