The Northwoods League announced Tuesday the Duluth Huskies and the rest of the league will face a new team this year as the Minnesota Mud Puppies will be added as a traveling team for the upcoming season.

The need to add a team arose when the Thunder Bay Border Cats notified the league they would not be able to participate in the 2021 season. The Minnesota Mud Puppies will take their place as the visiting team in the Great Plains division for the summer.

That means the Mud Puppies will not have a home field and they will only play games on the road to fill the void on the schedule created by the loss of the Border Cats. This will allow the remaining teams to salvage as much of their home schedules as possible.

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The Minnesota Mud Puppies, who will be based out of the Twin Cities, will ultimately play a 36-game road schedule.

“The Minnesota Mud Puppies unique schedule provides an opportunity for new players, who might not have otherwise had the chance, to experience Northwoods League baseball,” said Northwoods League President/Commissioner Ryan Voz. “The addition of the Mud Puppies also maintains a full slate of games this summer for the remaining Northwoods League communities to enjoy. ”

Minnesota Mud Puppies
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You'll be able to see the Mud Puppies in the league standings, but they will not eligible for the playoffs. Minnesota Mud Puppies players will be eligible for mid-season and post-season All-Star honors, selection for the Major League Dreams Showcase, and being ranked among League leaders. They will also have access to game video and their personal Trackman data like full-time players.

If you're wondering where the Mud Puppies name comes from, it pays homage to the Dubuque Mud Puppies, which was one of the five original Northwoods League teams in 1994.

The Duluth Huskies will get their first look at the new team at Wade Stadium on Monday, June 14.

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