Wausau Woodchucks
| Wausau Woodchucks | |
|---|---|
 Logo | |
| Information | |
| League | Northwoods League (1994-present) (Great Lakes Conference-West Division: 2019-present) (South Division: 1998-2018) |
| Location | Wausau, Wisconsin |
| Ballpark | Athletic Park |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Division championships |
|
| League championships |
|
| Former name | Wisconsin Woodchucks (1999–2021) Wausau Woodchucks (1994–1998) |
| Colors | Navy, light blue, light green, brown, white[1] |
| Ownership | Mark Macdonald |
| Management | Ryan Treu (GM) |
| Media | Wausau Daily Herald |
| Website | woodchucks.com |
The Wausau Woodchucks are an American baseball team that plays in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. They play their home games at Athletic Park in Wausau, Wisconsin.
History
[edit source]Athletic Park was previously occupied by the Wausau Timbers of the Class A Midwest League, who relocated after the 1990 season to Geneva, Illinois, to become the Kane County Cougars. The Timbers (and Wausau Mets before them) had hosted numerous future major leaguers including Edgar Martínez, Omar Vizquel, Harold Reynolds, and Mookie Wilson.
The Woodchucks began play in 1994 as one of the five original franchises in the Northwoods League, along with the Rochester Honkers, Manitowoc Skunks, Kenosha Kroakers, and Dubuque Mud Puppies. The Woodchucks are the only team among these five that has played continuously in its original city since the league's inception.
The team was known as the Wausau Woodchucks from 1994 to 1998, but the team name was changed to Wisconsin Woodchucks for the 1999 season, as they were the only remaining team in Wisconsin in the league at that time.
The Wisconsin Woodchucks won the Northwoods League championship twice, in 2001 and 2003. 2003 was a particularly notable season as Woodchucks team MVP was future MLB standout Ben Zobrist. Upon receiving the team’s MVP award, Zobrist reflected; “The Woodchucks have been good to me and given me so many opportunities. I’m excited to accept this award, not on behalf of my own achievement, but on behalf of everyone on the team.”[2]
The Woodchucks' manager for the 2007–2009 seasons was Jim Gantner, a former Milwaukee Brewer who attended college at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh. Gantner had never managed a team previously, and the Woodchucks appealed to him as he had spent time in the area at a second home.[3] Gantner became the team's president of baseball operations in 2009.[4]
In 2022, the Woodchucks announced a return to their original team name—the Wausau Woodchucks—with a new logo and color scheme.[5]
Woodchucks in MLB
[edit source]The following is a list of former Woodchucks to appear in Major League Baseball.[6]
| Name | Year(s) with Woodchucks | MLB accolades |
|---|---|---|
| Justin Berg | 2003 | |
| Lance Broadway | 2004 | |
| Jay Buente | 2004/2005 | |
| J. D. Davis | 2012 | |
| Paul DeJong | 2014 | All-Star |
| Zach DeLoach | 2018 | |
| Daniel Descalso | 2006 | World Series champion |
| Parker Dunshee | 2014 | |
| Jerad Eickhoff | 2010 | |
| Sam Freeman | 2007 | |
| Dave Gassner | 1998 | |
| Mike Gerber | 2011 | |
| LuJames Groover | 2021 | |
| Brent Headrick | 2018 | |
| Tyler Heineman | 2011 | |
| Casey Janssen | 2001 | |
| C. J. Kayfus | 2021 | |
| Taylor Kohlwey | 2014/2015 | |
| Bryan Lavastida | 2018 | |
| Nick Loftin | 2018 | |
| Mark Lowe | 2002/2003 | |
| Nate Mondou | 2014 | |
| Jon Moscot | 2010 | |
| Pat Neshek | 2000 | All-Star (2x) |
| Wes Obermueller | 1998 | |
| Jared Oliva | 2014/2016 | |
| Ethan Pecko | 2023 | |
| Kevin Pillar | 2010 | 16.1 career bWAR |
| Chris Reed | 2009 | |
| Darin Ruf | 2007 | |
| Brock Stassi | 2010 | |
| Ka'ai Tom | 2014 | |
| Pat Venditte | 2007 | Namesake of Pat Venditte Rule[7] |
| Steele Walker | 2016 | |
| Danny Young | 2013 | |
| Ben Zobrist | 2003 | All-Star (3x), World Series champion (2x), WS MVP |
References
[edit source]- ↑ "Northwoods League Official Colors (1994 through present)". TruColor.net. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
- ↑ "Woodchucks Legends: Ben Zobrist". Wausau Woodchucks. February 3, 2023. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Sports::Woodchucks Introduce Gantner as New Manager". WAOW. October 24, 2006. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved June 22, 2007.
- ↑ "25 Years of Woodchucks Baseball". Wausau Woodchucks. May 1, 2018. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ↑ "Woodchucks Renovations go Full Circle with Brand Update". Wausau Woodchucks. February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ "Northwoods League Alumni in Major League Baseball" (PDF). Northwoods League. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
- ↑ Kleinschmidt, Jessica (December 19, 2018). "Why Venditte has a rule dedicated to him and everything". NBC Sports Bay Area. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
External links
[edit source]- Wausau Woodchucks – official site
- Northwoods League – official site
