MANKATO, Minn.–The Mankato MoonDogs Baseball Club, a member of the Northwoods League, is overjoyed to announce 15 total MoonDogs were given a shot at the next level in the last few days during the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft. These players make that 66 MoonDog draftees in the last four years.

Anxiety was running high for MoonDog players during the draft meaning the smallest noise caused a quick check of the phone to see if the call of their life long dream had finally came true.

For Tyler Naquin (Texas A&M), that call came quickly as he lead off the MoonDogs in the draft with being selected 15th overall in the first round by the Cleveland Indians, Monday making him the highest draft pick to ever wear a MoonDogs uniform.

Sam Selman (Vanderbilt) was selected in the 2nd round with the 66th pick by the Kansas City Royals. Selman was a two-year MoonDog starting pitcher in 2010 and 2011 who throws for high velocity and has shown distinct progression, which will help him in his future endeavors.

The next three to go for the MoonDogs were Nick Goody (LSU) in the sixth round as the 217th pick by the New York Yankees, Logan Taylor (Eastern OK St) in the 11th round as the 350th selection by the New York Mets, and Alex Glenn (Arizona Christian) in the 12th round as the 393rd overall pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Mankato’s favorite and 2011 NWL Pitcher of the Year, Blake Schwartz (Oklahoma City), was selected in the 17th round as the 534th pick by the Washington Nationals. Schwartz was with the MoonDogs for two years and possessed immense command on the mound. MoonDog fans are excited to see Schwartz at the next level and develop into a professional ball player.

A few current players were drafted as well, including shortstop Jorge Flores (Central Arizona) by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 19th round, right handed pitcher John Walter (Penn St.) by the Kansas City Royals in the 29th round, and lastly shortstop Chad Christensen (Nebraska) in the 35th round. Christensen has yet to make it to Mankato for the summer, but will be shortly for he decided to finish his collegiate career.

The rest of the MoonDog draftees consist of Jordan Sterenka (Penn St.) selected in the 21st round by his hometown team the Pittsburgh Pirates, Jordan Remer (San Francisco) in the 21st by the Cincinatti Reds, Jim Stokes (Elon) will join Naquin with the Cleveland Indians being selected in the 22nd round, Sam Eberle (Jacksonville St.) selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 25th round, and finally Bryan Haar (San Diego) who’s name was called in the 34th round by the Minnesota Twins.

The MoonDogs would first and foremost like to congratulate all the 2012 MLB draftees, and would like you to hold on to the ambition to do what it takes to win for your future ball clubs in search of a long and successful baseball career.