Two Royal Oak Leprechauns selected in MLB Draft

ROYAL OAK — On July 14, Aidan Cremarosa and Jake Shelagowski became the seventh and eighth players in Royal Oak Leprechauns history to be selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.

In the 20-round event, the two standouts were selected in the eighth and 13th rounds respectively.

“It’s an awesome feeling seeing all these guys get picked up and perform and then go play in pro ball,” Leprechauns manager Chris Faust said. “It’s cool being a small piece in all of these players’ successes.”

Cremarosa played for the Leps in 2024 and recorded a 2.70 ERA in 23.1 innings pitched. During the school year, he pitched at Fresno State University and racked up several accolades including Mountain West Pitcher of the Year, Mountain West strikeout leader (112 in 2025), and was the team’s Saturday starter in his senior season. Cremarosa was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays with the 237th overall pick in the draft.

Shelagowski is a 2025 Leprechaun and was selected with the 390th pick by the St. Louis Cardinals. Shelagowski’s talent was obvious, despite not having a long playing history as a redshirt sophomore at Saginaw Valley State University. He struck out 10 batters in just 5.1 innings pitched and topped out at nearly 100 mph as a right-hander on the mound.

“With Shelagowski getting drafted, we had thought about that before he even came in,” Faust said. “He shows up and throws 100 (mph) in the spring.”

These two right-handed pitchers, and the other six players in team history who have been selected in the draft, represent a massive win for an organization whose main goal is developing talent.

“Ultimately it’s about the player,” Faust said. “The development is incredibly important. … They come in as skilled players already. They’re top guys … they just have to overcome the mental barriers and go out and perform every night.”

The Northwoods League is built to give playing time to college-level players, and that playing time is one of the most important assets the Leprechauns can offer. Faust played in the league himself and understands the importance of providing a routine to talented players.

“Mentally overcoming playing every night and finding a way to win and get the job done and finding trust in the process, all of these little pieces are small details that go into the performance on the field with a game every night,” Faust said.

The more players that are drafted, the more opportunity the Leprechauns will have to bring in and develop high-end talent in the future.

“The bottom line is this is why we’re here, this is why the Northwoods League exists, to have a place for these players to play, to polish their skills, and to make the next level,” Leprechauns’ Director of Media and Public Relations Mark Stowers said.

The priority of putting the players first starts at the top and extends throughout the organization.

“We’re excited as heck for our organization, but also looking at these kids,” Stowers said. “We want to have the coaching and the organization where guys do want to come to Royal Oak.”

The more talent that Royal Oak is able to put on the field, the more fun Leprechauns games are going to be for the fans and the community.

“A big goal is getting these guys to where they want to be and I know that pro ball is a goal for all of them,” Faust said. “Hopefully we can keep getting guys looks and keep sending them to better places.”

For more information on the Royal Oak Leprechauns, visit northwoodsleague.com/royal-oak-leprechauns.