The 2013 Northwoods League All-Star became the highest drafted Rafter in franchise history

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – Former Wisconsin Rapids Rafter Donnie Dewees became the highest selected Rafter in Major League Baseball Draft history yesterday when the outfielder was taken by the Chicago Cubs with the 47th overall pick.

Dewees was a Northwoods League All-Star and team MVP during his time with Wisconsin Rapids in 2013. As a Rafter, the Crystal River, Fla. native hit .321 over 57 games, including 12 home runs and 53 RBIs. Dewees also set a pair Rafter records that summer, scoring 54 and stealing 26 bases.

At the University of North Florida, Dewees was named 2015 Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year and earned Collegiate Baseball Newspaper First Team All-American honors. He led the nation in hits (106), runs scored (88), slugging percentage (.749) and total bases (188), as well as finishing second in the country with a .422 batting average.  

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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, 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), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website.  For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com.