The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a baseball team based in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin that plays in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The Rafters play home games at Witter Field.
History The Rafters were founded by Steve Schmitt and Vern Stenman, the owner and president, respectively, of the Madison Mallards. In the lead-up to their inaugural season, the team held an online vote to determine which of three fan-submitted identities (the Rafters, River Rats, and Boggers) would win. The Rafters ultimately won out, with the name a nod to the history using the Wisconsin River to transport logs. The team incorporated the River Rat as a mascot. The primary team color is cranberry red to honor the strong cranberry industry of the Wisconsin Rapids area.
Before their inaugural season, seats from old Milwaukee County Stadium were added to Witter Field, in addition to several other ballpark upgrades. The Rafters played their first home game on June 6, 2010. Witter Field hosted the Northwoods League All-Star Game in 2011 and 2015. Several future MLB players were on the 2015 All-Star rosters, including Daulton Varsho, Zach McKinstry, and Tony Gonsolin.
2016 was an excellent season for the Rafters. They finished the season with a 49-23 record, best among all 18 teams in the league. They defeated the Lakeshore Chinooks in the quarterfinals, the Battle Creek Bombers in the semifinals, and ultimately defeated the Eau Claire Express to win their first Northwoods League championship.
In 2017, the Rafters finished the season with a 52-20 record, best among the 20 NWL teams. They advanced to the single-elimination South Division championship game, but were defeated by the Battle Creek Bombers. Bryson Stott had a standout season for the Rafters en route to an MLB career. At age 19, after his freshman year at UNLV, Stott had 342 plate appearances across 71 games, batting .352 with a league-leading 100 hits. He also added 26 stolen bases.
In 2020, the Northwoods League temporarily altered their structure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, operating with seven hyper-regional pod divisions. The Rafters played in the Wisconsin-Illinois West Division alongside the Wisconsin Woodchucks and La Crosse Loggers. With a roster featuring several future MLB players, the Rafters had a 35-11 record, best in the division. Spencer Arrighetti appeared in seven games (24 innings) and had a perfect 0.00 ERA, with 37 strikeouts and only 10 walks. He was named NWL Pitcher of the Year.
Rafters in MLB The following is a list of former Wisconsin Rapids Rafters to have appeared in Major League Baseball.
Name MLB teams played for Years with Rafters MLB DebutMLB accolades Ben Heller Yankees, Braves, Pirates 2012 August 26, 2016 J. P. Feyereisen Brewers, Rays, Dodgers, Diamondbacks 2012–2013 July 24, 2020 Ernie Clement Indians/Guardians, A's, Blue Jays 2015 June 13, 2021All-Star (2026) Bryson Stott Phillies 2017 April 8, 2022 Zach Jackson A's 2014 April 9, 2022 Richie Palacios Guardians, Cardinals, Rays 2016 April 25, 2022 Jonah Bride A's, Marlins, Twins, Rangers 2015 June 14, 2022 Cole Waites Giants 2018 September 13, 2022 Nick Avila Giants 2017 April 1, 2024 Spencer Arrighetti Astros, Blue Jays 2020 April 10, 2024AL Pitcher of the Month (May 2026) Kyle Teel White Sox 2020–2021 June 6, 2025 Travis Adams Twins 2020 July 5, 2025 Hayden Harris Braves 2021 September 2, 2025 Ben Ross Twins 2022 September 1, 2026 Jack Sinclair Nationals 2019 September 4, 2026
References
External links Wisconsin Rapids Rafters official site Northwoods League official site