Mankato, MN — With only a few weeks left before the 2018 season, the Mankato MoonDogs are excited to announce the signing of eight players from four different schools across the nation.
Garrett Mitchell, UCLA
A freshman from Orange, California, Mitchell has appeared in over thirty games in the outfield in his first campaign with the Bruins. Mitchell notched career highs in hits and RBIs in games against Utah this spring. In the summer on 2017, Mitchell played for Walla Walla in the West Coast League where he batted .462 with a home run, one triple, and three doubles in 13 at-bats. Mitchell was a four-year letterwinner at Lutheran High School in Orange, California.
RJ Teijeiro, UCLA
Teijeiro, a freshman shortstop, comes to the MoonDogs from Foster City, California. Teijeiro made his collegiate debut for the Bruins against Portland, walking and scoring a run in the victory, and set a career high with three hits and three runs in a win over Arizona State. His 2017 summer campaign for Gresham in the West Coast League resulted in a .289 batting average and .389 on-base percentage.
Max Meyer, Minnesota
Max Meyer joins the trio of Minnesota Gophers in Mankato in 2018. A freshman infielder from Woodbury, Minnesota has also been used as a closer for the Gophers this past spring and was named to the midseason watch list by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association for the “Stopper of the Year” National Relief Pitcher of the Year Award. Meyer intends to major in sport management at Minnesota.
Ryan Duffy, Minnesota
Duffy, a left-handed pitcher from South St. Paul, will join the Mankato MoonDogs for his first season in the Northwoods League. Duffy was used sparingly in his first season of collegiate baseball for the University of Minnesota. The lefty hurler appeared primarily in relief for the Gophers in 2018. A three-sport athlete in high school, Duffy competed for the St. Paul Lions in football, wrestling, and baseball.
Jason Braziel, Friends University
A right-handed pitcher from Magnolia, Texas, Jason Braziel joins the 2018 Mankato MoonDogs pitching staff on a temporary contract. Pitching for the Friends University Falcons in his senior season, Braziel won ten games and pitched nearly 100 innings this spring and helped the Falcons to a 33-19 record. In the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference first round playoff game against the Southwestern College Moundbuilders, Braziel pitched eight innings, striking out eight, and picking up the win. He will join Friends University teammate, Sean Cruz, on the roster this summer.
Sean Cruz, Friends University
The senior right-hander from Tasi Yona, Guam, Sean Cruz will provide a versatile arm in the early season for the MoonDogs. Cruz made 22 appearances for the Friends University Falcons this season in both starting and relieving roles. While helping the Falcons to a third-place finish in the Kansas College Athletic Conference with a conference record of 22-8, Cruz picked up seven wins and two saves, pitching 64 ⅓ innings. Cruz made two appearances in the KCAC Tournament and will join fellow Falcon Jason Braziel as a temporary player on the MoonDogs 2018 roster.
Jacob Nagel, Bellarmine
A right-handed pitcher from Bolingbrook, Illinois, Jacob Nagel took the mound in 2018 for the Bellarmine Knights in his sophomore season. Nagel is part of a trio of Bellarmine Knights that will join the MoonDogs in 2018. After making 12 appearances in 2017 for the Knights, Nagel started ten games on the mound in the 2018 regular season, picking up five wins and helping the Knights to a second-place finish in the Great Lakes Valley Conference East division with a 16-8 conference record. Nagel is a business administration major and the son of Craig and Pia Nagel.
Brandon Pfaadt, Bellarmine
Brandon Pfaadt joins Brady Pfaadt as the second member of the Pfaadt family to play their summer ball in Mankato in as many years. Brandon Pfaadt, a right-handed pitcher from Louisville, Kentucky, appeared in ten games throughout the regular season for the Bellarmine Knights in his freshman campaign. Pfaadt picked up four wins while pitching 41 innings and striking out 46 batters. Pfaadt made his collegiate debut against the University of Montevallo and grabbed his first win against Ashland, pitching 3 ⅓ innings and fanning four batters. Pfaadt is the son of Staci and Brian Pfaadt and is an Exercise Science major.
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The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Entering its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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, 190 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). 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.
