Mankato, Minn.-
Baseball is officially back!
With Opening Day of Major League Baseball and another Minor League Baseball season starting, the MoonDogs are moving up. The 2014 Major League Baseball Entry Draft was a successful one as the MoonDogs saw fifteen current and former players selected.
As some MoonDog fans may recall, pitcher Sam Clay, out of Georgia Tech, was the first MoonDog to be taken in the 2014 Draft; going in the fourth round, 110th overall by the Minnesota Twins. The 6’2, 190 pound lefty, posted a 2.07 ERA in 34.2 innings while striking out 37 for the MoonDogs in 2013.
In 2014, Clay was a part of the Rookie Club, Elizabethton Twins, where he finished with a 2-1 record in 19 relief appearances over 29 innings while striking out 44.
To start 2015, Clay has been assigned to the Minnesota Twins Class A Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Midwest League.
Clay is not the only Northwoods League alumnus on the Kernel’s roster. He joins Trey Vavra who also played in the Northwoods League for the Duluth Huskies.
Brock Dykxhoorn, out of Central Arizona, was taken in the sixth round, 166th overall by the Houston Astros. The big 6’8, 225 pound, right handed pitcher posted a 4-4 record in eleven games, ten starts, while striking out 43 in 2013 for the MoonDogs.
In 2014, Dykxhoorn was with the Rookie Greeneville Astros where he appeared in 12 games, four starts, with a 3-3 record in 32.1 innings pitched while fanning 36 batters.
After this spring, Dykxhoorn has been assigned to the Class A Quad Cities River Bandits of the Midwest League.
Jake Yacinich, out of the University of Iowa, who was selected in the eighth round, 239th overall by the Los Angeles Angles. The 6‘ 2, 195 pound shortstop appeared in seven games for the MoonDogs in 2014.
In 2014, Yacinich was a member of the Rookie Club Orem Owlz, where he saw limited playing time appearing in six games.
Yacinich has started off 2015 on the right foot as he recorded two hits and drove in two runs in his debut with the Burlington Bees, Class A Affiliate of the Los Angles Dodgers.
Here are the other 2014 MoonDogs Draftees in Minor League baseball:
- Drew Stankiewicz – 2B – (11th round, 322nd overall Philadelphia Phillies), Class A+ Clearwater Threshers
- Matt Borens – RHP – (11th round, 332nd overall, New York Yankees), Class A (Short Season) Staten Island Yankees
- Kyle McGrath – LHP – (36th round, 1077th overall, San Diego Padres), Class A Fort Wayne TinCaps.
- Chase Simpson – 3B – (14th round, 431st overall Pittsburgh Pirates), Class A West Virginia Power
- Jess Amedee – RHP – (27th round, 821st overall Pittsburgh Pirates), Rookie Bristol Pirates
- David Andriese – 1B – (30th round, 911st overall Pittsburgh Pirates), Class A (Short Season) West Virginia Black Bears
The MoonDogs home opener is scheduled for Wednesday, May 27, at 7:05 p.m. against the Rochester Honkers at Franklin Rogers Park. Season tickets are now on sale at the MoonDogs office located at 1221 Caledonia Street.
“The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, 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 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (OAK) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website. For more information, visit http://www.mankatomoondogs.com