Royal Oak Leprechauns

Royal Oak Leprechauns

Logo
Information
LeagueNorthwoods League (Great Lakes East 2024-pres)
LocationRoyal Oak, Michigan
BallparkMemorial Park (Royal Oak, Michigan) (2021-present)
Founded2015
Division championships1 (2026)
League championships1 (2026)
Former nameIrish Hills Leprechauns (2015-2018)
Former leagueGreat Lakes Summer Collegiate League (2015-2023)
Former ballparkSiena Heights Baseball Diamond (2015-2018)
ColorsDark Green, Kelly Green, King's Gold
     
MascotPaddy O'Dinger[1]
ManagementGeneral Manager: Danny Weiss
President: DJ LeMahieu
Director of Sales: Kurt Borngesser
Community Engagement Director and Secretary: David Lambert[2]
ManagerDJ LeMahieu[3]
WebsiteOfficial website

The Royal Oak Leprechauns are a summer collegiate baseball team in the Northwoods League. They are based in Royal Oak, Michigan, and play their home games at Memorial Park.[4]

History

Founded in 2015, the team began playing in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League (GLSCL) in 2016 as the Irish Hills Leprechauns, based in Adrian, Michigan.[5][6] They remained in Adrian through the 2018 season and went on hiatus during the 2019 season.[7]

In 2020, MLB All-Star and Gold Glove winning infielder D.J. LeMahieu began supporting the Leprechauns as a primary donor, funding numerous renovations to Memorial Park in Royal Oak.[8][9] The relocated Leprechauns resumed play in the GLSCL in 2021, changing their name to the Royal Oak Leprechauns.[10] LeMahieu later transitioned to the role of team President[11] and eventually Field Manager.[12]

In October 2023, it was announced that the Leprechauns would be leaving the GLSCL and joining the Northwoods League (NWL), another summer collegiate league, for the 2024 season.[13][14][15]

In 2026, the Leprechauns had a standout season in the NWL. Managed by D.J. LeMahieu, they finished the regular season with a 43-27 record and clinched a playoff berth with the best second half record in the Great Lakes East division. In the sub-division championship series, they swept the Kenosha Kingfish before defeating the Madison Mallards for the Great Lakes division championship.[16] They faced the St. Cloud Rox in a winner-take-all NWL championship game on 8/13/26. Both teams were held scoreless through six innings, with Jack Sequin on the mound for the Leps. The Rox scored one run in the 7th, and the Leprechauns got on the board in the 8th with a 2-RBI single by Luke Kosko.[17] The Leprechauns defeated the Rox by a score of 3-1.[18]

2026 was also a successful individual season for several Leprechaun players. Three Leps (Luke Kosko, Oliver Service, Kellen English) were selected to represent the Great Lakes Division in the NWL All-Star game, held at Field of Dreams Ballpark in Dyersville, Iowa.[19] Upon completion of the regular season, outfielder Luke Kosko led all NWL players in both home runs (17) and RBI (72). Pitcher Spencer Boynton led all NWL pitchers in total strikeouts with 76.[20] Kosko was named 2026 Northwoods League Most Valuable Player. Additionally, infielder Mason Barth, Boynton, and Kosko were all named to the NWL full-season All-Star team which was announced after the season.[21]

Season-by-season results

SeasonWinsLossesPctPlayoffs
Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League[10]
20162220.524Did not qualify
20171626.381Did not qualify
20181922.463Did not qualify
20212319.548Did not qualify
20221721.447Did not qualify
20231721.447Did not qualify
Northwoods League[22]
20243438.472Did not qualify
20253537.486Did not qualify
20264329.597Subdivision Championship: Beat the Kenosha Kingfish 2 games to 0.
Division Championship: Beat the Madison Mallards 6-1
League Championship: Beat the St. Cloud Rox 3-1

Yearly Attendance

Year Attendance
2024 26,206[23]
2025 30,367[24]
2026 19,692[25]

Northwoods League All-Stars

The following players have been selected to either the Northwoods League mid-season All-Star Game and/or the full-season All-Star Team.[26][27][28][29][30]

Player Position College Year Mid-season or full-season
Parker Picot OF Alabama 2024 Mid-season
Jake Jekielek P Northwood 2024 Mid-season
Alejandro Espinoza P Central Michigan 2024 Mid-season
Ryan Tyranski 1B Cincinnati 2025 Both
Oliver Service C Marshall 2026 Both
Luke Kosko OF Cincinnati 2026 Both
Kellen English P Indiana 2026 Mid-season
Spencer Boynton P Valparaiso 2026 Full-season
Mason Barth 3B Notre Dame 2026 Full-season

Leprechauns in professional baseball

The following former Leprechauns have signed with Major League Baseball organizations:

Name Season(s) with Leps NWL or GLSCL MLB signing team
Jake Hoover 2016 GLSCL Texas Rangers[31]
Griffin Lockwood-Powell 2017 GLSCL Los Angeles Dodgers[32]
Sam Benschoter 2018 GLSCL Cincinnati Reds[33]
Pierce Banks 2018 GLSCL Minnesota Twins[34]
Derek Clark 2021 GLSCL Los Angeles Angels[35]
Trent Farquhar 2021 GLSCL Philadelphia Phillies[36]
Zach MacDonald 2021 GLSCL Detroit Tigers[37]
Griffin Kilander 2022/2024 Both Boston Red Sox[38]
Brayden Dowd 2023-2024 Both Arizona Diamondbacks[39]
Jake Jekielek 2024 NWL Texas Rangers[40]
Aidan Cremarosa 2024 NWL Tampa Bay Rays[41]
Jake Shelagowski 2025 NWL St. Louis Cardinals[42]

References

  1. ↑ "Meet Our Mascot Paddy O'Dinger".
  2. ↑ "Front Office - Royal Oak Leprechauns".
  3. ↑ "Coaching Staff - Royal Oak Leprechauns".
  4. ↑ "Homepage". Royal Oak Leprechauns. September 10, 2018.
  5. ↑ DeGraaf, Kenneth (December 17, 2015). "Irish Hills Leprechauns baseball team to play at Siena Heights". lenconnect.com. The Daily Telegram. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Royal Oak Leprechauns | Royal Oak, MI". City of Royal Oak Website.
  7. ↑ "2019 Standings - Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League".
  8. ↑ "New Royal Oak summer baseball team: DJ LeMahieu funds Leprechauns' move to Memorial Park". WXYZ Detroit. June 3, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  9. ↑ Galli, Brad (June 4, 2022). "Year Two Begins for Royal Oak Leprechauns, College Summer Wooden Bat Team DJ Lemahieu Helped Start". WXYZ Detroit. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  10. 1 2 "All-time Yearly Standings - Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League".
  11. ↑ Kirk, Megan (May 25, 2025). "Royal Oak Leprechauns set to open 2025 season". Royal Oak Tribune.
  12. ↑ "Coaching Staff - Royal Oak Leprechauns".
  13. ↑ "Northwoods League Welcomes the Royal Oak Leprechauns for 2024". Official Northwoods League Website. October 19, 2023.
  14. ↑ Champion, Brandon (October 19, 2023). "Royal Oak Leprechauns to become Michigan's 4th Northwoods League team". MLive - Sports.
  15. ↑ "Northwoods League adds Royal Oak Leprechauns for 2024". Ballpark Digest. October 23, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Royal Oak Takes Great Lakes Crown, Advances to Championship". Northwoods League. August 11, 2026. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Royal Oak Leprechauns at St. Cloud Rox - 08-13-2026". Northwoods League. August 13, 2026. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Royal Oak Crowned Your 2026 NWL Champions". Northwoods League. August 13, 2026. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Northwoods League Announces 2026 All-Star Selections". Northwoods League. June 29, 2026. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
  20. ↑ "2026 Statistical Leaders - Northwoods League". Retrieved August 17, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Northwoods League Announces 2026 Postseason All-Star Team". Northwoods League. August 20, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Standings - Northwoods League".
  23. ↑ Reichard, Kevin (October 28, 2024). "2024 summer collegiate attendance by total - Ballpark Digest". Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  24. ↑ "2025 Attendance". Northwoods League. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  25. ↑ "2026 Attendance". Northwoods League. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Northwoods League Announces 2024 All-Star Selections". northwoodsleague.com. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Northwoods League Announces 2025 All-Star Selections". northwoodsleague.com. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
  28. ↑ "2025 Northwoods League Postseason Awards" (PDF). Northwoods League. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Northwoods League Announces 2026 All-Star Selections". northwoodsleague.com. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
  30. ↑ "2026 Northwoods League Postseason Awards" (PDF). Northwoods League. August 20, 2026. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  31. ↑ "Jake Hoover". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Griffin Lockwood-Powell". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Sam Benschoter". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  34. ↑ "Pierce Banks". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  35. ↑ "Derek Clark". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  36. ↑ "Trent Farquhar". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  37. ↑ "Zach MacDonald". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  38. ↑ "Griffin Kilander". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  39. ↑ "Brayden Dowd". MiLB.com. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  40. ↑ "Jake Jekielek". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  41. ↑ "Aidan Cremarosa". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  42. ↑ "Jake Shelagowski". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
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