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Babcock signs with the Thunder Bay Border Cats for the 2021 summer collegiate season

By Admin, 01/12/21, 8:00AM EST

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The Thunder Bay Border Cats officially have signed Braden Babcock for the 2021 Northwoods League summer collegiate season.

The Thunder Bay Border Cats officially have signed Braden Babcock  for the 2021 Northwoods League summer collegiate season.

Babcock, a native of Oshawa, (Oshawa Legionaires grad), was named McCook College 2020 baseball most valuable player.  He went 3-0 with a 2.15 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 29.1 innings at McCook in the pandemic shortened 2020 college season, while leading the team in innings pitched, strikeouts, and ERA.  2020.  He made 13 appearances and started 10 games as a freshman at McCook compiling a 3.53 ERA over 58.2 innings, 64 Strikeouts, while posting 4 wins (2nd on the team) as a freshman in 2019.

The 6’5”, left-handed pitcher is currently enjoying his sophomore season at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois (NCAA Division I) under Head Coach Lance Rhodes.  
The Salukis play in the highly competitive Missouri Valley Conference.  He is looking forward to this great opportunity to showcase his skills in one of North America’s top summer collegiate leagues as well as play for Border Cats manager Mike Steed.  It will also be great exposure for the young lefty in advance of the this summer’s 2021 MLB Draft.  
The Border Cats will open their 18th season at home on Monday, May 31st, against the St. Cloud Rox (Minnesota) at 7:35 pm with a post-game fireworks show to follow at Port Arthur Stadium.  The Border Cats will play the other nine American based teams in the Great Plains Division eight times each for a total of 72 games.
The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 26th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind.
A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, over 230 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS).
As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET).
All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. The Border Cats have also introduced a special five-game ticket package for the 2021 season which includes an all-you-can-eat menu, a limited edition team toque and a bobblehead giveaway, all for just $99.  For more details visit www.bordercatsbaseball.com or call 766-CATS