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Summer Collegiate  | Story  | 11/22/2012

Northwoods Prospect Reports

Patrick Ebert     
Photo: Madison Mallards
Official League Website
Northwoods League top 75 prospects (list)
Perfect Game Summer Collegiate top prospect coverage

No team in summer-collegiate baseball posted more wins in 2012 than the La Crosse Loggers, who finished the Northwoods League season with a 49-21 record and claimed the league championship. The Loggers out-scored their two opponents in the playoffs, the Wisconsin Woodchucks and Mankato MoonDogs, 42-16.
Two La Crosse players, shortstop Matt Chapman (Cal State Fullerton) and outfielder Richard Prigatano (Long Beach State), were ranked among the league's top 10 prospects. Four others, infielder Kevin Kramer (UCLA), first baseman Tyler Kuresa (UC Santa Barbara), lefthander Jake Stassi (Long Beach State) and righthander Jacob Dorris (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi), were listed among the league's top 75 prospects.
Alabama outfielder Ben Moore, a Freshman All-American after hitting .342-2-31 in the spring for the Crimson Tide, took his game to another level this summer by hitting .335-16-84 for the Alexandria Beetles. He broke the league record for RBIs, set by former major leaguer Jay Gibbons in 1997.
For the second year in a row, the league broke its own attendance record as 932,245 fans passed through the turnstiles. The Madison Mallards once again proved to have no peers when it comes to fan support at the summer-collegiate level, averaging 6,204 people per game.
Most of the best college prospects in the 2013 draft class either played for USA Baseball’s college national squad or in the Cape Cod League, so underclassmen continue to be prominently represented among the Northwoods League's top prospects. The top seven, and 42 of 75 are red-shirt freshmen or rising sophomores in college.
Team USA pitchers Jonathon Crawford and Dan Child were among the Northwoods League's top prospects a year ago, as were Cape Cod all-stars Phil Ervin, Tom Windle, Jacob May and Andrew Knapp.

Scouts and essentially all of the league's coaches agreed that pitching was down in the league this summer, but they also recognized that the number and overall level of talent among position prospects was better than in recent years. In particular, Madison outfielder Derek Fisher (Virginia) and Chapman, the league's Nos. 1 and 2 prospects, could become premium first-round draft picks in 2014.
FAST FACTS
Year League Established: 1994.
 States Represented in League: Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ontario (Canada).
 No. of Teams in League: 16 (16 in 2011).
 Regular-Season Champion (best overall record): NORTH/First Half—Mankato MoonDogs (28-7); Second Half—Willmar Stingers (21-13). SOUTH/First Half—La Crosse Loggers (26-9); Second Half—Wisconsin Woodchucks (26-9).
 Post-Season Champion: La Crosse Loggers.
 Teams, PG CrossChecker Summer 50/Final Ranking: No. 2 La Crosse Loggers, No. 20 Mankato MoonDogs, No. 27 Wisconsin Woodchucks, No. 33 Willmar Stingers, No. 41 Madison Mallards.
 No. 1 Prospect, 2011 (per PG CrossChecker): Nolan Sanburn, rhp, Battle Creek Bombers (Arkansas; Athletics/2nd round).
 First 2011 Player Selected, 2012 Draft: Mitch Haniger, of, Green Bay Bullfrogs (Cal Poly; Brewers/supplemental 1st round).
Player of the Year: Ben Moore, of, Alexandria Beetles.
 Pitcher of the Year: Jack Fischer, rhp, Wisconsin Woodchucks.
BATTING LEADERS (League games only)
Batting Average: Tanner Vavra, if, Alexandria Beetles (.381).
 Slugging Percentage: John Michael Twichell, 1b, Mankato MoonDogs (.608).
 On-Base Average: Forrest Allday, of, Willmar Stingers (.512).
 Home Runs: Ben Moore, of, Alexandria Beetles; Kenny Roberts, 2b, Willmar Stingers (16).
 RBIs: Ben Moore, of, Alexandria Beetles (84).
 Stolen Bases: John Welborn, of, Madison Mallards (37).
PITCHING LEADERS (League games only)
Wins: Scott Lieser, rhp, Willmar Stingers (8).
 ERA: Jack Fischer, rhp, Wisconsin Woodchucks (1.76).
 Saves: Anthony Bazzani, rhp, Alexandria Beetles (17).
 Strikeouts: Jacob Dorris, rhp, La Crosse Loggers (80).
BEST TOOLS
Best Athlete: Matt Chapman, ss, La Crosse Loggers
 Best Hitter: Derek Fisher, of, Madison Mallards
 Best Power: Derek Fisher, of, Madison Mallards
 Fastest Base Runner: Omar Cotto, of, Thunder Bay Border Cats
 Best Defensive Player: Brett Kay, ss, Thunder Bay Border Cats
 Best Velocity: Anthony Bazzani, rhp, Alexandria Beetles
 Best Breaking Ball: Jacob Dorris, rhp, La Crosse Loggers
 Best Command: Jack Fischer, rhp, Wisconsin Woodchucks
TOP 75 PROSPECTS
1. DEREK FISHER, of, Madison Mallards (Virginia/SO in 2013)
 SCOUTING PROFILE: Fisher was considered a premium prospect coming out of a Pennsylvania high school before slipping to the Texas Rangers in the sixth round of the 2011 draft, so it wasn't surprising that he enjoyed immediate success for the Cavaliers. He finished among the national leaders in triples, with eight, while hitting .288-7-50. A large, well-built athlete at 6-foot-3 and 210-pounds, Fisher has obvious power potential as a lefthanded hitter, and exhibits a patient and advanced approach at the plate. His impressive bat speed enables him to catch up to good fastballs and his strength allows him to drive balls to all parts of the field. After starting the summer slowly, he started to see and hit the ball much better in mid-July, finishing the summer strong by hitting .315-8-36. Fisher also displays good instincts in the outfield, and while he currently has good speed, he is expected to lose a step as he continues to add strength to his large frame. He projects as a run-producing corner outfielder in the mold of Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jay Bruce.


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