BATTLE CREEK – It has been a slow start in the second half for the Battle Creek Battle Jacks.
The Battle Jacks, who were in contention for a division title in the first half of the season until the final game, haven’t had as much success since that point.
Battle Creek opened play on Tuesday at 6-12 in the second half, which had the Jacks six games behind first-place Traverse City and 5 1/2 games behind second-place Kalamazoo in the Great Lakes East Division.
The winner of each half gets a spot in the Northwoods League postseason playoffs. Battle Creek went 20-15 in the first half, finishing 1.5 games behind Traverse City, which won the division title with a six-game winning streak to end the first half. If the first-half champion finishes on top again in the second half, the playoff spot goes to the second-place team.
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Battle Jacks vs. Rivals
There are four teams in Michigan in the Northwoods League, making for natural rivalries between the franchises.
Battle Creek’s oldest rival is Kalamazoo and the Battle Jacks have had their most success in-state against the Growlers. Battle Creek is 6-4 this season against the Growlers in 2025. The Jacks are 3-4 against Royal Oak this season and finish the year with five games against the Leprechauns. Traverse City won the first half division with the help with several wins against Battle Creek. The Battle Jacks have been 2-8 against the Pit Spitters this season.
Northwoods League Alumni
The Detroit Tigers’ Zach McKinstry became the latest Northwoods League alumni to be named to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. McKinstry, one of six Detroit Tigers named to the American League roster for the 2025 All-Star Game, played in the Northwoods League in for the Waterloo Bucks in 2015. In the 2025 MLB All-Star Game, four former Northwoods League players were involved, including Pete Alonso, Chris Sale, Jacob Wilson as well as McKinstry.
Every year since 2008, the Northwoods League has been represented in the MLB All-Star Game by at least one alum.
Northwoods League Players Chosen in Draft
In the most recent 2025 Major League Draft, held July 13-14, there were 79 Northwoods League players selected. The highest Northwoods League alum picked in this year’s draft was Brendan Summerhill, a junior outfielder from the University of Arizona. Summerhill was picked by the Tampa Bay Rays with the 42nd overall pick. Summerhill played for the Traverse City Pit Spitters in 2022 and the Rockford Rivets in 2023.
There were two former Battle Creek Battle Jacks selected in the draft. Core Jackson from the University of Utah went in the fifth round to the New York Yankees. Jackson played for the Battle Jacks in 2022. Blaine Wynk of Ohio State was picked by the Chicago White Sox in the eighth round. Wynk played in Battle Creek in 2023.
Northwoods League All-Star Game
The stars were out, but not a lot of runs were scored as the Great Plains Division defeated the Great Lakes Division 3-2 in the 2025 Northwoods League All-Star Game, played in Madison, Wisconsin on July 16.
The Battle Creek Battle Jacks were represented by outfielder Joshua Algarin, who went 0-for-3 in the contest. Austin Wolfe of the Battle Jacks was also named to the team late as an alternate and pitched one inning, striking out one.
Upcoming Promotions
The Battle Jacks will have two special nights at the ballpark this week.
Battle Creek will host State Fair Night on Thursday, July 24, which will feature country music and fair-themed fun as the Jacks host the Royal Oak Leprachauns. Fans can purchase a special $25 ticket package which includes general admission seating, a hot dog and soda voucher, three sampling tokens for on-site food trucks.
It will be Hometown Heroes Night on Friday, July 25. The third annual Hometown Heroes Night honor the men and women who serve the community. Fans can purchase a special $20 ticket package which includes general admission seating, a meal voucher (includes your choice of a hot dog, burger or brat and chips & a drink), a Battle Jacks hat as well as a donation to Talons Out Honor Flight.
Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @billbroderick
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Jacks Notebook: Battle Creek off to slow start in second half in Northwoods League
Reporting by Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer / Battle Creek Enquirer
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