Rafters Announce 2017 Postseason Team Awards
Stott, Henderson, Woodcock, and Stekl recognized for stellar seasons

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – After setting a Northwoods League record for 52 regular season wins the Rafters have announced their Most Valuable Player, Pitcher of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Postseason Most Valuable Player awards.

Appearing in a franchise record 71 regular season games, Shortstop Bryson Stott (UNLV) has been named the team’s 2017 Most Valuable Player. Stott tied or broke a total of five different club records, including games played (71), at bats (284), hits (100), stolen bases (26), and runs scored (72). He lead the Rafters offense attack all season with a .352 batting average and knocked in 51. Stott was named to the 2017 Northwoods League Major League Dreams Showcase and was named to the 2017 Northwoods League Postseason All-Star Team . Stott will be a sophomore at UNLV during this school year.

Right Hand Pitcher Layne Henderson (Azusa Pacific) has been named the Rafters’ 2017 Pitcher of the Year. Henderson dominated the Northwoods League South Division batters all season, tying a franchise record with 18 saves and posted a 1.42 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 25.1 innings. In addition to his selection as team’s Pitcher of the Year, Henderson was selected to the 2017 Northwoods League Major League Dreams Showcase. Henderson will be a senior at Azusa Pacific.

In his third season as a member of the Rafters, Dustin Woodcock (SIU-Edwardsville) has been named Rafters’ Defensive Player of the Year after solidifying the Rafters outfield in 2017. Woodcock appeared in 67 of the 72 regular season games committing only 3 errors and garnered a .980 fielding percentage. Dustin was not only a polished defensive player but also held his own at the plate finishing the 2017 campaign with .318 average while belting 10 home runs. He surpassed over 100 runs batted in during his 3-year tenure, which is the most in Rafters history by a single player. He was selected to the 2017 Northwoods League All-Star Game and was a 2017 Home Run Derby Participant. Woodcock will enter his senior season at SIU-Edwardsville in the spring.

Coming off a strong regular season, Infielder Ryan Stekl (Canisius) will be remembered for his go-ahead 2-run homer in the bottom of the 8th inning of Game 1 of the 2017 Divisional Playoffs against the Lakeshore Chinooks. His performance in the postseason earned Stekl the Rafters’ 2017 Postseason Most Valuable Player Award. Ryan was also named a member of the 2017 Northwoods League Postseason All-Star team. Stekl will be a senior at Canisius this upcoming year.

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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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, 180 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (LAD) and Lucas Duda (TBR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.comor download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rafters as your favorite team.