Mequon, WI – The Lakeshore Chinooks have added two powerful bats to the 2015 roster with the additions of Doug Kraeger (Richmond) and Lucas Raley (Lake Erie College).
Doug Kraeger is a 6’4” 225 pound junior from Malverna, NY who is looking to build off a sophomore season in which he was named Second Team All-Atlantic Ten. The dependable first baseman was the only Spider to start all 53 games for Head Coach Tracy Woodson and hit a team-best .308 with 20 doubles, five home runs and 35 RBIs. He ranked second in the A-10 in doubles and seventh in home runs. This season, Kraeger will be joined in the Spiders line-up by former Chinooks outfielder Michael Morman who followed Woodson from Valparaiso to Richmond. Morman confirmed Kraeger’s solid reputation saying, “He’s a good hitter with a lot of pop in his bat.”
So far this year, the Preseason First Team All-Atlantic Ten selection is off to a good start as he has already collected 12 hits, 11 RBIs, and two home runs and is hitting .279 in the first 11 games. The career .298 hitter for the Spiders will help provide power and run production for the Chinooks this summer. Kraeger has patterned his game after Yankees first baseman Mark Teixira, saying “Teixeira helps his team in every aspect. He is great both offensively and defensively. He also respects the game and plays hard every day.” And as Kraeger makes his way to Mequon, he says the Chinooks experience is a special opportunity to grow as a person through baseball. “Nothing challenges you both mentally and physically like the game of baseball. Baseball truly prepares you for the rest of life’s challenges and playing for one of the best organizations in collegiate summer baseball will challenge me by being with great players and playing against top-notch players.”
Lucas Raley is a Division II outfielder who has shown big league pop in two seasons with the Lake Erie College Storm and hopes to make his mark against the Division I talent of the Northwoods League. The 6’3” sophomore outfielder collected a plethora of awards including D2SIDA All-Midwest Region, First Team All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference, and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year as he led the Storm in eight offensive categories. Raley hit .353, scored 40 runs, and collected 65 hits, nine home runs, 46 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, and 108 total bases. He also led the team with a slugging percentage of .587 as the storm made the school’s first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional.
In seven games this season, Raley has already scored 11 runs and knocked in seven while hitting .379 with a .679 slugging percentage. The special education major from Hinkley, OH is anxious to experience life in the Northwoods League and test his skills against top-notch pitching. “I am looking forward to playing for a great organization and for the Lakeshore coaches who can give me a different perspective on how to play the game I love,” says Raley. That love for the game has been instilled by Raley’s father and is evident through how Raley approaches the game. When asked who he models his game after, Raley replied, “Pete Rose. I take it very seriously and I am a hustler. I try to do the little things and hope that I can help the team win.”
You can catch your first glimpse of Kraeger, Raley, and the rest of the 2015 Chinooks roster on May 28th when Lakeshore takes on the Kenosha Kingfish at 6:35pm. The first 1,000 fans will receive a 2014 championship pennant (courtesy of Port Washington State Bank) and a 2015 magnet schedule (courtesy of Professional Supply). On Opening Day, there will also be a special pre-game championship celebrate. The championship celebration week will continue on Saturday, May 30th with Championship Trophy Gill bobblehead for the first 1,000 fans (sponsored by GS Design).
The Lakeshore Chinooks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (BOS) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit www.lakeshorechinooks.com.
