ROCHESTER, Minn. — The Northwoods League has announced the rosters for the 2018 Major League Dreams Showcase and Concordia-St. Paul right-hander
Louie Varland was selected to the team. The event will be hosted by the Madison Mallards at Warner Park on Tuesday, August 7.
The annual Showcase will consist of a double-header featuring the top players from the Northwoods League who were selected by a panel of Major League Baseball Scouts. The players will participate in a day of workouts in front of scouts which will be followed by the double-header. Varland is the only player from the Northern Sun (NSIC). He'll compete with the visiting team at 4:05 p.m. which will be managed by former Major League Baseball player and coach Al Newman of the St. Cloud Rox.
Coming off an impressive spring with the Golden Bears, Varland has been a mainstay in the rotation for the Wilmar Stingers this summer. In 11 appearances (10 starts), Varland was compiled a 3-2 record with a 4.36 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP in 53.2 innings pitcher. The right-hander has limited opponents to a .244 average while striking out 51 and working at least 6.0 innings in five of his starts. He put together one of his best outings of the season last time out with 7.0 innings of one-run ball (none earned) and five strikeouts.
This marks the second consecutive season that the Golden Bears have been represented at the Major League Showcase as Louie's brother, Gus, was picked to the team last season. Gus was drafted following his junior season this summer, selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 14th round and has already progressed to short season Class A with the Vermont Lake Monsters in the New York-Penn League. A right handed pitcher like his younger brother, Louie, Gus has pitched to a 0.96 ERA in 18.2 innings with 22 strikeouts to five walks and a 1.071 WHIP in eight appearances (six starts), primarily with Vermont.
The first game will start at 4:05 p.m. and will match two teams featuring a mix of North Division players. The players on the visiting team in this game will primarily come from Willmar, St. Cloud, Bismarck, Duluth and Thunder Bay. The home team will be made up of players mainly from Mankato, Rochester, La Crosse, Eau Claire and Waterloo. Former Major League player and coach Al Newman of the St. Cloud Rox will skipper the visiting team while Dale Varsho of the Eau Claire Express will manage the home team.
The second game will start at 7:35 p.m. and will be played by two teams of South Division players. The visiting team for this game will be made up of players mostly from Rockford, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. The home team will have players from Madison, Lakeshore, Kenosha, Wisconsin Rapids and Wisconsin. Brian Smith of the Rockford Rivets will be the Field Manager for the visiting team. Mallards Field Manager and former MLB catcher, Donnie Scott will be in the dugout for the home team.
Proceeds from the Major League Dreams Showcase will benefit the Northwoods League Foundation. The Northwoods League Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that serves as a vehicle to transform a shared passion for baseball into positive change and support for communities. Of the many needs the foundation may address through grants, scholarships or donations, one ongoing focus will be to view its member communities and look upon the baseball programs they have in place with a harmonious goal of making them all finer places to live.
