By: Dylan Lee – Public Relations

Two former Mallards were drafted in the Major League Baseball Draft tonight from the 2012 Madison Mallards.

Nick Howard, a junior right handed pitcher and infielder at the University of Virginia was picked by the Cincinnati Reds in the first round of the 2014 Draft with the 19th pick. Howard, a 6’3”, 215-pound junior out of Olney, Maryland played in 51 games with the Mallards, batting .252 with 57 hits, six home runs and 28 RBI. Howard hit .261 with the Cavaliers this year with 40 hits, one home run and 20 RBI. He also appeared in 27 games as a pitcher, holding a 2.15 ERA in 29.1 innings pitched, giving up eight runs on 19 hits and striking out 50 batters.

Derek Fisher, a 6’3”, 207-pound outfielder from Rexmont, Pennsylvania was drafted by the Houston Astros in the Competitive Balance Round A with the 37th pick. Fisher, also a junior at the University of Virginia, played in 51 games with the 2012 Mallards and hit .315 with eight home runs, 58 hits and 36 RBI. He hit .288 with the Cavaliers this year, recording 40 hits, three home runs and 40 RBI.

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The Madison Mallards 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  via the Northwoods League YouTube channel.  For more information, visit MallardsBaseball.com.