Jake Shelagowski

Jake Shelagowski, a hard-throwing right-hander from Saginaw Valley State, made his mark out of the bullpen for the Royal Oak Leprechauns during the summer of 2025. Over five appearances, he struck out 10 batters in just 5.1 innings and consistently touched the upper 90s on the radar gun. In his debut on June 25, Shelagowski fired a perfect eighth inning with two strikeouts in a 5–4 win over Wisconsin Rapids, showcasing a fastball that hit 97 mph. His impressive summer earned him a selection by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 13th round (390th overall) of the 2025 MLB Draft, becoming the eighth player in Leprechauns history to be drafted.

  • Born: 11/17/2003 in Saginaw, MI
  • College: Saginaw Valley State
  • 2025 Draft Pick: 13th Round, 390th Overall (St. Louis Cardinals)
  • Position: Pitcher
  • Leprechauns Team: 2025

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

Aidan Cremarosa

Aidan Cremarosa was a standout pitcher at Fresno State, earning Mountain West Pitcher of the Year honors and racking up 112 strikeouts in 95.1 innings during the 2025 season. He also spent part of the summer of 2024 with the Royal Oak Leprechauns in the Northwoods League. Over six appearances, including four starts, the right-hander posted a 2.70 ERA across 23.1 innings pitched. In his first start on July 5, 2024, Cremarosa threw five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and no walks while striking out four. He earned Northwoods League Pitcher of the Night honors for the performance.

The Burbank native will take his talents to the pros, as the Tampa Bay Rays selected the former Leprechaun in the 8th round (237th overall) of the 2025 MLB Draft.

  • Born: 10/9/2003 in Burbank, CA
  • College: Fresno State
  • 2025 Draft Pick: Tampa Bay Rays, 8th round (237th overall)
  • Position: Pitcher
  • Leprechauns Team: 2024

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

Derek Clark

Clark spent one season at West Virginia University after transferring from Division II Northwood University. A left-handed pitcher, Clark tossed four complete games, throwing 97.2 innings with a 3.23 ERA. He finished with 91 strikeouts while walking only 23 batters. Clark, a 5-foot-9 left-handed pitcher, became the first former Northwood player taken since 2019, when the St. Louis Cardinals took David Vinsky in the 15th round.

He holds Northwood records for career wins (23), innings pitched (264) and strikeouts (259). He also holds season records for innings pitched (103) and strikeouts (104). He was named an NAIA all-American in 2023.

  • Born: 12/25/2001 in Toledo, OH
  • Draft: 2024, Los Angeles Angels, Round: 9, Overall Pick: 262
  • College: West Virginia
  • Leprechauns Team: 2021 Leprechauns Player
  • Position: Pitcher

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

Griffin Kilander

Griffin Kilander played collegiately at Wayne State University, where he spent three seasons on the mound. He appeared in 34 games, making 23 starts, and compiled a 14–6 record with a 3.61 ERA. Over 154.2 innings pitched, he struck out 136 batters while issuing just 43 walks. In the summer of 2025, Kilander pitched for the Royal Oak Leprechauns, appearing in three games. He earned one win and recorded 13 strikeouts over 10.1 innings.

  • Born: 6/30/2003 in Livonia, MI
  • Draft: 2024, Boston Red Sox, Round: 16, Overall Pick: 477
  • College: Wayne State
  • Leprechauns Team: 2022-2024
  • Positions: Pitcher and

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

Jake Jekielek

Jake Jekielek, a standout reliever for the 2024 Royal Oak Leprechauns, was selected as a Northwoods League All-Star before being drafted by the Texas Rangers with the 315th overall pick in the 10th round of the 2024 MLB Draft. Jekielek was dominant out of the bullpen, appearing in 13 games and recording two wins, one loss, and seven saves over 24.2 innings pitched. He allowed just 10 hits and four runs (two earned), while striking out 29 and walking 10. He finished the summer with an impressive 0.73 ERA.

  • Born: 9/4/2002 in Sterling Heights, MI
  • Draft Pick: 2024, Texas Rangers, 10th Round, 315th Overall
  • College: Northwood University
  • Leprechauns Team: 2024
  • Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

Zach MacDonald

A three-year starter at Miami (OH), MacDonald slashed .337/.462/.683 across 54 games this spring with the Redhawks. While driving in 62 RBI, MacDonald tied the program record with 20 home runs and ended his career second all-time with 43 home runs.

A First-Team All-MAC and MAC All-Defensive Team member, MacDonald led the MAC in slugging percentage, while finishing second in home runs and OPS. For his stellar year, MacDonald was the first Miami player to be named to the ABCA/Rawlings East All-Region since 2012.

A graduate of Portage Central High School, MacDonald set the program record with 15 home runs, hitting .498 his senior year before being named the Michigan Division I Co-Player of the Year.

In 2022, MacDonald returned to his hometown, playing with the Growlers following his freshman season at Miami.

  • Born: 8/03/2003 in Portage, MI
  • Draft: 2024, Detroit Tigers, 15th Round, 446th Overall
  • College: Miami (OH)
  • Leprechauns Team: 2021
  • Position: OF

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

Trent Farquhar

The Dearborn native, who started his career at Bowling Green, will be climbing up the ranks of professional baseball, as the Phillies have promoted the former Spartan to A+ ball with the Jersey Shore BlueClaws. Trent Farquhar was a stand out with Leprechauns on the 2021 team.

  • Born: 3/12/2001 in Dearborn, MI
  • College: Michigan State
  • Positions: Second Baseman, Shortstop and Third Baseman
  • Leprechauns Team: 2021

Bats: Left • Throws: Right

Pierce Banks

A four-year standout at Adrian College, Banks left an indelible mark on the Bulldogs’ pitching legacy finishing his career with an impressive 2.99 ERA over 325.1 innings, totaling 36 wins, 11 complete games, and 307 strikeouts. He owns the program records for most games started, innings pitched, strikeouts, and batters faced (1,359), and ranks second in wins, ninth in career ERA, and fourth in lowest opponent batting average (.233)

After wrapping up his college career, Banks signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins in June 2022 following a stint with the USPBL’s Eastside Diamond Hoppers. He joined the Twins’ rookie-level affiliate in the Florida Complex League and spent time with the Cedar Rapids Kernels

  • Born: 3/31/1998 in Sterling Heights, MI
  • Draft: 2022, Minnesota Twins, Undrafted Free Agent
  • College: Adrian College
  • Leprechauns Team: 2018
  • Position: RHP

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

Sam Benschoter

A three-year pitcher at Michigan State, Benschoter struck out 143 batters across 45 career appearances with the Spartans. Highlighting his career, he set a modern program record with 17 strikeouts in 9.1 innings against Nebraska in 2021, earning Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Week honors.

Signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an undrafted free agent in 2021, Benschoter began his professional career in the Arizona Complex League before advancing through Daytona, Dayton, Chattanooga, and Louisville. In 2024, he compiled a 4–5 record with a 4.33 ERA and 101 strikeouts over 104 innings. With Triple-A Louisville in 2025, he led the team with seven wins, posting a 3.67 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 31 games. On July 1, 2025, he was added to the Reds’ 40-man roster and promoted to the majors, though he did not appear in a game.

  • Born: 3/17/1998 in Ann Arbor, MI
  • Draft: 2021, Cincinnati Reds, Undrafted Free Agent
  • College: Michigan State
  • Leprechauns Team: 2018
  • Position: RHP

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

Griffin Lockwood-Powell

A standout four-year position player at Central Michigan University, Lockwood-Powell logged a .313/.429/.474 slash line in 2018 after earning All-MAC First Team honors as a redshirt freshman. In 2019, he burst onto the scene as the MAC Tournament MVP—hitting .545 with a home run, a double, and six RBI in a three-game run to the title—and earned First Team All-MAC for the second consecutive season. He finished that season tied for the conference lead with 11 home runs and led the MAC (and ranked seventh nationally) with a program-record 74 RBI, batting .341 with a team-high .605 slugging percentage

Lockwood-Powell signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as an undrafted free agent in August 2021 and steadily moved through the minors—beginning with the ACL Dodgers and Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in 2022, advancing to the Great Lakes Loons in 2023, and reaching Double-A Tulsa by 2024.

  • Born: 2/23/1998 in Sioux Falls, SD
  • Draft: 2021, Los Angeles Dodgers, Undrafted Free Agent
  • College: Central Michigan
  • Leprechauns Team: 2017
  • Position: C / 1B / LF

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

Jake Hoover

A multi-year standout at Hillsdale College, Hoover wrapped up his collegiate career with a robust .328 batting average, 12 home runs, and 64 RBI, pacing the team with a .416 on-base percentage and leaving his mark in school history with second-most triples (12) and seventh-most stolen bases (38). In his senior season, he slashed an impressive .370 average with 10 homers, 33 RBI, 60 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases, setting single-season program highs in slugging (.672) and triples (7)—all while earning ABCA All-Region Second Team honors

  • Born: 7/11/1997 in Armada, MI
  • Draft: 2019, Texas Rangers, Round 28, Overall 835
  • College: Hillsdale College
  • Leprechauns Team: 2017

Position: IF / Utility

Bats: Right • Throws: Right