By: Connor Wachtel
ROCHESTER, Minn. – The Northwoods League announced the 2021 Postseason All-Star Team and award winners on Friday, Aug. 13. For the Mankato MoonDogs, outfielder Matt Higgins was named one of the League’s Co-Most Valuable Players.
Higgins, a junior at Bellarmine University, was a 2021 mid-season All-Star and hometown hero of the Northwoods League Home Run Challenge the night before the game. He currently has a .335 average with five home runs, 19 doubles and 50 RBI. Higgins is a native of Louisville, Ky.
Among the other MoonDogs honorees were twin brothers in Blake Reilly and Vince Reilly, of Grand Canyon University, who were named Northwoods League Postseason All-Stars along with Higgins.
Full 2021 Postseason All-Star Rosters can be found here: 2021 Postseason All-Stars.
Up next, the Mankato MoonDogs get set to conclude the 2021 regular season by playing host to the Rochester Honkers (29-36) at ISG Field. First pitch for game one of the series on Friday is slated for 6:35 p.m.
-DOGS-
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’ 27th 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.