First we have Gino Groover who’s off to the Arizona Diamondbacks — getting selected 48th overall in the second round. He played in 29 games with the Chucks back in the 2021 summer, hitting .265 with 26 hits, five doubles and 15 RBIs.
Next is C.J. Kayfus, taken by Cleveland at pick 93 in round three. He was also with the Chucks in 2021, and in 26 games he batted .232 with 19 hits, four doubles and 13 RBIs.
Then it’s a fellow Miami guy in Zach Levenson, who’s off to St. Louis at pick 158 in round five. Zach was a key player on last year’s Chucks, helping the team get to the playoffs for the first time since 2014. In 30 games, he had a .306 batting average with 33 hits, five doubles, one triple, four home runs and 23 RBIs.
Next is the first pitcher we highlight, and it’s two-time Chuck Cade Denton — picked by Colorado in the sixth round at pick 172. In two summers, he pitched a total of 49.2 innings which was highlighted by 3 saves in 2022 and an ERA of 3.43.
The next player we’ll highlight, and a fellow sixth rounder, is Jack Wenninger who was taken by the New York Mets at pick 186. He spent the 2022 summer with the Chucks, making 10 starts and pitching a total of 46 innings. He had the second best ERA among starters on the team at 2.54 and had 42 season strikeouts.
Now to a Chuck who was recently with the team this summer and was taken by Houston in the sixth round at pick 194, Ethan Pecko. The top starter this season for the Chucks made five starts, had a 2-1 record, struck out 36, and had an ERA of 1.04. He was the starting pitcher in the combined no-hitter against Fond du Lac where he went seven full innings, striking out 11 and only allowing one base runner.
Then we have 2021 Chuck Ben McCabe, taken by Colorado taken at pick 292 in the ninth round. McCabe played in 27 games that summer, recording 14 hits, four doubles, three home runs and 12 RBIs.
Last but certainly not least is another Chucks pitcher Tommy Kane, Tommy pitched for the Woodchucks in 2021 with an ERA of 3.52 through 15.1 innings of work. He was taken in the 19th round by San Francisco at pick 570.
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Rochester, Minn. – The 2023 Major League First-Year Player Draft was held July 9 through July 11. This year’s draft was twenty rounds with ninety Northwoods League players selected. There were also 22 drafted players that were scheduled to play in the League but were not able to do so due to injury or other circumstances.
The highest Northwoods League alum picked in this year’s draft was Jacob Wilson, a junior shortstop from Grand Canyon University. Wilson was picked in the 1st round by the Oakland Athletics with the 6th overall pick. Wilson played for the Mankato MoonDogs in 2021. The League had a record-tying five first round picks.
Of the ninety players drafted, twenty-two of them had played in the Northwoods League Major League Dreams Showcase. The Major League Dreams Showcase brought together 100 of the Northwoods League’s top prospects to form four teams for a day of scouting workouts and double-header action. Played in front of Major League scouts, the Showcase provided an invaluable platform for players looking to one day make it into the professional ranks. Participating players were hand-selected by a panel of MLB scouts, distinguishing this event from the more traditional All-Star Game format that features representatives from every team.
The La Crosse Loggers had a league-high, eleven players drafted this year. The highest pick for the Loggers was outfielder Chase Davis from the University of Arizona. Davis was selected by the Cardinals in the 1st round, 21st overall. The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders had ten former players selected. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected an MLB high eight Northwoods League players.
The full list of 2023 NWL draftees can be found by going to www.northwoodsleague.com and clicking the League Info link at the top of the page and then select NWL Alumni and Draft Highlights.
As the Northwoods League continues the 2023 season, fans everywhere can take advantage of games streamed each night on ESPN+ and at watchnwl.com. Games are viewable on PC or on mobile devices, tablets, and select smart TV services. The Great Lakes All-Star game in Traverse City on July 25 and the Great Plains All-Star game in Bismarck on August 1 will both air on ESPNU.
As the Northwoods League continues the 2023 season, fans everywhere can take advantage of games streamed each night on ESPN+ and at watchnwl.com. Games are viewable on PC or on mobile devices, tablets, and select smart TV services. The Great Lakes All-Star game in Traverse City on July 25 and the Great Plains All-Star game in Bismarck on August 1 will both air on ESPNU.
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
