Mankato MoonDogs

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Mankato MoonDogs
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassCollegiate summer baseball
LeagueNorthwoods League (1999–present)
DivisionGreat Plains West (2019-present)
North Division (1999-2018)
Minor league titles
League titles none
Division titles
  • 2011
  • 2012
  • 2014
Team data
Previous names
Mankato Mashers (1999–2001)
ColorsBlack, orange, white, gray, light orange[1]
         
MascotMuttnik
BallparkISG Field (1999–present)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Chad Surprenant and Kyle Smith
PresidentChris Goodell
General managerWalker Regier
ManagerDanny Kneeland
Websitenorthwoodsleague.com/mankato-moondogs/

The Mankato MoonDogs are an American amateur baseball team that plays in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. Their home games are played at ISG Field in Mankato, Minnesota.[2] Several former Mankato players have gone on to play in Major League Baseball, including Curtis Granderson, Brandon Crawford, Alex Vesia, and Jacob Wilson.[3]

History

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The team started play in 1999 as the Mankato Mashers, effectively serving as a replacement for the Kenosha Kroakers club which had folded after the 1998 season. In their inaugural season, the Mashers were the only team in the Northwoods League to broadcast their games on television. [4]

The Mashers were renamed in 2002 to the MoonDogs when the franchise was acquired by Joe Schwei.[5][6] The Moondogs were again sold in January 2013 to Mark Ogren.[7] The current ownership group of Chad Superenant and Kyle Smith took over the club in 2018.[8]

From 2008 to 2018 the MoonDogs made the playoffs eight of eleven season, making it to the NWL Summer Collegiate World Series on three occasions. In 2014 the MoonDogs were defeated by the Lakeshore Chinooks in a two-game series sweep.[9]

Season-by-season

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Season W L Result Playoffs
1999 28 34
2000 27 37
2001 36 28
2002 33 31
2003 27 37
2004 21 43
2005 34 34
2006 32 35
2007 35 32
2008 41 27
2009 39 29 2nd of 7 Lost division finals vs Rochester Honkers
2010 29 41 8th of 8 DNQ
2011 42 28 2nd of 8 Won division finals vs Alexandria Beetles

Lost finals vs Battle Creek Bombers

2012 42 27 1st of 8 Won division finals vs Willmar Stingers

Lost finals vs La Crosse Loggers

2013 38 32 4th of 8 DNQ
2014 42 30 3rd of 10 Won division finals vs Willmar Stingers

Lost finals vs Lakeshore Chinooks

2015 33 39 6th of 9 DNQ
2016 46 26 2nd of 9 Lost division semifinals vs Willmar Stingers
2017 44 28 1st of 10 Won division semifinals vs Eau Claire Express

Lost division finals vs St. Cloud Rox

2018 46 26 3rd of 10 Lost division semifinals vs Willmar Stingers
2019 36 36 4th of 5 DNQ
2020 17 25 4th of 5 DNQ
2021 44 24 2nd of 5 Lost sub-division series vs St. Cloud Rox
2022 40 28 3rd of 5 DNQ
2023 38 30 3rd of 5 DNQ
2024 38 32 3rd of 5 DNQ
2025 38 32 3rd of 5 Won sub-division series vs St. Cloud Rox

Lost division finals vs Duluth Huskies

Notable alumni (played in MLB)

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Name Mankato year(s) MLB debut team MLB accolades
Jack Hannahan 1999 Detroit Tigers
Paul McAnulty 2001 San Diego Padres
Curtis Granderson 2001 Detroit Tigers All-Star (3x), Silver Slugger, Roberto Clemente Award
Tommy Everidge 2002 Oakland Athletics
Neil Wagner 2004/2005 Oakland Athletics
Cole De Vries 2004 Minnesota Twins
Brandon Crawford 2005 San Francisco Giants All-Star (3x), Silver Slugger, Gold Glove (4x), WS Champion (2x)
Tyson Brummett 2005/2006 Philadelphia Phillies
Cody Decker 2007 San Diego Padres
Sean Halton 2006 Milwaukee Brewers
Erik Hamren 2008 San Diego Padres
John Brebbia 2009 St. Louis Cardinals
Jake Petricka 2009 Chicago White Sox
Tyler Naquin 2010 Cleveland Indians AL Rookie of the Month (2x)
Sam Selman 2010/2011 San Francisco Giants
Nick Goody 2011 New York Yankees
Kyle McGrath 2012 San Diego Padres
Sam Clay 2013 Washington Nationals
Alex Vesia 2016 Miami Marlins World Series Champion (2x)
Joey Gerber 2017 Seattle Mariners
Ryan Kreidler 2017 Detroit Tigers
Garrett Mitchell 2018 Milwaukee Brewers
Brandon Pfaadt 2018 Arizona Diamondbacks
Andre Granillo 2020 St. Louis Cardinals
Jacob Wilson 2021 Oakland Athletics All-Star, AL Rookie of the Month

Staff

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The team's General Manager, Walker Regier, is from Southern Minnesota, he previously interned for the Willmar Stingers, another Northwoods League team.

Muttnik

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Listed at 6'3" and 210 lbs, the MoonDogs mascot throws and bats right pawed.[10] Muttnik can be seen mingling with the crowd during games or at various community events throughout the year.

References

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  1. ^ "Northwoods League Official Colors (1994 through present)". TruColor.net. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  2. ^ Christensen, Joe (August 2, 2018). "Out of the backwoods: Northwoods League no longer a sleepy little summer outpost". Star Tribune.
  3. ^ "Northwoods League Alumni in Major League Baseball" (PDF). northwoodsleague.com.
  4. ^ "Northwoods League Preview Capsules". St. Cloud Times. June 7, 1999. p. 3C. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
  5. ^ McKenna, Tim (June 4, 1999). "Mankato welcomes its Northwoods team". Post-Bulletin.
  6. ^ Millea, John (July 27, 2004). "Fielding big dreams". Star Tribune.
  7. ^ Reichard, Kevin (January 10, 2013). "Mankato Moondogs sold". Ballpark Digest. August Publications.
  8. ^ Courrier, Chad (January 11, 2018). "New ownership, logo creates MoonDogs fever". The Free Press.
  9. ^ Wellens, Matt (August 19, 2014). "Morgan's 'special' summer ends with Northwoods League title". Duluth News Tribune.
  10. ^ "Muttnik - Mankato MoonDogs". Mankato MoonDogs. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
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