How Many Kalamazoo Growlers Are In The MLB

The Kalamazoo Growlers had a summer to remember and that seems to have only been the beginning of a long saga. The Kalamazoo Growlers stepped into the limelight this summer and it's been impossible to get them to step down since. After starting the season off hot and looking unstoppable as they cruised to a first-half Northwoods league title, clinching a playoff berth, just one of many feats they accomplished this season.

The Northwoods Baseball League is a summer league that gives opportunities for College baseball players to stay healthy and loose during the offseason but also a chance to show their talents to scouts as they take on legitimate competition. The boys all have the same dream, to play professional baseball, and the Growlers are just one step in the process.

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The Northwoods League has produced over 300 MLB players since its inception, but the Kalamazoo Growlers only started as a franchise in 2013 after taking over the rights of the Kalamazoo Kings. They had their first former player make his Major League Baseball(MLB) debut back in 2019. John Schrieber was the first Growler to make it to the big leagues and after this year, there's more to follow.

Just a few weeks ago, another former Growler joined Schrieber in the big leagues, as David Hensley made his MLB debut. Hensley played for the Growlers in 2016 and was drafted in the 26^th round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Astros. Hensley played in 35 games and hit .200 with one home run and five doubles while also driving in 13 runs, stole four bases, and scored 11 times for the Growlers.

He started his debut game for the Houston Astros at Shortstop but had a pretty uneventful night as he went 0 for 3 at the plate and didn't make any spectacular plays in the field. Hensley joins a short list of Growlers that is expected to get longer as they just get things rolling at Homer Stryker Field.