For the City Times

The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are excited to announce the additions of two more players, including a talented pitcher and refined catcher.

Right-handed pitcher Andrew Deramo (Central Florida), and catcher/first baseman hybrid Rob Calabrese (Illinois-Chicago) will sport Rafters uniforms this summer as the duo compete on behalf of Wisconsin Rapids.

“Each of these two players were highly recruited and highly regarded coming out of high school,” said Rafters general manager John Fanta. “Andrew is extremely talented and Rob is capable of both swinging the bat and anchoring a pitching staff behind the plate.”

RHP – Andrew Deramo, 6’6” 210, (R/R), Sophomore, Central Florida University
Deramo, in his first season at the NCAA Division I level, boasts a winning pedigree that was put on display in his lone season at Northwest Florida State College a year ago. As a freshman, the hurler finished with a 3-1 record, 2.51 ERA, and 27 strikeouts in 28.2 innings, capping the season by helping the Wildcats claim the 2015 JUCO National Championship. Now a sophomore at Central Florida, Deramo has split time between the starting rotation and the bullpen for the Knights, making 13 appearances and notching 32 punch outs in 25.2 innings. In advance of his collegiate career, Deramo enjoyed a decorated high school career at A. Crawford Mosley High School, in which he finished with a career record of 23-2 and was twice honored as a First-Team All-State selection. Andrew is a native of Panama City, Florida.

C/1B – Rob Calabrese, 6’1” 205, (R/R), University of Illinois-Chicago
Now a sophomore at the University of Illinois-Chicago, Calabrese originally hails from Staten Island, New York where he was a fixture for one of the premier high school baseball programs in the United States. Calabrese led his Poly Prep Country Day High School squad to multiple state championships and a #12 national ranking in his senior year after hitting .380 and .430 in his final two seasons. In his first season at the collegiate level, the talented backstop was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team after competing in 33 games and earning 24 starts in route to a .232 batting average and a flawless fielding percentage. Currently a sophomore at Illinois-Chicago and coming off of injury, the catcher has played in 22 games and started 16 times, posting a .210 batting average, one home run, two triples, and 14 RBI.

The home opener for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters is June 1st at 7:05 against the Green Bay Bullfrogs. Solarus Founders Club, bleacher 9-Game ticket packages, and group outing packages are on sale now. Call 715-424-5400 or stop by the Rafters Front Office Monday-Friday from 9-5 to purchase a ticket package or book a group outing.