If there ever was a week that perfectly captured what Northwoods League baseball is all about, this was it.

On Wednesday night, the Royal Oak Leprechauns found themselves in Rockford, Illinois, finishing a game that felt like it might never end. By the time the final out was recorded, Royal Oak had scored six runs in the ninth inning to blow the game open and secure a 21-10 victory. The game lasted nearly four hours, finishing after 11 p.m. local time in front of a crowd of just 318 fans.

Then came the part most people never see.

The bus ride home stretched more than six hours, and by the time the team arrived back in Royal Oak, it was somewhere around 6:30 in the morning. Less than twelve hours after stepping off the bus, the players were back at Memorial Park preparing for another game.

That’s summer baseball.

The Northwoods League schedule is relentless, with teams playing 72 games in 76 days while regularly navigating overnight travel and quick turnarounds. For many of these players, it’s the first time they’ve experienced anything close to a professional baseball schedule. Most of them just finished college seasons where they played four games a week. Now they’re playing every day, learning how to recover, prepare, and compete when their bodies are tired and their routines have been disrupted.

It’s one of the hidden benefits of summer ball and a major reason leagues like the Northwoods have become such valuable developmental environments for aspiring professional players. While everyone naturally focuses on the box score, many of the lessons players carry forward from a summer like this come from everything that happens away from the final score.

Thursday night’s 7-3 loss felt like a reflection of that reality. The Leprechauns weren’t necessarily outplayed as much as they were simply not as sharp as they had been during the opening homestand. A couple of defensive mistakes, a few hit batters, some extra walks, and several small details gradually accumulated throughout the evening.

Those are exactly the types of things manager DJ LeMahieu will focus on correcting.

Controlling the controllables has long been one of baseball’s simplest concepts, but it often becomes most challenging when fatigue begins to set in. At the same time, those moments provide perspective for fans because these players aren’t simply competing for wins. They’re learning how to handle the daily grind that comes with high-level baseball, and in many ways that’s exactly what summer ball is designed to teach.

The First-Half Team Is Beginning To Take Shape

One thing fans should understand is that a Northwoods League roster is rarely static.

Throughout the summer, players come and go as college programs manage workloads, summer contracts expire, and new players arrive for the second half of the season. In many ways, there are multiple versions of every Northwoods League team, with each phase of the summer bringing new opportunities and new storylines.

The first-half roster is often built around younger players, transfers, Division II standouts, junior college players, and under-the-radar talent looking to prove themselves. Through the first two weeks, several Leprechauns have done exactly that.

Lucas Mead has become the definition of consistency at the top of the order. The center fielder has started virtually every game, leads the club with 13 hits, and is batting .310 with four doubles and eight RBIs. Every successful offense needs someone capable of setting the tone, and Mead has quietly become one of the foundational pieces of Royal Oak’s lineup.

Luke Kosko is quickly emerging as one of the breakout players of the early season.

The Cincinnati product was named Northwoods League Player of the Night after Royal Oak’s explosive offensive performance in Rockford and has been impacting games in nearly every possible way. Kosko has already launched three home runs, driven in 12 runs, stolen five bases, and drawn ten walks while posting a 1.242 OPS. Those numbers reflect a player seeing the ball exceptionally well and consistently finding ways to help his team win.

Amir Mitchell has been equally dynamic. The speedy outfielder is batting .333 and has already stolen ten bases, creating constant pressure on opposing defenses whenever he reaches base and forcing opponents to account for him every inning.

Meanwhile, Oliver Service continues to put together one of the most complete offensive starts on the roster. Service is batting .353 with four doubles, three triples, a home run, and nine RBIs while producing a 1.199 OPS. With so many runners reaching base ahead of him, he has consistently delivered quality at-bats and driven in runs.

Also, Nolan Alvord continues to be one of the most productive hitters when he is in the lineup. Through 20 at-bats, he’s batting .500 with six RBIs and has consistently found ways to reach base while creating offense for those around him.

The offense is beginning to develop real depth, and that’s a significant reason why the Leprechauns have remained competitive despite the challenges of the early schedule.

A Special Metro Detroit Baseball Moment

One of the cooler moments of the week happened in a game that won’t receive much attention outside of Royal Oak.

Brother Rice graduate and Ole Miss freshman Blake Ilitch found himself pitching to his older brother Patrick Ilitch.

For most baseball families, that’s already a memorable moment. In Metro Detroit, it carried even more significance.

The Ilitch family name has long been intertwined with the sports landscape of Detroit, and seeing two brothers compete against one another on a summer night at Memorial Park felt like one of those uniquely local stories that make summer baseball special.

It’s easy to focus on wins and losses, but years from now players often remember moments like these far more vividly than individual box scores because they represent the experiences that separate summer baseball from every other part of the baseball calendar.

Those are the stories that stay with people.

The Pitching Continues To Impress

While the offense has grabbed headlines recently, the pitching staff continues to establish itself as the foundation of the roster.

Blake Ilitch leads the team in innings pitched and owns a 3.75 ERA while striking out 11 hitters across 12 innings. His confidence and ability to attack the strike zone have grown with every outing, and he continues to look more comfortable each time he takes the mound.

Drew Tolfree continues to look like one of the most dependable starters on the staff and appears poised for another strong outing this weekend.

Out of the bullpen, several arms have quietly been outstanding. Kellen English, Caleb Raymond, and Nick Stempnik have yet to allow an earned run this season, helping form a bullpen that has consistently shortened games and protected leads. English, in particular, continues to stand out with his 6-foot-10 frame and late-inning presence, giving the Leprechauns another weapon at the back end of games.

The deeper this season gets, the more it feels like Royal Oak’s pitching staff could become one of its greatest strengths.

Looking Ahead

The Leprechauns return home this weekend after a road trip that provided a crash course in everything summer baseball can be.

The trip featured just about everything the Northwoods League can throw at a roster: long bus rides, late nights, quick turnarounds, explosive offensive performances, frustrating losses, and even a memorable family moment that served as a reminder of why so many players choose to spend their summers in leagues like this one.

Wins and losses will always draw the most attention, but one of the most rewarding aspects of following this team so far has been watching players adapt to challenges they’ve never encountered before and seeing how they respond in real time.

Because in the Northwoods League, that’s often where the greatest growth occurs.

Six games into the season, the identity of the Royal Oak Leprechauns is becoming increasingly clear.

Coming into the summer, it felt like this team would be built around pitching, defense, fundamental baseball, and a heightened fan experience. Through the first homestand, that’s exactly what we’ve seen. The Leprechauns opened the season with two tough 1-0 losses, but responded by winning four consecutive games to finish their first homestand of the year at 4-2 and head out on the road carrying momentum.

More importantly, they’ve begun to show how they want to win.

The pitching staff has consistently thrown strikes. The defense has made plays behind them. And after a brief adjustment period to wood bats, the offense is beginning to find its rhythm as well.

It’s still early, but the first week offered plenty of encouraging signs.

The Pitching Staff Is Setting the Tone

The biggest story of the opening homestand may be the emergence of Drew Tolfree as the staff’s early leader.

The Ohio Northern standout arrived in Royal Oak after a dominant college season, and he has carried that success directly into Northwoods League play. Through his first two starts, Tolfree has thrown nine innings without allowing an earned run while striking out 10 hitters and walking just two.

What stands out most isn’t necessarily the stat line, though. It’s the confidence and efficiency with which he’s pitching. Tolfree has consistently gotten ahead in counts, attacked hitters with his fastball, and looked comfortable controlling the pace of the game. Through two outings, he’s looked every bit like a pitcher capable of anchoring a Northwoods League rotation.

Building behind Tolfree has been another impressive young arm in Blake Ilitch.

The Brother Rice graduate and Ole Miss freshman delivered one of the most impressive outings of the young season during Royal Oak’s third consecutive victory, throwing five no-hit innings while showing increasing confidence throughout the start. As the game progressed, Ilitch appeared to trust his fastball more and more, allowing him to dictate at-bats rather than react to them. Whether the velocity ticked up or the conviction behind the pitch simply grew stronger, the fastball seemed to play better with every inning.

Those two starts have helped establish a strong foundation for the rotation, but the bullpen deserves just as much credit for Royal Oak’s early success.

Nick Stempnik has quickly emerged as one of the more reliable arms in the relief corps. Through 2⅓ innings, he has recorded five strikeouts without issuing a walk, showing the type of swing-and-miss stuff every team needs in high-leverage situations. Griffin Howell has quietly put together two scoreless appearances and continues to look like a pitcher who can be trusted in the back end of games.

Then there’s Kellen English.

At 6-foot-10, English is impossible to miss when he steps on the mound, and his performance has matched the presence. He appeared three times during the homestand, striking out four hitters, allowing no earned runs, and recording his first save of the season. With his downhill angle and power fastball, English already looks like one of the most intriguing late-inning weapons on the roster.

Andrew Everson added another quality bullpen performance during Sunday’s 8-2 victory, recording the save after relieving Tolfree and helping secure the Leprechauns’ fourth consecutive win.

Through six games, the pitching staff has looked exactly like the strength many expected it would be.

The Bats Have Arrived

While the pitching staff established the foundation, the biggest development of the homestand may be the offense.

The adjustment to wood bats appears to be ending.

Several hitters have emerged as early catalysts, helping fuel the four-game winning streak and turning what looked like a slow start into one of the more productive offenses in the Northwoods League.

Nolan Alvord has been one of the hottest hitters on the roster, batting .500 through his first four games while driving in five runs and drawing five walks. Even in a small sample size, his ability to consistently reach base has provided an immediate spark.

Patrick Ilitch has continued his strong start, hitting .400 with three doubles while demonstrating the versatility that makes him such a valuable piece of the roster.

Near the top of the lineup, Lucas Mead has helped establish the offensive identity of the club. Through six games, Mead is batting .364 with five RBIs and has consistently found ways to create pressure on opposing defenses.

Oliver Service has provided extra-base impact throughout the lineup, batting .313 with three RBIs while collecting multiple doubles and a triple during the homestand.

Meanwhile, shortstop Tristan Crane continues to provide stability both defensively and offensively, helping set the table while remaining one of the team’s most consistent everyday players.

And then there’s Luke Kosko.

Earlier in the homestand, Kosko delivered the biggest moment of the young season when he ripped a walk-off double to cap a dramatic comeback victory and secure the second win of Royal Oak’s four-game winning streak. He followed that performance by launching the Leprechauns’ first home run of the season and now sits near the team lead with seven RBIs.

The bats may have started slowly, but they are clearly beginning to arrive.

The Catching Position Is a Summer Chess Match

One of the more fascinating aspects of summer baseball is watching how coaches balance development, opportunity, and winning.

Unlike college baseball, where rosters remain relatively stable throughout the spring, Northwoods League teams are constantly working to maximize playing time, manage workloads, and help players continue developing different aspects of their game.

That dynamic is especially evident behind the plate.

Andrew DiLodovico has been a major contributor early in the season, helping manage the pitching staff while controlling the running game. Through the opening homestand, he has already thrown out four would-be basestealers, providing a defensive presence that often goes unnoticed in a box score but has a major impact on winning games.

At the same time, the Leprechauns have the luxury of versatility.

Patrick Ilitch has split time between catcher and left field while continuing to produce offensively, giving DJ LeMahieu and his staff valuable flexibility as they manage innings and workloads throughout the summer. His ability to move between positions while remaining productive at the plate is exactly the type of versatility that can help players attract attention from programs around the country, particularly as he navigates the transfer portal process.

There’s also every reason to believe the position group has another level it can reach offensively.

Returning catcher Aidan Shuck, who set the franchise record for the longest hitting streak in Leprechauns history last summer, is still settling into the season. Anyone who watched him last year understands how quickly he can become one of the most productive hitters in the lineup.

That’s part of what makes summer baseball so interesting. The roster you’re watching in early June rarely looks the same by mid-July. Players settle in, confidence grows, and roles evolve as the season unfolds.

Four Wins, One Clear Identity

The first homestand didn’t reveal a perfect team.

There will be challenges ahead, and every Northwoods League season comes with inevitable ups and downs. But through six games, the Leprechauns have already established a foundation that should be encouraging for both players and fans.

They throw strikes. They play defense. They control the running game.

And now they’re beginning to swing the bats with confidence.

Four straight wins don’t guarantee anything in June, but they do suggest that the identity DJ LeMahieu and his staff hoped to build is already beginning to take shape.

One More Thing

If you’re looking for game-by-game coverage throughout the summer, make sure to visit the Leprechauns social media (during games) and website after each game. Ava Webb, Casey Burke, Cameron Shafer, Noah Chavez and the Royal Oak media, marketing, and communications team have done an outstanding job covering the club throughout the opening homestand, providing detailed recaps and updates for fans who want to follow every game of the season.

The Leprechaun Report will continue to focus on player development, team identity, and the bigger-picture stories surrounding the roster, while Noah’s work remains a great resource for keeping up with the daily action all summer long.

Opening night in Royal Oak wasn’t flashy.

It wasn’t a home run derby, and it wasn’t an offensive explosion. In fact, the Royal Oak Leprechauns opened the 2026 season with a tough 1-0 loss to Battle Creek in what also marked DJ LeMahieu’s first game as manager after more than a decade in Major League Baseball.

But if you were paying attention, there was still a lot to like.

The night also offered a glimpse into what LeMahieu is trying to build in Royal Oak. Gleyber Torres, the Detroit Tigers second baseman and LeMahieu’s former teammate with the Yankees, was on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, a small but meaningful example of how DJ can leverage his relationships to bring major league energy into a local summer baseball environment.

That’s a major key in this operation.

Because the Leprechauns are not just trying to be another summer team. They are trying to become a community baseball experience — a place where college players develop, local kids get close to the game, and Metro Detroit fans feel connected to something bigger than the final score.

Drew Tolfree Set the Tone Early

Left-hander Drew Tolfree got the Opening Day start and looked sharp from the beginning.

The Ohio Northern product worked into the fourth inning before exiting after taking a line drive off his foot, but prior to the injury, he was cruising through the Battle Creek lineup with an aggressive, controlled approach in the strike zone. Tolfree was recently named Ohio Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year after going 7-0 with a 1.64 ERA and 75 strikeouts across 65.2 innings.

On Monday night, he worked primarily with an upper-80s fastball that played well because of his command, while mixing in a short slider-cutter in the low-to-mid 80s that complemented the fastball nicely. He consistently got ahead in counts and looked comfortable attacking hitters early.

More importantly, he established the identity the Leprechauns appeared to carry all night:

Throw strikes. Play defense. Keep pressure on the opponent.

The Bullpen Looked Deep

After Tolfree exited, Danny Newman came in and stabilized the inning before the bullpen really settled into rhythm.

Greg Burns and Tyler Young continued filling up the strike zone and putting up zeros, helping keep the game within reach throughout the middle innings.

One of the more intriguing appearances came from Blake Ilitch, a freshman pitcher from Ole Miss, who threw the ball well despite allowing the game’s only run. After hitting a batter, Battle Creek managed to manufacture the run with a pair of ground balls, and even then, it felt like a sequence that could have unfolded differently with one play going the other direction.

But the biggest visual of the night may have been 6-foot-10 right-hander Kellen English.

English, a product of the University of Indiana, entered in the eighth inning throwing low, to mid-90s with extreme downhill angle, immediately looking like a potential high-leverage arm for Royal Oak this summer. At that height and release point, hitters are going to have a difficult time getting comfortable at-bats against him.

Then came Griffin Howell in the ninth.

The right-hander from Eastern Kentucky looked polished and under control during his inning of work and already feels like a natural fit for late-game situations.

The Identity Was Already Visible

The final score says 1-0.

But the deeper story was how the Leprechauns played.

Royal Oak threw strikes all night, walked only two hitters, struck out nine, and played clean enough baseball to stay in position to win. Offensively, there’s probably some patience required early, which is normal in summer baseball, especially with players adjusting back to wood bats after long spring seasons using metal.

But if Opening Night revealed anything, it’s that this team already looks fundamentally sound.

And for a first game under LeMahieu, that feels like a pretty good place to start.

The Leprechauns returned Tuesday morning for an 11 a.m. kids game against Battle Creek looking to bounce back and begin building momentum early in the Northwoods League season.

There’s a point every year where you don’t need a calendar to tell you baseball is back.

You can feel it.

The air shifts. The days stretch. The fields start to thaw. And in a city like Detroit—when the Detroit Tigers are playing meaningful baseball again—you can sense the energy building.

For anyone who’s played this game, this is the time of year that brings everything back.

And in Metro Detroit, that feeling showed up in full yesterday.

Brother Rice Sets the Tone on Opening Day

Brother Rice opened its season at Oakland University against one of the top teams in the state—and left no doubt about the standard they’re playing to early.

They took both games.

The first was tight. The second, more decisive. But both told the same story.

Game One — Winning Without Needing Volume

Brother Rice took game one 4–3, despite being out-hit.

They only collected three hits on the day—but found ways to manufacture runs early and control the game from there.

They struck first in the opening inning, capitalizing on situational execution—pushing across runs on a ground ball and a productive out. An inning later, plate discipline showed up, with a walk extending the lead to 3–0.

They added one more in the third on a sacrifice fly—again, not flashy, but effective.

And that was enough.

Cole Duhaime set the tone on the mound, going four innings, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out seven and walking none. The combo of him and Broder Katke is not fair for a high school baseball battery.

Offensively, contributions were spread out:

• Tristan Turner, Michael Stanton, and Broder Katke each recorded a hit

• F Beyer drove in a run

• The group drew six walks, showing early-season discipline

It wasn’t about overpowering St. Mary’s.

It was about playing clean baseball—and letting the game come to them.

Game Two — Letting the Offense Open Up

Game two flipped the script.

After falling behind early, Brother Rice responded immediately—and never looked back, winning 8–3.

They answered a three-run deficit with a steady, controlled offensive approach:

• Michael Stanton got things started early

• Tristan Turner delivered a game-tying hit in the second

• In the fourth, Maksim Neshov broke the game open with an RBI single

• Stanton followed with a double to extend the lead

From there, they kept pressure on.

Brother Rice finished with nine hits and applied constant stress on the defense:

• Stanton, Katke, and Beyer each collected two hits

• Turner, Stanton, and Katke all drove in two runs

• The team added five stolen bases, showing aggressiveness on the basepaths

On the mound, the group did enough early and let the offense take over. Grady Preston started the game, striking out 5 over 3 innings, and Ethan Reidy threw two hitless, shutout inning to get the save.

Two games. Two different styles.

Same result.

A Program Built to Sustain This

What you’re seeing at Brother Rice right now isn’t new.

It’s the result of a system.

Head coach Bob Riker has built one of the most respected high school programs in the country—not just by stacking talent, but by creating alignment.

Around 60 players are brought into the program each year. Not separated by labels, but connected through a standard.

That’s an important distinction.

Because what shows up on opening day isn’t built in a week. It’s built over years—through repetition, accountability, and consistency.

Talent That Reflects the Culture

The roster features some of the top players in the state, highlighted recently by Michigan Prep Baseball Report.

But what stands out isn’t just the talent.

It’s the way they carry themselves.

Junior Broder Katke (Vanderbilt commit), one of the top prospects in the country, plays with a presence that goes beyond his age. When he joined me on the Up & In Show, one thing came through clearly—he’s invested in the group.

He wants to win with these guys.

And that shows up on the field.

Paired with Duhaime, who leads more quietly but just as effectively, this team has something you can’t fake—players who genuinely play for each other.

That matters more than anything in March.

The Ecosystem Around It

Programs like this don’t operate in isolation.

What’s happening at Brother Rice is supported by a larger structure:

• DJ LeMahieu helping elevate resources and vision

• Daily development work at the Stevens Complex

• Paul Fry bringing a major league standard to strength and conditioning

• Integration with Warrior Baseball at the youth level

• Ongoing pitching development through Mike Steele

This is what a fully connected development system looks like.

And it’s starting to show.

From Youth to Varsity — The Next Layer

That connection is what this Warrior Report is built to track.

Because the varsity team isn’t the starting point.

It’s the current stage and the next group is already on its way.

The Warrior Baseball Club Orange 11U team moved to 25–0 this past weekend, winning a tournament and continuing one of the strongest starts you’ll see at that level.

Lucas Tocca, JJ Lupienski and Andrew Kives are leading the offensive charge. Tocca is batting .621 with 5 HR and 40 RBI, Lupienski is batting .552 with 4 HR and 25 RBI, while Andrew Kives is batting .465 with 4 HR and 29 RBI.

On the bump, Graeme Kisabeth is leading the way with a 0.00 ERA, but what impressed me the most…. his strike-out to walk ratio: 32:9. And the 32 K’s in 14.2 IP is very impressive, equating to a wile 19.6 K/9.

Kisabeth has also only allowed one hit so far in those 14+ innings, which means there are basically no base runners when he is on the bump!

For full team stats, check out their team GameChanger page.

These players are the players that are working with Mike Steele and myself weekly to instill the baseball habits needed to play every day, all while they are also learning how to compete now.

And in a few years, they’ll be stepping into environments like the Brother Rice program—playing meaningful games, in meaningful moments.

What Else This Could Be Building Toward

This is also bigger than a season.

What’s happening across Metro Detroit—at the youth level, at Brother Rice, and with summer experiences like the Leprechauns—is building toward something that hasn’t fully existed here before.

A complete pathway.

And eventually, it could lead to something like a Metro Detroit Development League.

A place where:

• high school players

• college players

• former pros

• and players still chasing opportunities

All share the same field with real at-bats, competition, and evaluation.

And when that happens, it won’t feel new.

Because the players, the stories, and the development will already be documented here.

Early Takeaway

It’s week one of the high school season.

But it’s a clear one.

Brother Rice didn’t just win on opening day.

They looked like a team—and a program—that understands what it takes to sustain success.

And as the weather continues to turn, and the season starts to unfold, that’s what we’ll be tracking here.

Not just results.

But development.

If you spend enough time around a baseball field at the Stevens Complex in Troy, MI, and all over Metro Detroit— you start to see the same thing over and over again.

Kids showing up early.
Parents investing time, energy, and belief.
Coaches trying to do things the right way.

There’s no shortage of effort.

What there hasn’t been is a consistent way to connect all of it—
to tell the story, to track the development, and to show how it all fits together.

That’s where this comes in.

What Metro Detroit Development Is

This section of the Substack is meant to be simple:

A weekly look into the baseball ecosystem here in Metro Detroit.

Not from a scouting lens.
Not from a rankings lens.

But from a development lens.

We’ll track what’s happening across:

• Youth baseball

• High school programs

• Summer league baseball (like the Royal Oak Leprechauns)

And we’ll do it in a way that’s accessible for families, players, and anyone who cares about the game.

Box scores.
Stat lines.
Observations.

And most importantly—context.

Because development isn’t just about performance.
It’s about progression.

The Leprechaun Report: The End Goal in Sight

If you’ve read the first two Leprechaun Reports, you’ve already seen a piece of this.

The Northwoods League is one of the most competitive summer leagues in the country. It’s where college players go to sharpen their tools, earn bigger roles, and put themselves on the radar.

For players in Metro Detroit, it represents something bigger:

A real, tangible next step.

You can sit in the stands in Royal Oak and watch players who:

• Are coming from major college programs

• Are preparing for the draft

• Are chasing professional baseball

That matters.

Because for a 12-year-old, or a high school freshman, it turns the dream into something visible.

Introducing: The Warrior Report

The next layer of this will be the Warrior Report.

This will focus on:

• Warrior Baseball (youth development)

• Brother Rice Warriors (high school program)

Not to evaluate. Not to rank.

But to highlight:

• Who’s showing up

• Who’s improving

• What’s being built underneath the surface

Because the truth is— the 10U team playing today? Those are the same kids who, in a few years, will be:

• Competing at the high school level

• Fighting for college opportunities

• And eventually trying to find their way into leagues like the Northwoods League

The Warrior Report is about documenting that journey while it’s happening.

Where This Is Going

This isn’t just content.

This is laying the foundation for something bigger: The Metro Detroit Development League.

The vision is simple, but powerful.

A space where:

• High school players

• College players

• Former professional players

• And players still fighting for opportunities

All share the same field.

Real at-bats.
Real competition.
Real development.

And when that launches, it won’t come out of nowhere.

Because we’ll already know the players.
We’ll already understand the landscape.
We’ll already be telling the story.

The kid you read about in a Warrior Report at 12 years old…

Might be stepping into the box in that league at 16 or 17, facing a former pro while he prepares for the MLB Draft or his freshman year of D1 baseball.

That’s the bridge we’re building.

Why It’s Important..

Metro Detroit has talent. It always has. But talent alone isn’t enough.

It needs:

• Visibility

• Structure

• Storytelling

• Investment

This is a small step in that direction.

To bring more attention to the players.
To give families something to follow.
To create a sense of connection across levels.

And ultimately—

To help grow the game in a way that’s intentional.

This is Metro Detroit Baseball Development.

And we’re just getting started.

If you want to understand what the Royal Oak Leprechauns can become, you have to start with one simple idea: Summer baseball is not just summer baseball.

The Northwoods League is one of the most competitive summer leagues in the country. Every year it becomes a proving ground for college players trying to sharpen their tools, win bigger roles at their programs, and ultimately position themselves for professional baseball.

For fans in Metro Detroit, the Leprechauns provide something even more unique: a chance to watch players before the rest of the country catches on.

Future draft picks.
Players from elite programs.
Local kids who grew up here and are now performing on national stages.

This week’s Leprechaun Report highlights five players who tell that story perfectly — three former Leprechauns already making noise at major college programs and two newcomers whose futures could be just getting started.

Jarren Purify: The hometown storyline that almost was

Few stories capture the excitement around Leprechauns baseball quite like Jarren Purify.

Purify was a heralded Detroit-area recruit who committed to Clemson, one of the premier programs in college baseball. After his freshman season, he came home to play summer ball in Royal Oak, and there was real buzz surrounding it.

Fans were excited.
Local baseball people were excited.
The idea of watching a future Clemson star play in Royal Oak felt like exactly what the Northwoods League is supposed to be about.

And for one night, it was.

Purify went 3-for-4 in his Leprechauns debut, immediately showing the type of dynamic athleticism that made him such a highly regarded recruit.

Then, in the next game, everything changed.

He was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat and broke his hand.

Just like that, the summer was over.

Clemson brought him back to campus to rehab, and the story that fans in Royal Oak were excited about never really got a chance to unfold.

But Purify kept climbing.

Now, fast forward to his draft year.

Purify has become one of the catalysts in Clemson’s lineup, hitting .390 early this season with 23 hits, 22 runs, and eight stolen bases, showing exactly the type of dynamic skill set scouts look for in middle-of-the-diamond players.

He recently appeared on Perfect Game’s Top 100 collegiate prospects list, was rated as the number 50 junior in the nation by Perfect Game, and was rated the number 22 prospect in the ACC for the 2026 draft, and the buzz around him continues to grow as the draft quickly approaches.

The tools have always been there — elite athleticism, speed, and the ability to impact games in multiple ways.

Now the performance is catching up.

And for fans who remember that name and a brief summer glimpse in Royal Oak, it’s a reminder of exactly why summer leagues matter.

Brayden Dowd: A Michigan kid finding the right fit

Development in baseball is rarely linear.

Sometimes players just need the right opportunity, the right environment, and the right moment for everything to click.

That seems to be the story for Brayden Dowd.

The Michigan native and Brother Rice product is now playing for Florida State, one of the most respected programs in the country, and he’s off to a strong start.

Through the early part of the season, Dowd is hitting .308 with three home runs and a 1.112 OPS, providing real offensive production in a talented Seminoles lineup.

Dowd has always been known for his athleticism and strength at the plate, but what’s encouraging now is seeing those tools translate against high-level competition.

For Leprechauns fans, Dowd represents another important part of the pipeline: local players who leave Michigan for elite programs but still maintain that connection to home.

Watching their journey unfold — from summer ball to big-time college baseball — is exactly the kind of story that can bring fans into the fold.

Matt Ineich: From Michigan to the national stage

If you’re looking for the purest example of player development in this group, look no further than Matt Ineich.

The South Lyon native began his college career at Ohio University, where he quietly became one of the most productive hitters in the MAC.

Now at West Virginia, he’s taken that success to a bigger stage.

Ineich is hitting .382 with a 1.042 OPS, driving in runs and helping fuel one of the more exciting offenses in the Big 12.

His performance has already earned him a spot on the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List, which recognizes the nation’s top shortstops.

That kind of recognition doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens when players continue to produce at every level they reach.

For fans in Metro Detroit, Ineich represents another reason to pay attention to the Leprechauns roster: the next standout player might already be passing through Royal Oak.

Newcomer Watch: Mason Barth

While former Leprechauns are making headlines across college baseball, the next wave of talent is already arriving.

One player worth keeping an eye on is Mason Barth, a freshman infielder at Notre Dame.

Barth entered college as one of the top high school shortstops in Indiana and has started to see his role grow as the season progresses. He has started eight of the Irish’s 13 games so far and is batting .306 with a homer and 9 RBI.

He’s built like a classic Midwest infielder — sturdy, strong, and instinctive — and those types of players often make big jumps as they adjust to college pitching.

For Leprechauns fans, Barth represents the kind of player summer leagues were built for.

A young player with tools, opportunity, and room to grow.

The kind of player you might see early in his development before the rest of the country starts paying attention.

Newcomer Watch: Jackson Miller

And then there’s Jackson Miller.

When I first saw Miller throwing in our indoor facility, my immediate reaction was simple: That delivery looks familiar.

Miller is a 6-foot-4 left-handed freshman at Bowling Green, and his long frame and arm slot immediately reminded me of someone I know pretty well — Chris Sale.

Now, let’s be clear.

Comparisons like that don’t mean a player is Chris Sale.

But sometimes the visual cues are hard to ignore.

I actually texted Chris after seeing Miller throw, just to get his take on the comparison and he even commented how nice his timing looked and the whippiness in his arm.

The upside is obvious.

Miller made his first collegiate start this past weekend. Miller was extremely impressive, in my opinion, showing some really electric stuff from the left side.

Miller started the game in an unfortunate way by allowing a lead-off homer and a single on a ball that was popped up in the infield and lost in the sun. But let’s throw some context in the mix for the leadoff home run: the umpire absolutely screwed him in that at-bat and Jackson fell behind 2-1 on three pitches that were identical— all 95 mph fastballs (seemingly) down the middle.

After the home run and unfortunate sun ball, Miller settled in and punched out the next three batters he faced. For a freshman lefty, that kind of response says a lot about the competitiveness and raw ability upside.

Miller flashed a mid-90s fastball in the first inning and settled in at 92-93, and complimented it with a slider and change-up.

With more innings and experience, Miller could become one of the more intriguing young arms to watch.

And for fans in Royal Oak, that’s the exciting part.

You might get to see that development happen up close.

Why this should matter to Metro Detroit

If the Royal Oak Leprechauns are going to build a real fan base, the message can’t just be:

“Come watch summer baseball.”

It has to be bigger than that.

It has to be:

Come watch future professionals.
Come follow local players competing on national stages.
Come see the next step in a player’s journey before the rest of the baseball world does.

Players like Purify, Dowd, and Ineich show how that path works.

Barth and Miller represent the next chapter.

And if you’re paying attention this summer, you might just see the next big name before anyone else does.

If you care about college baseball…
If you care about summer ball…
If you follow the MLB Draft…
If you like tracking how players actually develop over time…

This is for you.

The Leprechaun Report will be a weekly midweek recap of:

• Former Royal Oak Leprechauns* competing in college baseball

• Alumni currently playing professional baseball

• Standout performances worth tracking

• Select newcomers who could factor into this summer

*The Royal Oak Leprechauns are a collegiate baseball team competing in the prestigious Northwoods League, in Royal Oak, MI— metro Detroit.

This won’t be transaction-heavy reporting.

Northwoods League rosters are fluid and players often arrive at different points in the summer.
Some are full-season contracts.
Some are partial.
Some are temporary depth pieces.
Some never end up reporting.

So when we highlight newcomers, it’s with context — development is rarely linear, and summer ball availability depends on a lot of moving parts.

But what we can do consistently is spotlight performance.

And that’s what this report is about.

Alex Cheeseman — Opening Night Statement

Former Leprechaun and Brother Rice product Alex Cheeseman delivered one of the best opening weekend moments in the country.

On Friday night against No. 11 Florida — on the road — Cheeseman went 1-for-3…

…but that one hit was HUGE!
Early, two-RBI knock.

It’s always fun to see a former Leps player walk into an SEC environment and deliver.

And as a former LSU Tiger, I love seeing the Gators go down! HAHA!

Ryan Tyranski — All-Star Carrying It Forward

2025 Leprechauns All-Star Ryan Tyranski opened his season at Jacksonville State.

Weekend line:

• 2-for-6

• 2 RBIs

• 3 runs scored

• 2 walks

• 1 HBP

• .417 OBP

Tyranski did what he does.

He got on base.
He created pressure.
He contributed to scoring.

For fans who watched him last summer, that profile should look familiar. He’s a rhythm player. He impacts games without needing three hits a night.

That’s the type of consistency that translates.

Jovan Gill — Loud Start

One of last summer’s standout performers, Jovan Gill, is off to a strong start.

Four games vs. Northwood University:

• 5 hits

• 7 runs

• 9 RBIs

• 1 home run

• .333 average

• 1.012 OPS

• 1 stolen base

• Grand Valley State went 3–1

Nine RBIs in four games jumps off the page. That’s funnnnnn. Good start for one of the most solid 2025 Leps players.

Prospect Watch — Ryan McKay

Former 2024 Leprechaun Ryan McKay enters this season with national recognition.

The Michigan State infielder was recently ranked No. 72 on Baseball Media’s Top 100 College Prospect List, placing him among the most respected draft-eligible players in the country.

That kind of ranking isn’t hype-driven.

It reflects a track record — consistency, discipline, defensive value, and evaluators seeing professional traits.

We won’t overreact to early weekends here — development arcs matter more than three-game samples.

McKay’s journey is one worth watching closely this spring as he continues positioning himself on draft boards.

Newcomer Watch — Michael Zelinski

Now this is why development is fascinating.

True freshman.
First college game.
SEC environment.
Starter projected as conference pitcher of the year goes down early.

You’re in the bullpen thinking you’ve got time.

Suddenly you don’t.

Michael Zelinski had to run from the bullpen, take the mound cold in front of a packed SEC park, and warm up on the game mound — nerves fully exposed.

That moment defines a lot of players.

Three innings later:

• 0 hits

• 0 runs

• 0 BB

• 4 strikeouts

• 1 HBP (Otherwise perfect)

He shoved.

That doesn’t guarantee anything about summer roster status, and there is a long way to go for a true freshman.
Availability, development arcs, contracts — all of that plays into who ultimately wears a Leprechaun uniform.

But if you’re looking for competitors?

That’s a competitor’s debut.

And that’s someone to be excited about.

What This Report Will Be

This isn’t just alumni hype.

It’s tracking development.

It’s watching:

• Who performs in leverage

• Who gets on base consistently

• Who handles first moments

• Who stacks weekends

• Who grows

College baseball fans.
Northwoods League fans.
Draft followers.

You’ll start seeing patterns over time.

And then…

On the official Royal Oak Leprechauns social channels, we’ll launch Leps Watch — highlighting select performances from this report in short-form format.

Substack will be the full read.
Social will be the spotlight.

Welcome to The Leprechaun Report.

We’ll keep watching.

— Anthony Ranaudo