ROCHESTER, MINN. — The Rochester Honkers, five-time champions of the Northwoods League, will send two players to the 2021 Northwoods League All-Star Game. Infielder Mac Horvath and left-handed pitcher Brant Alazaus will represent Rochester when the league’s best converge on ISG Field in Mankato, Minn. July 19-20 for the mid-summer classic.

Horvath, a native of Rochester who played two seasons at Century High School before transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., has been unstoppable for the Honkers over the last two weeks of play. The North Carolina infielder leads the Northwoods League in OPS with an astonishing 1.032 mark, and places second among all qualifiers in on-base percentage with a .485 clip. Horvath carried a 10-game hitting streak from June 25 until July 6, collecting 18 hits and seven multi-hit games in that span.

“Mac has held down a spot in the middle of our order all season long, and rightfully so,” said Honkers field manager Paul Weidner. “He’s a very talented hitter with a lot of pop and has come up big for us in big spots all season long. His production this summer has been so deserving of an All-Star spot.”

“It’s been awesome being a Honker,” Horvath said in a text statement. “Playing at home and now being able to represent my hometown team in the All-Star Game is an unbelievable feeling.”

Alazaus has been equally as impressive through the first half of the season for the Honkers. The highlight of the season thus far for the rising senior out of Walsh University in Ohio has been a complete game shutout against the Waterloo Bucks on June 30. Alazaus carved up one of the premier offenses in the Northwoods League, holding Waterloo to just two hits. The lefty struck out 10 batters — including the side in the ninth inning to end the game — and walked zero batters en route to one of the best performances of the season by any NWL pitcher, and the first nine-inning complete game shutout of the year. Alazaus’s 33 strikeouts rank sixth in the league and third among pitchers with seven or fewer appearances.

“Brant has just been a model of consistency for our entire staff,” Weidner said of Alazaus. “He pounds the strike zone, commands multiple pitches, and has exactly the demeanor you’d want from someone you need to trust. His performance against Waterloo a couple of starts back is just a culmination of what had been better and better starts every time, and he has been great all year.”

“I’m excited to represent Rochester,” Alazaus said in a text statement. “It wouldn’t be possible without my teammates and coaching staff.”

The 2021 Northwoods League All-Star Game will take place at ISG Field in Mankato, Minn. on July 20. The two-day festival will consist of the league Home Run Derby, the All-Star Game and a Fireworks Extravaganza as a cherry on top of what is perennially one of the Northwoods League’s top events of the season.

The Rochester Honkers invite you to join them for the 28th summer of fun at Mayo Field! Connect with the team on social media by liking them on Facebook at Rochester Honkers Baseball Club and following them on Twitter (@RochHonkers) and Instagram (@HonkersBaseball). Join the conversation by using the hashtag #FunForTheWholeFlock.

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The Rochester Honkers 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 of its kind in the world with 22 teams, drawing significantly more fans and provides a friendly ballpark experience. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, over 250 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 and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB Gold Glove finalist and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TOR) each participated in the NWL before they were MLB stars. 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.rochesterhonkers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Honkers as your favorite team.