After several weeks evaluating prospects from the Grand Park Summer League and the Kernels Collegiate League, my travels shifted north to the mammoth 22-team Northwoods League. This summer it has been reorganized into pods, playing games in regional groups to support a safe return to baseball this summer.

Starting play on July 1, the groups include the Michigan pod with six teams; Battle Creek Bombers, Great Lakes Resorters, Kalamazoo Growlers, Kalamazoo Mac Daddies, Northern Michigan Dune Bears, Traverse City Pit Spitters. Five teams in the Minnesota/Iowa pod; Mankato Moondogs, Rochester Honkers, St Cloud Rox, Waterloo Bucks, Willmar Stingers. Two teams in the Kenosha series; Kenosha Kingfish, K-Town Bombers (who are mostly the Madison Mallards). North Dakota pod; Bismarck Larks, Bismarck Bull Moose, Mandan Flickertails. And six teams from Wisconsin/Illinois region; Fond du Lac Dock Spiders, Green Bay Booyah, LaCrosse Loggers, Rockford Rivets, Wisconsin Woodchucks, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters.

Although still very early in the evaluation and final ranking process, the Rockford Rivets boast an impressive amount of draft talent, including a pair of teammates from the Sunflower State who will likely go in the top three rounds.