Madison, WI – July 29, 2014. The Northwoods League announced yesterday the rosters for the second annual Northwoods Big League Dreams Showcase being played at the “Duck Pond” on Tuesday, August 5th.
Five Mallards were selected to play in the showcase, where players chosen by a panel of Major League Baseball scouts will participate in a day of workouts and play in a doubleheader later that afternoon. Mallards catcher Drew Carlile (Bradley), first baseman Pete Alonso (Florida), outfielder Connor Marabell (Jacksonville), and pitchers Chris Oakley (North Carolina) and Tim Black (Central Michigan) were all selected to compete.
The Big League Dreams Showcase doubleheader features four mixed teams from the North and South Divisions, with the first game on Tuesday beginning at 4:05 pm.
In the first game, the North team will have players from the Rochester Honkers, Mankato MoonDogs, St. Cloud Rox and Willmar Stingers. The home South Division team will have players from the Kenosha Kingfish, Green Bay Bullfrogs, Lakeshore Chinooks and the Wisconsin Woodchucks.
The second game, five Mallards compete for the South Division against a North Division team made up of players from the Alexandria Blue Anchors, Duluth Huskies, Eau Claire Express and Waterloo Bucks at 7:35 pm. The South team will have players from the Mallards, Battle Creek Bombers, Kalamazoo Growlers, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters and the La Crosse Loggers.
Carlile, a 6’2”, 220-pound catcher out of Bradley University has been solid behind the plate for the Mallards this year and is batting at a .268 clip, recording 33 hits and 14 RBI in 36 games with the club.
The infielder Alonso is the Mallards single season record holder in home runs, and currently is tied for the Northwoods League lead in that category with 15. He has 66 hits and 47 RBI to go along with his record setting season, and is batting a superb .344.
Marabell, a sophomore from Jacksonville University joined the team in early July and has been a steady presence in right field for the Mallards. The Jacksonville, Florida native is averaging over a hit a game with 32 in 26 games, and holds a .323 average with 18 RBI.
Oakley has seen action in 14 games for the Mallards on the mound, with four of those starting appearances. The 6’7”, 235-pound freshman from University of North Carolina has struck out 17 in 24.1 innings of work.
Black leads the Northwoods League in saves and holds the Mallards single season in that category with 15. He is averaging over a strikeout an inning with 31 in 27.2 innings of work, and has held opposing batters to 18 hits while walking just five.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Northwoods League Foundation. The Northwoods League Foundation utilizes the game of baseball to enrich the quality of life for children and families with an enduring and caring focus on Northwoods League communities.
To purchase tickets for the event, log on to MallardsBaseball.com, call 608-246-4277, or stop by the Mallards ticket office.
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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 the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit MallardsBaseball.com.
