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Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.- The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are very excited to announce the additions of Gabe Levy and Thomas Boothe and the return of Brayden Bonner. All three averaged over seven strikeouts per nine innings in their last season and are all expected to help the Rats roll the competition.
Gabe Levy is the third Davidson Wildcat on this year’s Rafters roster. The sophomore, right-handed pitcher from Seattle, Washington was a mainstay in the rotation for the 13-3 Wildcats in 2020. The Saturday starter made four starts on the year, allowing only three earned runs in 29.2 innings. Levy’s best start came in the final weekend of the college season versus Lehigh. Levy pitched into the ninth, coming just one out away from his first-career complete game shutout. Levy’s 0.91 ERA was 45th best in the country at the early conclusion of the year.
Last season, Levy was the go-to bullpen option for Davidson, beginning and ending the season in the closer’s role, while sliding into the rotation for four starts. Levy was second in the Atlantic 10 in saves with 11, earning A-10 All-Rookie team honors. Levy was second on the 2019 Wildcats with a 2.57 ERA.
Thomas Boothe will be one of the tallest players in Rafters history when he takes the mound at Witter Field this summer. The six-foot-eight right-hander uses his long and lanky frame to rack up loads of strikeouts, year after year, making Boothe a high-upside pitcher.
The University of Alabama-Birmingham righty did not take to the mound in the shortened 2020 season but excelled at East Central Community College in the tough Alabama junior college circuit in 2019. In two seasons at ECCC, Boothe struck out over 10 batters per nine innings. Added on to his team-high 63 strikeouts was a 3.49 ERA, second-best in the Warriors rotation. Boothe was the NJCAA DII National Pitcher of the Week in April 2019 after pitching a no-hitter on April 6th.
Brayden Bonner is another returning pitcher from Dixie State, making his second appearance in Central Wisconsin with his teammate Jimmy Borzone. A senior, Bonner was the best reliever for the Rafters in 2019. As the closer, Bonner was fourth in the Northwoods League with 11 saves and a miniscule 1.48 ERA. Bonner also struck out more than a batter per inning, while walking only eight batters all season. These impressive stats earned Bonner a spot on the Northwoods League Major League Dreams squad. For Dixie State, Bonner pitched in 18 games for the Trailblazers in 2019 with a strong 39:8 strikeout to walk ratio over 45 innings.
Bonner shares the excitement for his return: “I’m looking forward to reuniting with the people in Rapids that I was blessed to have an opportunity to make relationships with. I’m also excited to get back out there with a great group of guys. As always #RollRats.”
For more information on the different ticket packages and group outings visit Raftersbaseball.com or call the Rafthouse at 715-424-5400. Due to the current Safer at Home Order, the front office at Witter Field is closed to the public indefinitely.
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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 Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 26th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 230 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rafters as your favorite team.