WSL Announces 2023 Award Winners

Today, the Wisconsin State Baseball League officially announced the major award winners for the summer 2023 season. Winners were determined by a vote of League General Managers, Managers, and team personnel.

Brian Huntzinger is the second National in a row to win the League’s MVP award. Appearing in all 30 games for the Nationals, Huntzinger batted .346, collecting 34 RBI during the season. In total, Huntzinger had 36 hits, 12 of which went for extra bases.

Jared Reklaitis was named the League’s Most Valuable Pitcher for the second year in a row, as the A’s ace finished with a 1.44 ERA in 43.2 innings pitched. Reklaitis struck out 68 of the 181 batters he faced over the summer, finishing with a 5-1 record and walking only five.

Alex Najera (UW-Whitewater) appeared in 20 games for the Lombard Orioles in 2023, hitting .424 during his rookie season to win Rookie Player of the Year honors. Scoring almost one run a game, Najera finished with an on-base percentage of .519.

Kevin Pauly (Triton College) joins teammate Alex Najera from Lombard as an award winner in 2023, taking home the Rookie Pitcher of the Year award. Pauly appeared in seven games for the Orioles, starting all seven and finishing with a 0.81 ERA in 34.2 innings pitched. Pauly finished 4-1 this season.

Steve Elliott was voted the League’s Manager of the Year for the third time in his career, and second straight year, after guiding the Nationals the 2023 Wisconsin State League championship. The Nationals become the first team to outright win the WSL Championship outside of Lombard since the Chicago Prairie Gravel won it in 2003, and the first Wisconsin-based team to win it since the Sheboygan A’s in 2000. The Nationals finished the year 22-8, two games ahead of second-place Lombard.

The award winners will be honored at the League’s Hall of Fame and Awards Banquet on Saturday, October 21 at Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center in Sheboygan, WI.