By Connor Wachtel
Mankato, Minn. — Four more guys are headed to The Frank this summer. Koby Kelton, Tanner Craig, Mason Hull and Justin Carlin will play in Mankato for the 19th season of MoonDogs baseball in 2020.
Koby Kelton – Angelo State University
Kelton is an outfielder from Austin, Texas, and Angelo State University. He appeared in four games in 2019 and scored and drove in a run in four at bats. Kelton also mustered up a walk and hit by pitch in his second season with the Rams.
Tanner Craig – University of Evansville
Returning for his second season of MoonDogs baseball, Craig raked in 57 hits in 210 at bats in 60 games in 2019. Craig finished the season second for the MoonDogs with seven home runs and tied for first with 33 RBI. The right-side slugging first baseman will be back at Franklin Rogers Park in 2020.
Mason Hull – Missouri State University
Hull, a young defensive stallion from Missouri State University, made 50 starts for the Bears infield in 2019. He led the Bears and finished the season 10th in the Missouri Valley Conference in assists (124), including 36 double plays, good enough for second among all conference defenders. He tallied six multi-hit and multi-RBI performances respectively. An Effingham, Ill., native, Hull notched 10 doubles, four round trippers, and a triple in his rookie campaign at MSU.
Justin Carlin – Western Kentucky University
Carlin, a junior from Western Kentucky University after transferring from Columbia State CC, is a diverse fielder. Carlin sprinted to the 69th spot in stolen bases in the NJCAA with 22. The Huntsville, Ala. native garnered an on-base percentage of .497, good enough for 76th in the nation by the 2018 season’s end.
The Mankato MoonDogs begin their season on May 26, at Franklin Rogers Park when they square off with the Willmar Stingers at 6:35 p.m.
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The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 26th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 230 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.mankatomoondogs.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the MoonDogs as your favorite team.
