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Summer Collegiate  | Rankings  | 10/13/2014

Northwoods Lg. prospect reports

Patrick Ebert     
Photo: Waterloo Bucks

Official League Website: www.northwoodsleague.com
2014summer collegiate top prospect index
Northwoods League top prospect list

It was a dominant summer for the Lakeshore Chinooks in their third season of existence in the Northwoods League. They claimed both the first (24-10) and second (26-11) halves of the South Division for a 50-21 overall record. In the playoffs they promptly swept both the Wisconsin Woodchucks and the Mankato MoonDogs in back-to-back best-of-three series to claim the overall league championship.

Their consistent dominance from beginning to end, as part of the longest and most grueling seasons of all of the summer collegiate leagues, led to the Chinooks being named Perfect Game's 2014 Summer Collegiate Team of the Year.

Pete Alonso was equally dominant at the plate for the Madison Mallards, hitting .354-18-53 on his way to capturing the league's Most Valuable Player award. He also received the league's All-Star Game 'Star of Stars' award by hitting a three-run home run at Kapco Park, home of the Chinooks, in a 3-0 South Division win.


Year established: 1994
States represented: Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ontario, Wisconsin
No. of teams: 18 (16 in 2013)
Regular season champion (best overall record): Lakeshore Chinooks, 50-21
Post season champion: Lakeshore Chinooks
No. 1 prospect, 2013: Colin Poche, lhp, Willmar Stingers (Arkansas)
First 2013 player selected, 2014 Draft: Mike Papi, of/1b, Lakeshore Chinooks (Virginia; Indians/supplemental 1st round)

Player of the Year: Pete Alonso, 1b, Madison Mallards (Florida)
Pitcher of the Year: Matt Kent, lhp, Rochester Honkers (Texas A&M); Ryan Smoyer, rhp, Kalamazoo Growlers (Notre Dame)

BATTING LEADERS

Batting average: Zack Domingues, ss, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (Long Beach State) (.376)
Slugging percentage: Pete Alonso, 1b, Madison Mallards (.624)
On-Base average: Pat MacKenzie, 2b, Waterloo Bucks (Central Michigan) (.504)
Home Runs: Paul DeJong, 3b, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (Illinois State) (20)
RBI: Pat Porter, of, Kenosha Kingfish (Ohio State) (63)
Stolen bases: Tyler Sullivan, of, Mankato MoonDogs (Pacific) (36)

PITCHING LEADERS

Wins: Ryan Smoyer, rhp, Kalamazoo Growlers (8)
ERA: Reese Gregory, rhp, St. Cloud Rox (St. Cloud State) (1.70)
Saves: Tim Black, rhp, Madison Mallards (Central Michigan) (19)
Strikeouts: Reese Gregory, rhp, St. Cloud Rox (71)

BEST TOOLS

Best Athlete: Buddy Reed, of, Kenosha Kingfish
Best Hitter: Ryan Boldt, of, Rochester Honkers
Best Power: Pete Alonso, 1b, Madison Mallards
Fastest Base Runner: Tyler Sullivan, of, Mankato MoonDogs
Best Defensive Player: Zack Domingues, ss, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
Best Velocity: Zach Jackson, rhp, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
Best Breaking Ball: Breckin Williams, rhp, La Crosse Loggers
Best Command: Matt Kent, lhp, Rochester Honkers


TOP 30 PROSPECTS

1. A.J. Puk, lhp, Waterloo Bucks (Florida/SO in 2015)
Puk carried a successful freshman season at Florida over to the summer, although that summer stint spent in the Northwoods League turned out to be very brief. After going 5-2 with a 3.19 ERA in a swing role for the Gators this spring, Puk tossed only 8 2/3 innings in two appearances with Waterloo. The results were just as impressive however, as he opened games at 92-95 mph before settling in at 90-93. He creates great angles with his 6-foot-7 frame, spins a good mid-70s curveball and has a solid feel for his changeup. And Puk's low- to mid-90s velo was already an expected step up since high school, where he was named a PG All-American, as it's further expected that he will continue to add velocity as he adds more strength to his still growing and projectable frame. Puk also continues to see time at the plate – both over the summer and during the spring – given his immense power potential, although his future clearly lies on the mound.

2. Mitchell Traver, rhp, Mankato MoonDogs (Texas Christian/RS SO in 2015)
Expected to throw in the league's Big League Showcase event, Traver instead pitched on the side, and the results were impressive, leading to a few scouts suggesting that Traver, and not fellow former PG All-Americans A.J. Puk and Ryan Boldt, was the league's best prospect. With a 90-94 mph fastball that reached as high as 95 to go along with a power 79-81 curveball and feel for a changeup, few players in the league came close to Traver's upside. His career was just getting back on track after undergoing Tommy John surgery late in the summer of 2012, causing him to miss the entire 2013 season, and he recorded only one out last spring. Looking for experience to shake off the rust, Traver made eight appearances on the summer, six of which were starts, with one coming in the NWL playoffs, going 2-2 with a 5.16 ERA. A draft-eligible sophomore next spring, Traver may shine as part of a seemingly always loaded TCU staff.

3. Ryan Boldt, of, Rochester Honkers (Nebraska/SO in 2015)
The winter and spring of 2013 were particularly unkind to the state of Minnesota, which in turn were unkind to it's star baseball player, PG All-American outfielder Ryan Boldt. Heading into his senior year as a likely first round pick, Boldt suffered a knee injury due to poor field conditions that ultimately led to him honoring his commitment to Nebraska, garnering more and more comparisons to his coach, Darin Erstad, for his talents and hard-nosed approach. Boldt followed his .311/.382/.437 freshman season with the Huskers with a .333/.452/.414 summer, and continued to flash his five-tool potential. There's more power in his swing than his combined two freshman home runs suggest, and also more speed than the 21 bases he swiped. Heading into his sophomore year, it's expected that Boldt will continue to put the pieces together as he continues to build his case as a premium draft pick for 2016.

4. Pete Alonso, 1b, Madison Mallards (Florida/SO in 2015)
Alonso had a respectable freshman showing for the Gators, hitting .264-4-32 while starting in 58 of Florida's 63 games. The four home runs are not indicative of Alonso's offensive potential, however, the .352-18-53 line that earned him NWL MVP honors is. He generates tremendous leverage and strength in his swing, consistently hitting the ball hard predominantly from the left field line to straightaway center, although his power truly is to all fields. There will always be some swing-and-miss to his game with an aggressive approach, but that is acceptable given his profile as a middle-of-the-order run producer, and he's far from a free swinger. His defense looked much improved on the summer, and he also did a nice job managing the strike zone. Heading into his sophomore year, Alonso is poised to emerge as a force in the middle of the Gators' lineup as well.
5. Zach Jackson, rhp, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (Arkansas/SO in 2015)
Jackson was a key member of the Razorbacks bullpen during his freshman year, making 24 appearances, tied for second most on the team, while posting a 2.53 ERA over 42 2/3 innings of work. His time spent in the Northwoods League this summer gave him the opportunity to stretch out his arm in a starting role, possibly as a tuneup for next spring, although that is the biggest question moving forward as he may be better suited for short relief long-term. During the summer he struck out 59 in 37 2/3 innings of work, but he also walked 22. His fastball routinely sat in the low- to mid-90s, peaking as high as 96, while he continued to work on improving the consistency of his secondary offerings. At 6-foot-3, 195-pounds Jackson is built country strong and simply needs to be handled patiently while getting the experience he needs to approach his lofty potential.


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