Willmar Stingers
| Willmar Stingers | |
|---|---|
 Logo | |
| Information | |
| League | Northwoods League (Great Plains West Division) |
| Location | Willmar, Minnesota |
| Ballpark | Bill Taunton Stadium |
| Founded | 2010 |
| League championships | 0 |
| Division championships | 0 |
| Colors | Black, yellow, white[1] |
| Mascot | Barry the bear[2] |
| Ownership | Ryan Voz and Marc Jerzak[3] |
| General manager | Keaton Worley[4] |
| Manager | Freddy Smith[5] |
| Media | West Central Tribune |
| Website | willmarstingers.com |
The Willmar Stingers are a collegiate summer league baseball team of the Northwoods League. They are located in Willmar, Minnesota, and play their home games at Bill Taunton Stadium. The Stingers and other collegiate summer leagues and teams exist to give top college players a professional-like experience without affecting NCAA eligibility.
History
The Stingers played their inaugural season in 2010, entering the league as an expansion team alongside the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters. On June 3, 2010, the franchise's first ever hit and run were recorded by former Willmar Cardinal and current Minnesota Twins minor league coach Jordan Smith.[6]
The Stingers were honored with the Northwoods League Organization of the Year Award in 2010. Stingers co-owner Marc Jerzak credited "Stingers fans, host families, sponsors and city officials" for "[making] the 2010 Inaugural season a memorable one."[7]
Seasons
| Season | Manager | Record | Win % | League | Division | GB | Post-season record | Post-season win % | Post-season result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Matt Hollod | 39–31 | .557 | T–5th | 2nd | 2.0 | 0–0 | .000 | Did not qualify | Inaugural Season |
| 2011 | Matt Hollod | 39–31 | .557 | 5th | 3rd | 5.5 | 0–0 | .000 | Did not qualify | |
| 2012 | Matt Hollod | 41–28 | .594 | 4th | 2nd | 1.0 | 1–2 | .333 | Lost North Division Championship (Mankato) | |
| 2013 | Matt Hollod | 41–29 | .586 | T–5th | 3rd | 10.0 | 0–0 | .000 | Did not qualify | |
| 2014 | Drew Saberhagen | 46–26 | .639 | 2nd | 1st | – | 1–2 | .333 | Lost North Division Championship (Mankato) | |
| 2015 | Drew Saberhagen | 47–24 | .662 | 3rd | 2nd | 1.5 | 0–1 | .000 | Lost First Round (Duluth) | |
| 2016 | Matt Passauer | 41–31 | .569 | 6th | 4th | 7.5 | 0–1 | .000 | Lost First Round (St. Cloud) | |
| 2017 | Eric Vazquez | 41–31 | .569 | 5th | 3rd | 3.0 | 0–1 | .000 | Lost First Round (St. Cloud) | |
| 2018 | Bo Henning | 48–24 | .667 | 2nd | 1st | – | 1–1 | .500 | Won First Round (Mankato) Lost North Division Championship (Duluth) | |
| 2019 | Bo Henning | 40–32 | .556 | 7th | 2nd | 4.0 | 2–1 | .667 | Won Great Plains West Division Championship (St. Cloud) Lost Great Plains Division Championship (Eau Claire) | |
| 2020 | Bo Henning | 22–20 | .524 | 9th | 3rd | 6.5 | 0–0 | .000 | Did not qualify | |
| 2021 | Al Leyva | 32–36 | .471 | 11th | 3rd | 18.0 | 0–0 | .000 | Did not qualify | |
| 2022 | Freddy Smith | 48–20 | .706 | 3rd | 2nd | 2.0 | 2–1 | .667 | Won Great Plains West Division Championship (St. Cloud) Lost Great Plains Division Championship (Duluth) | |
| 2023 | Freddy Smith | 51–16 | .761 | 1st | 1st | – | 0–2 | .000 | Lost Great Plains West Division Championship (St. Cloud) | |
| 2024 | Freddy Smith | 44–26 | .629 | 4th | 1st | – | 1–2 | .333 | Lost Great Plains West Division Championship (St. Cloud) | |
| 2026 | Nate Johnson | 38–33 | .535 | T–11th | 4th | 10.0 | 0–0 | .000 | Did not qualify | |
| 2026 | Freddy Smith | 37–33 | .529 | T-10th | 2nd | 5.5 | 1–2 | .333 | Lost Great Plains West Division Championship (St. Cloud) | |
| Totals | 695–471 | .596 | 9–16 | .360 |
Roster
| Active roster | Coaching staff |
|---|---|
|
Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
|
Manager
Coaches
|
Notable alumni
The following is a list of formers Stingers to have appeared in Major League Baseball[8]
References
- ↑ "Northwoods League Official Colors (1994 through present)". TruColor.net. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
- ↑ "Stingers unveil new mascot". www.wctrib.com. April 9, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
- ↑ "Willmar Stingers are latest addition to popular Northwoods League". www.minnpost.com. July 6, 2010. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
- ↑ "Northwoods League: Willmar Stingers make some administrative promotions". www.wctrib.com. September 12, 2025. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
- ↑ "Northwoods League: Willmar's going young with a veteran coach". www.wctrib.com. May 26, 2026. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
- ↑ "Twins, Mighty Mussels Announce 2026 Coaching Staff". milb.com. Minor League Baseball. January 14, 2026. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
- ↑ "Kern Named NWL Executive of the Year". northwoodsleague.com. Northwoods League. October 11, 2010. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Northwoods League Alumni in Major League Baseball" (PDF). northwoodsleague.com.
External links
- Willmar Stingers - official site
- Northwoods League - official site
