MANKATO-Minn. The Mankato MoonDogs Baseball Club, a member of the Northwoods League is pleased to announce the signing of right-handed pitchers Cord Cockrell and Mitchell Traver for the 2014 MoonDogs season.
Cockrell, a five-foot-eleven-inch, 160-pound junior from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette pitched 38.1 innings for the Ragin Cajuns last year. He collected 21 strikeouts while walking just 5, compiling an ERA of 5.64.
Before college, Cockrell was a three time letter winner at Acadiana high school. As a senior, he was a perfect 10-0 on the mound, earning all-state honors while leading the team to the class 5A State Quarterfinals. As a junior, Cockrell went 8-5 with a 3.24 ERA and 64 strikeouts.
Cockrell is expected to add depth to the MoonDogs right-handed pitching staff this summer.
Traver, a towering six-foot-seven-inch, 251-pound redshirt freshman from TCU has a number of positive attributes to his game. As a sophomore in 2010, Traver threw in the 87-90 mph range with a 77 mph knuckle curveball. He improved his velocity last summer with his fastball being clocked at between 92 and 94 mph. Traver's knuckle curveball also picked up speed and is now in the 80-83 mph range.
In his senior season of high school, Traver was named all-state and posted an ERA of 1.60, striking out 75 batters and limiting his opponents batting average to .151.
His opposing size and strength make him a highly touted draft prospect. The Houston Astros drafted him in the 39th round of the MLB Entry Draft in 2012.
An injury in the fall forced him to redshirt his freshman year of college. He is currently ranked by Baseball America as the No. 37 college freshman.
The MoonDogs home opener is scheduled for Wednesday, May 28 at 7:05 p.m. against the Alexandria Blue Anchors at Franklin Rogers Park. Season tickets are now on sale at the MoonDogs office located at 1221 Caledonia Street.
The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 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 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live and free of charge via the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit www.mankatomoondogs.com.