Ever since Harold Riggins (NC State) hit a walk-off three-run shot to defeat the Rochester Honkers 7-6 on June 1, he hasn’t looked back in leading the league with 44 RBI and a second-best mark of 8 home runs.
Thunder Bay, Ontario – July 21, 2009. Hello Canada; we’d like you to meet Mallards 2009 Northwoods League All-Star first baseman Harold Riggins (NC State). Riggins, a 6’3″, 260 lb, baseball crushing machine, enters the All-Star break with a league-leading 44 RBI, second-best 8 home runs, and fourth-best .329 batting average.
The soon-to-be sophomore will participate in this afternoon’s Home Run Derby set to begin at 3:05 p.m. (CST) that will be webcast live at Northwoodsleague.tv. The derby will consist of two rounds, with the top four long-ball totals advancing to the second and final round. Players will receive 10 outs during each round.
The eight-person 2009 NWL Home Run Derby field will consist of:
North Division:
(Name, NWL team, College, & summer statistics)
Corey Jones, Rochester (Cal State Fullerton) – League-leading 12 home runs & 32 RBI
Mike O’Neill, Alexandria (USC) – 4 home runs & 16 RBI
Nick Longmire, St. Cloud (Pacific) – 4 home runs & 23 RBI
Adam Courcha, Thunder Bay (New Mexico) – 3 home runs & 14 RBI
South Division:
Harold Riggins, Madison (NC State) – 8 home runs & league-leading 44 RBI
Ben Long, Wisconsin (UW-Milwaukee) – 6 home runs & 22 RBI
Riley Henricks, Green Bay (Portland) – 4 home runs & 22 RBI
Aaron Gates, La Crosse (Pepperdine) – 5 home runs & 25 RBI
Riggins is a product out of Normal West High School (IL), where he hit .447 with 14 doubles, a school single-season high eight home runs, and 25 RBIs in 37 games his senior season. That same year he was invited to play in the Area Code Games, a showcase for the nation’s best talent with scouts from every major league organization and some 80 colleges in attendance. He also participated in the 2007 Pitch & Hit Club of Chicago High School baseball showcase, highlighting the highest-level amateur baseball talent in Illinois. As a junior Riggins batted .342 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs. Both years he was named to the Big 12 Conference First-Team. Harold was selected in the 35th round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox.
This past spring for the Wolfpack, Riggins hit .284 with 4 doubles, 2 home runs, and 16 RBI in 32 games.
