Anderson is the 210th former Northwoods League player to debut in MLB
Rochester, Minn. – Former Brainerd Lakes Area Lunker Nick Anderson, made his Major League debut for the Miami Marlins on Thursday, March 28, 2019. Anderson is the 210th former Northwoods League player to reach the Major League level.
Anderson, who played collegiately at Maryville State University and St. Cloud State, played for the Brainerd Lakes Area Lunkers in 2010. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 32nd round of the 2012 MLB draft.
In nine games with the Lunkers during the 2010 season, Anderson was 3-1 with a 2.33 ERA. He had 36 strikeouts in 42.1 innings and also recorded a save.
Anderson would not pitch in the Brewers system after being drafted. He would spend two years in the independent Frontier League with the Rockford RiverHawks.
Anderson would return to the Frontier League for the 2015 season, pitching for the Frontier Greys. After 25 games with the Greys his contract was purchased by the Twins organization and he finished out the season with the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Lo-A Midwest League. In nine games with the Kernels he was 0-1 with a .75 ERA. He struck out 12 batters in 12 innings while walking none.
For the 2016 season, Anderson started the year in Cedar Rapids. After 12 games he moved up to the Fort Myers Miracle of the Hi-A Florida State League. Between the two clubs he was a combined 4-3 with a 2.65 ERA. He struck out 75 batters in 57.2 innings while walking only 16 and picking up 13 saves.
In 2017 he began the year in Fort Myers and then was promoted, after 15 games, to the Chattanooga Lookouts of the AA Southern League. Over 44 appearances he was 4-1 with a 1.00 ERA and recorded 57 strikeouts in 54 innings pitched. He also saved 11 games and walked only 10 batters.
Anderson spent the entire 2018 season in the AAA International League with the Rochester Red Wings. In 39 games he was 8-2 with a 3.30 ERA. He struck out a career high 88 batters in 60 innings and saved four games. Following the 2018 season he was traded to the Marlins.
In his Major League debut against the Colorado Rockies, Anderson entered the game in the fifth inning in relief of Marlins starter Jose Urena. Anderson would then get Ryan McMahon to ground out to end the inning.
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The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 25-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 200 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (MIA). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.
