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BATTLE CREEK - If you play college baseball or are a part of the Northwoods League, you have a lot of interest in the annual Major League Baseball draft.
The 2026 Major League Baseball Draft had a little bit of a local flair this time around.
The headline had 97 Northwoods League players selected in the draft, which means the organization is doing its job as the summer collegiate baseball league is set up to help players get to the next level.
The highest Northwoods League alum picked in this year’s draft was Vahn Lackey, a junior catcher from Georgia Tech. Lackey was picked 3rd overall by the Minnesota Twins. Lackey played for the Traverse City Pit Spitters in 2024.
The Madison Mallards had a league-high nine players drafted this year. The highest pick for the Mallards was shortstop Jake Schaffner from the University of North Carolina. Schaffner was selected by the Boston Red Sox with the 20th pick in the 1st round. The Willmar Stingers also had nine players selected. Their highest pick was Isaac Morton who was selected in the 6th round by the Chicago Cubs. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected seven Northwoods League players.
MORE:Battle Jacks players shine at Northwoods League All-Star Game
Michael Addari, who played for the Battle Jacks in 2023 and 2024, was picked by the Houston Astros in the sixth round. Addari is a pitcher for Illinois State.
Rival Kalamazoo had four former players drafted. The top former Growlers player picked was Eric Becker, who played in Kalamazoo in 2024. Becker was picked in the second round out of the University of Virginia.
A pitcher at the University of Olivet made history at that school by becoming just the second player drafted ever from the Comets baseball program. Bryan Carney was picked in the seventh round by the Houston Astros. The only other player from Olivet to be drafted was former Detroit Tiger Vern Ruhle.
Carney has pitched for the Kalamazoo Growlers this summer. He played three seasons in Olivet, setting school records for strikeouts in a single game, single season and career.
Kalamazoo tied a league record by scoring 29 runs in a game in a 29-9 win over Battle Creek. The Growlers scored in six different innings, including an eight-run fifth inning and a six-run seventh inning.
The Battle Jacks have struggled in the second half of the season. Battle Creek finished the week with a three-game losing streak and was 1-6 during the week. The Jacks are coming off a road trip in Wisconsin and is off on Monday.
Battle Creek will be home to start the new week with four games in three days against first-half champ Traverse City.
Battle Creek will feature several promotions in the second half of the season.
July 24 is Post Cereal Night featuring a Post balloon flyover.
July 25 will include a Margaritaville Night and Yacht Rock concert.
July 26 is Russell's 5th Birthday celebration and Family Day.
Contact Bill Broderick at [email protected]. Follow him on X/Twitter @billbroderick.
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Northwoods League players make impact on Major League Baseball Draft
Continue reading...
The 2026 Major League Baseball Draft had a little bit of a local flair this time around.
The headline had 97 Northwoods League players selected in the draft, which means the organization is doing its job as the summer collegiate baseball league is set up to help players get to the next level.
The highest Northwoods League alum picked in this year’s draft was Vahn Lackey, a junior catcher from Georgia Tech. Lackey was picked 3rd overall by the Minnesota Twins. Lackey played for the Traverse City Pit Spitters in 2024.
The Madison Mallards had a league-high nine players drafted this year. The highest pick for the Mallards was shortstop Jake Schaffner from the University of North Carolina. Schaffner was selected by the Boston Red Sox with the 20th pick in the 1st round. The Willmar Stingers also had nine players selected. Their highest pick was Isaac Morton who was selected in the 6th round by the Chicago Cubs. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected seven Northwoods League players.
MORE:Battle Jacks players shine at Northwoods League All-Star Game
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Former Battle Jacks player picked
Michael Addari, who played for the Battle Jacks in 2023 and 2024, was picked by the Houston Astros in the sixth round. Addari is a pitcher for Illinois State.
Rival Kalamazoo had four former players drafted. The top former Growlers player picked was Eric Becker, who played in Kalamazoo in 2024. Becker was picked in the second round out of the University of Virginia.
Historical pick
A pitcher at the University of Olivet made history at that school by becoming just the second player drafted ever from the Comets baseball program. Bryan Carney was picked in the seventh round by the Houston Astros. The only other player from Olivet to be drafted was former Detroit Tiger Vern Ruhle.
Carney has pitched for the Kalamazoo Growlers this summer. He played three seasons in Olivet, setting school records for strikeouts in a single game, single season and career.
Wrong end of history
Kalamazoo tied a league record by scoring 29 runs in a game in a 29-9 win over Battle Creek. The Growlers scored in six different innings, including an eight-run fifth inning and a six-run seventh inning.
Battle Jacks - Week of July 13-19
The Battle Jacks have struggled in the second half of the season. Battle Creek finished the week with a three-game losing streak and was 1-6 during the week. The Jacks are coming off a road trip in Wisconsin and is off on Monday.
Battle Creek will be home to start the new week with four games in three days against first-half champ Traverse City.
What's Next?
Battle Creek will feature several promotions in the second half of the season.
July 24 is Post Cereal Night featuring a Post balloon flyover.
July 25 will include a Margaritaville Night and Yacht Rock concert.
July 26 is Russell's 5th Birthday celebration and Family Day.
Contact Bill Broderick at [email protected]. Follow him on X/Twitter @billbroderick.
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Northwoods League players make impact on Major League Baseball Draft
Continue reading...
