“We are extremely excited to have both Tommy and Augey return to Wisconsin Rapids for the 2011 season,” said assistant general manager John Fanta.  “Both players have already experienced a great deal of success in the Northwoods League and we look forward to having their leadership on the 2012 team.”

LHP-Tommy Organ, 6’5”, 180 lbs (L/L) Junior, North Florida

After leading the Inaugural Season Rafters pitching staff in strikeouts in 2010, Tommy Organ will return to Wisconsin Rapids following his junior season at North Florida this spring.  Last spring, Organ appeared in 15 games (8 starts) for the Ospreys and posted a 4.12 ERA.  In 43.2 innings he struck out 44 batters and posted a 4-2 record during his sophomore season, subsequently being named to the 2011 Atlantic Sun Conference All-Academic Team.

Following his freshman year at North Florida, Organ appeared in 16 games for the Rafters, making 8 starts.  He posted a 1-3 record to go along with a 4.39 ERA and struck out a team-high 54 batters in 53.1 innings of work.  Arguably his best pitching performance of the season occurred on July 23^rd at Wausau, after transitioning from bullpen to starting duty.  In 6.1 innings against the Woodchucks, Organ allowed only 2 hits while striking out a season-high 11 batters.  He allowed only one unearned run in the dominant performance.

The Chicago, Illinois native appeared in 15 games out of the North Florida bullpen while posting a 4.56 ERA as a freshman.  In 25.2 innings he struck out 19 batters and also compiled 3 saves.  He currently resides in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

LHP-Augey Bill, 6’8”, 220 lbs (L/L) Junior, Arizona

After redshirting his sophomore year, Bill proved to be a very consistent and durable force for the 2011 Rafters pitching staff.  After joining the team mid-season, Bill appeared in 8 games (7 starts) and posted a 3-1 record and 4.10 ERA.  Spanning 37.1 innings on the mound, Bill allowed only 32 hits while striking out 36 batters and only allowing 13 walks.

In 17 games (1 start) for the Arizona Wildcats as a true freshman in 2010, Bill posted a 4.40 ERA in 14.1 innings on the mound.  Opponents posted a miniscule .218 batting average against him, the lowest mark for any pitcher on the staff.  He managed to strike out 14 batters in as many innings, while allowing only one extra base hit.  Bill is a native of Danville, California and is currently enrolled in the College of Engineering at Arizona, with a major in aerospace engineering.

Wisconsin Rapids, WI –

“Last summer was a great experience working in the North Division with the Willmar Stingers,” said Kohls. “I look forward to experiencing a full season in the South Division with the Rafters and the Wisconsin Rapids fans.”

The 2012 season will be Kohl’s second season in the Northwoods League, after spending last season interning with the Willmar Stingers as their Director of Hospitality. Kohls received his bachelor’s degree in Recreational Parks and Leisure Services from Minnesota State University Mankato in 2011. During college he spent time as a youth baseball coach for the city of Mankato.

Originally from Maple Grove, Minnesota, Kyle currently resides in Wisconsin Rapids. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his niece and nephew, cheering on the Minnesota Gophers and spending time outdoors.

“Cyr and Hohl are great team guys that come out and play hard every day,” said manager Jake Martin. “That’s why we are excited to have them return as core guys that can help lead our team this summer.”

1B-Josh Cyr, 6’1”, 240 lbs (R/R) Junior, North Alabama
After a strong sophomore campaign for North Alabama, Josh Cyr added a fusion of power to the 2011 Rafters lineup. The durable first baseman batted .243 last summer, while leading the team in multiple offensive categories including games played (68), hits (56), home runs (12), and RBI (39). His 12 home runs ranked him second in the entire Northwoods League to Mankato’s Shaun Cooper, who was named the Northwoods League MVP in 2011 after belting a single season record 20 home runs. Cyr also ranked second on the team in walks (30) and doubles (11), while tying for the team lead with 30 runs scored.

In 51 games as a sophomore at North Alabama last spring, Cyr batted .314 with 7 home runs and 46 RBI, while also carrying a .502 on-base percentage. That production followed up a freshman season that saw him post a .331 batting average, on the way to being named Gulf South Conference East Division Freshman of the Year.

Cyr is a native of Huntsville, Alabama and still holds the high school record for home runs in a season at Westminster Christian Academy.

3B-Brandon Hohl, 6’2”, 205 lbs (R/R) Junior, Illinois
After spending the spring season as the cleanup hitter for Illinois, Brandon Hohl showed up in Wisconsin Rapids with a productive bat and a consistent glove at third base and shortstop in 2011. Appearing in 60 games for the Rafters last summer, Hohl posted a .251 batting average and led the team with 16 doubles and 40 walks. He ranked second on the team to Cyr in games played (60), hits (54), and RBI (32), while ranking third on the team with 6 home runs.

As a sophomore at Illinois, Hohl batted .311 with a .415 on-base percentage and showed his clutch nature by posting a .365 batting average with runners in scoring position. He posted a .278 batting average as a freshman while compiling 18 multiple hit games in 2010.

Hohl was named the no. 31 prospect in the state of Illinois his senior year of high school by Prep Baseball Report after hitting .391 with 7 doubles, 5 home runs and 27 RBIs and a .509 on-base percentage as senior at Lincoln-Way East High School. He is a native of Mokena, Illinois.

Wisconsin Rapids, WI – 

“I am happy to have Chad back this year as pitching coach,” said Jake Martin.  “He does a great job working with the pitchers and keeping them on a good routine for the summer.”

Chad Lee is currently in his second year as a coach, first as the pitching coach, at Emporia State University.  Before joining the staff at Emporia State, he spent the previous four seasons as a pitcher in the Oakland Athletics minor league system.

Lee played at Barton County Community College, in Great Bend, Kansas, during the 2005-2006 seasons and was named first team All-Jayhawk conference in 2006.  His solid performance at Barton and a promising fastball that had been clocked as high as 96 mph, led him to being selected in the 4th Round (128^th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft.  During his four seasons in the Athletics organization he posted a 6-3 record with a 4.04 ERA, topping out with the Kane County Cougars of the Midwest League in 2009, before his career was abbreviated due to injury.

Lee graduated from Putnam City North High School in 2004 and is a native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

“Both Nestor and Skyler will bring NWL experience to the mound in 2012, which is a big plus for us,” said general manager Liz Kern. “We are very excited to have them returning and look forward to continuing to watch them grow as pitchers and young men.”

LHP-Nestor Bautista, 6’3”, 190 lbs (L/L) Sophomore, Ball State
Coming off his freshman season at Ball State University, Bautista enjoyed a breakout summer on the mound with the Rafters in 2011. The Manhattan, New York native ranked second on the team with 13 games started and logged 69.2 innings on the mound, while recording 46 strikeouts. He was a model of consistency throughout the season, compiling a 3-4 record and a 3.75 ERA on the way to eventually being voted the team MVP. A two-time All-State selection and three-time All-New York City recipient while attending George Washington High School, Bautista will begin his sophomore season for the Ball State Cardinals this spring.

RHP-Skyler Debilzen, 6’5”, 195 lbs (R/R) Junior, UW-La Crosse
Joining Bautista on the 2011 pitching staff will be right-handed reliever Skyler Debilzen, who will enter his junior season at the University of Wisconsin –La Crosse this spring. Debilzen was the Rafters lone All-Star representative at the 2011 Marshfield Clinic Northwoods League All-Star Game in Wisconsin Rapids, tossing one scoreless inning in relief while striking out two batters in that game. An Oregon, WI native, Debilzen began the season on a temporary contract but quickly established himself as a valuable member of the Rafters bullpen. With a vacant roster spot available near the end of June, the Rafters were able to sign Debilzen to a full contract, allowing him to remain with the team through the remainder of the season. In 30 appearances for the Rafters, spanning 42.1 innings on the mound, Debilzen posted a team-best 2.76 ERA while recording 38 strikeouts and only allowing 14 walks. Like Bautista, Debilzen was also a model of consistency, throwing multiple innings out of the bullpen and getting key outs in critical situations throughout the year. After allowing runs in his first two appearances of the year, Debilzen put together a string of 14 scoreless outings (June 7-July 6) spanning 20.2 innings, setting a new Rafters franchise record. Debilzen’s former college teammate, Mitch Running (UW-La Crosse), held the previous scoreless streak of 15.2 innings, which he compiled in the Rafters inaugural season in 2010.

Jake Martin

Wisconsin Rapids, WI –  The Rafters have found a new manager for 2012. Actually, he is a very familiar face to the organization. The team announced today that it has named Jake Martin as the third manager in Rafters history.

“I am excited to be the new manager for such a great organization and to be able to work with such great people,” Martin said in a statement. “It’s also nice to be in a town that loves their baseball and the awesome support they give the Rafters.”

The younger brother of 2011 manager John Martin, Jake began the 2011 season as an assistant coach for the Rafters, working closely with the hitters and bullpen pitchers while also coaching first and third base at different times throughout the season. Jake took over the reins for the final 18 games of the 2011 regular season and guided the team to a 7-11 record after John left the team, subsequently being named the head coach at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas.

Following the conclusion of the Rafters season, Jake joined his older brother John on the coaching staff at Coffeyville Community College, where they will lead the Red Ravens for the first time this spring.

“Jake’s energy and the respect he received from players was clear from the start in 2011. After looking for our next manager, it was clear Jake was the guy we wanted to bring in,” said general manager Liz Kern.

Jake Martin played baseball at Barton County Community college during the 2004-2005 seasons. From 2006-2008 he was responsible for maintaining a sports complex while also spending time coaching summer baseball. He then spent the 2008-2009 season at MidAmerica Nazarene University before transferring to Emporia State where he played from 2009-2011, culminating with a conference championship during his senior season with the team. During the summer of 2010 Martin also coached the Emporia American Legion baseball team and led them to a 35-15 record. He is a native of Shawnee, Kansas.

Jake Martin talking to umpire

Other highlights of the 2012 Rafters Northwoods League schedule include:

•  A wide assortment of dates to choose from: The Rafters will play four games on Mondays; four games on Tuesdays; eight games on Wednesdays; seven games on Thursdays; three games on Fridays; five games on Saturdays; and four games on Sundays.
• The Rafters season will conclude on Sunday, August 12th, against the Northwoods League’s expansion Lakeshore Chinooks for the ever-popular “Fan Appreciation Day”. First pitch is slated to be thrown at 5:05 pm for the final regular season game.
• The schedule includes a three game home series from July 3rd thru July 5th which is sure to enhance the Fourth of July festivities.
• Game times will be 7:05 for all Monday thru Friday games in 2012, with the exception of a 1:05 pm afternoon start time for the July 4th game versus Madison. All Saturday start times will be 6:05 pm. Sunday start times will be 1:05 pm for the first three Sunday home games, with a 5:05 pm start slated for the final home game of the season.

Single game ticket prices for the 2012 season will be $7 for a reserved bleacher seat and $6 for standing room only and will go on sale beginning Saturday, April 28th next year. The full slate of promotions for the 2012 season will be released in the spring.

The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are members of the 16-team summer collegiate Northwoods League. The Rafters will play a 70 game schedule with 35 home games in 2012.

Wisconsin Rapids, WI – Are you a people person, possess integrity, a good work ethic, and have interest in a sports profession someday? If so, then a summer internship with the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters may be right for you!

Every summer the Rafters hire 6-7 interns to help fill vital roles within the team’s front office. An intern with the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters receives the opportunity to experience what running a baseball organization is like from a game day standpoint. The internships are full-time and require a full commitment of the summer. Interns will not only work every home game, but will also help handle all day-to-day responsibilities in the front office on off-days as well.

Through the Rafters internship program, interns will experience professional growth in a variety of areas including, but not limited to: customer service, promotions, marketing and public relations, ticketing, ballpark operations, along with hard work on a daily basis. This experience will allow each intern the opportunity to be a part of 35 Rafters home games at Witter Field, with the possibility of more games if the Rafters reach the playoffs.

The following is a list of the various internships to be offered in 2012:
1) Operations/Concessions Emphasis
2) Operations/Merchandise Emphasis
3) Ticketing
4) Video Production
5) Marketing/Public Relations Emphasis
6) Marketing

The Rafters are currently scheduling interviews to take place in November and December. All interested candidates should e-mail a resume and cover letter to Assistant GM, John Fanta at john@raftersbaseball.com and follow up with a phone call. In the cover letter the Rafters ask that the candidate details which two internships they would like to apply for and rank them #1 and #2. A complete listing of the internship descriptions can be found by visiting www.raftersbaseball.com under the Ballpark-Employment tab.

Wisconsin Rapids, WI-September 2, 2011. With the minor league baseball season coming to a close this past week, it’s time to take a look at new chapters that were written for a couple of former Rafters who began their professional baseball careers this summer.

One year removed from donning a Rafters uniform, Beck Wheeler found himself competing in the minor leagues for the New York Mets rookie affiliate, the Gulf Coast League Mets.

Wheeler signed a free agent contract with the Mets as a pitcher earlier this summer, a role that he will try to evolve into after being mostly an infielder during college. After playing third base and shortstop at UC-Santa Barbara and with the Rafters last summer, Wheeler is now toeing the rubber for the Mets in hopes of moving up the Mets’ minor league ladder on the mound. He was very impressive in his new role this season, to say the least.

In 14 games, spanning 20.2 innings, Wheeler allowed just eight hits and two earned runs for a miniscule 0.87 ERA. He struck out 20 batters while holding opponents to a .121 batting average, showing flashes of brilliance to go along with his fastball that sits in the low 90s. He also recorded two saves to go along with a perfect 3-0 record.

“I had an opportunity to work out in front of one of their scouts and things went well,” said Wheeler earlier this summer. “Pitching is still relatively new to me, but I think the Mets’ organization felt that was a good thing because I can learn to pitch the way they would like me to.”

Another former Rafter, Cody Koback, left the team in mid-July after signing a professional contract with the Boston Red Sox, who made him a 10th Round Selection in the 2011 June MLB First-Year Player Draft. Koback was assigned to the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, which is the same league as Wheeler’s Gulf Coast League Mets.

Like Wheeler, Koback also got off to a solid start in his professional career. Making his debut on August 1st, Koback went 1-for-3 with a double and did not look back. In 19 minor league games, Koback posted a .291 batting average (16-for-55), with one home run and eight RBI. He also carried a .426 on-base-percentage and scored 11 runs.

In 28 games for the Rafters this summer, Koback led the team with a .287 batting average (33-for-115) while tallying seven doubles, four triples, nine RBI, and scoring 16 runs. He also was 9-for-11 in stolen base attempts.

Koback lead the 2010 Rafters squad in multiple offensive categories including games played (58), hits (58), runs scored (30), batting average (.305), on base percentage (.404), hit by pitch (12), slugging percentage (.405), while also tying for the team lead in home runs (4). He appeared in the 2010 Northwoods League All-Star Game in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and went 1-for-2 with a triple in that game.

Koback recently wrapped up his junior season at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, slugging his way back from an injury shortened sophomore year to lead the WIAC in multiple offensive categories including slugging percentage (.696), runs (68), and total bases (112). Koback led the Pointers squad in multiple categories as well, leading or holding a share of the lead in on base percentage (.518), home runs (7), steals (16), and RBI (46).

5 new champions were crowned Saturday at Golden Sands Speedway in Plover WI. Tim Sauter proved consistency will win titles as the 3 time 2nd place finisher proudly put the #99 team in a well-deserved spot on the year-end podium. Sauter’s 2nd place finish makes Tim only the second driver to win the Golden Sands championship without a feature win. Jeremy Lepak again sliced through a tough field, making the win on this tight track look easy. Lepak seemingly passed at will, and took the lead from Sauter with 30 to go in the 65 lap feature. Sauter pulled to within a foot or so every few laps, but Lepak kept it out front to the final lap. Dalton Zehr of Florida again came to joust with local talent, his car only appearing in 3rd as a matter of pride, technical rules permitting him only to race, and not score points as Corey Jankowski officially posted 3rd, Cardell Potter 4th and Erin Schlough a hard-fought 5th. Lepak began the night with fast time. It is notable that 3rd, 4th and 5th were separated at year’s end by only 1 point; Brandon Selle, Cardell Potter and Colin Reffner as close as close can be.

Super Stocks brought one of their best field to Plover tonight, and Duwayne Davis and Galen Manternach started the field off with 19 cars totaling the race. The front pair drove off to race side by side until Manternach cleared, and raced away from Duwayne. WIth only one caution early on, the restart looked hopeful for Matt Raykowski and Ryan Hinner, who took huge chunks out of the field by starting in the outside lane during their lane choices, but Raykowski’s car veered hard right coming across for the green and collected Hinner into the front straight wall. It was unclear what caused Matt’s problem, but Hinner’s damage took him out, and many other cars suffered from contact behind them. Manternach led every one of the remaining laps, Davis chasing him, with Brian Weinfurter capping his championship year in 3rd, ahead of Kyle Davis and John Zuch. Hinner’s fast time was his one bright spot on this otherwise tough night.

Pure Stocks were 17 strong, and Hunter Cramer and Kyle Genett paced them as well, Genett creeping out front early and running off to an easy-looking win. Jake Capek maneuvered to 2nd, winning the year’s points run, and finished ahead of Mark Kalata and Cale Marzofka, who went from 6th to 4th in one lap in a dramatic turn 3 dive inside Ben Capek and Hunter Cramer. Ben Capek finished 5th. Marzofka again broke the track record in qualifying, his 3rd time this year for the feat.

4 Cylinder Stock racers took the green 19 strong, and Kirby Kurth slyly took an outside start and passed 7 cars on the front straight looking very much the old Late Model-racing Kirby, except in a 4 cylinder that quickly gave back the positions as fast as he got them. Kirby’s car had some bent components, and others raced away at the front, Kevin Burris taking his 5th feature, a track championship, and every other available prize sweeping the night with a fast time, heat win, and feature trouncing of the field. Mariah Gajewsk took home a nice 2nd place run, Steven Rozek took 3rd, Lucas Betro 4th and John Engebretsen 5th.

The 4 Cylinder Mods were a solid dozen racers, and 70-ish year old “Grandpa Bob” Dalski started alongside one of the new kids, 15 year-young Isaiah Rowe. The generation gap widened when Rowe slipped in the turn 3 and 4 first lap, and Dalski battled a bit with John Lietz and Dale Louze. All the battling was in vain, when Phil Malouf ripped through the pack and bolted into the lead by lap 5. Malouf wasted nothing, as he led by about a half-lap by the time the race ended. Malouf’s championship win was doubly sweet, as he finished ahead of Dale Louze, Austin McKeever, Adam Eckes and Scott Scholze. Malouf also iced the night with fast time.