Mankato MoonDogs

Mankato MoonDogs
Founded in 1999 Mankato, Minnesota
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Class	Collegiate summer baseball
League	Northwoods League (1999–present)
Division	Great 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)
Colors	Black, orange, white, gray, light orange [1]
Mascot	Muttnik
Ballpark	ISG Field (1999–present)
Owner(s)/ Operator(s)	Chad Surprenant and Kyle Smith
President	Chris Goodell
General manager	Walker Regier
Manager	Danny Kneeland
Website	northwoodsleague.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

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

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)

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

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

Muttnik

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

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". Minnesota Star Tribune .
3. "Northwoods League Alumni in Major League Baseball" (PDF). Northwoods League .
4. "Northwoods League Preview Capsules". St. Cloud Times . June 7, 1999. p. 3C. Retrieved October 14, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
5. McKenna, Tim (June 4, 1999). "Mankato welcomes its Northwoods team". Post-Bulletin . Rochester, Minnesota.
6. Millea, John (July 27, 2004). "Fielding big dreams". Minnesota 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 . Mankato, Minnesota.
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.

External links

• Mankato MoonDogs official site