Eide named CRBL MVP and Salyers of the Bears is Rookie of the Year

Osseo Merchants pitcher Luke Eide won two top awards — including League MVP — and Drew Salyers of the Eau Claire Bears was named Rookie of the Year as the All-League CRBL awards were announced to the media early Tuesday morning.

In addition to the top MVP honor, Eide was also named Pitcher of the Year in the annual awards voted on by managers of all 11 Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL) teams. Eide joins Alex Byom (Whitehall 2016 and 2018) and Ryan Freitag (Osseo 2017 and 2019) as two-time CRBL MVP winners. Osseo’s Aaron Hagberg was named the Jan Krueger Manager of the Year and the Sportsmanship Award went to the Bloomer Woodticks, who now have the most Sportsmanship awards of all League teams/organizations with 11. Freitag was also named to the 2024 All-League Team awards list as a designated hitter this season.

Salyers, a UWEC baseball player who recently finished his junior season with the Blugolds, told the Leader-Telegram in an exclusive interview last month that he is enjoying his first season as a member of the Bears.

“I’ve never played on a team with people who are not all my age,” Salyers said, adding that the veteran experience of many on the squad has only proven to strengthen his game. Many of these long-time Bears have “been around the block and they give me good advice.”

In that same feature, Eau Claire Bears manager Blake Johnson said Salyers was a great addition to his team and that he possessed an extremely strong work ethic.

“Drew has been an awesome addition to our team. He is a big bat that fits well in the heart of our order and also brings an element of speed on the base paths that has helped us win games. Drew is also an awesome kid to have around off the field as well,” Johnson told the Leader-Telegram.

Salyers, an outfielder, was also named to the All-CRBL team in his position, joining other outfielders Lucas Steinmetz of the Tilden Tigers and CJ Varsho of the Chippewa Falls LumberJacks.

Joining Eide on the pitching team were Tyson Lucas of Chippewa Falls and Zack Thiesse of the Cadot Red Sox.

The Bears’ Tyler Plitzner made the All-CRBL team at third base and the team’s Hunter Guenther made the cut as a utility player. Others on the All-CRBL team are Mason Tester, shortstop, Jim Falls; Jack Klein, second base, Cadott Red Sox; Cole Zwiefelhofer, first base, Tilden Tigers and the Eau Claire Cavaliers catcher Sam Knickerbocker.

Among the thirteen individuals selected for 2024 All-CRBL awards, there were ten first-time award winners. There were no unanimous selections. Two individuals were repeat winners from 2023. The all-time leader in All-CRBL awards is the Eau Claire Rivermen’s player/manager Andy Niese with 13.

One honorable mention player from each team was also chosen, for the Cavaliers it was outfielder Xavier Bembnister, for the Bears it was utility player Jack Sandvic and for the Eau Claire Rivermen it was third baseman Joel Effertz. A sitdown feature interview with Effertz is planned for later this week in both the print and online editions of the Leader-Telegram.

Other honorable mentions, their team and position include: JJ Breaker, Augusta, utility; Will Thibodeau, Beef River Bullfrogs, utility; Corey Poirier, Bloomer, second base; Luke Erickson, Cadott, centerfield; Jake Varsho, Chippewa Falls LumberJacks, shortstop; Jace Cota, Jim Falls Sturgeons outfield,; Jesse Brockman, Osseo, shortstop; and Jacob LeQuia, Tilden Tigers, pitcher.

Of the eleven individuals recognized with an Honorable Mention All-CRBL award, six were first time selections. The Eau Claire Rivermen’s Tyler Gray’s seven Honorable Mention Awards are the CRBL record.

Nine of the 11 gold glove winners were first-time honorees in the fourth season this honor has been awarded.

Third baseman Cade Mueller of the Cavaliers, second baseman Jim Thill of the Bears and outfielder Lance Lettner of the Rivermen received the honor for the Eau Claire teams. Other Gold Glove winners, their team and position include: Logan Brown, Augusta, outfielder; Mason Bauer, Beef River, outfielder; Connor Hicks, Bloomer Woodticks, first baseman; Luke Erickson, Cadott. centerfielder; CJ Varsho, Chippewa Falls, outfielder; Colton Turner, Jim Falls, first baseman; Logan Matson, Osseo, infielder; and Jordan Steinmetz, Tilden Tigers, catcher.

Niese, a CRBL historian, provided the Leader-Telegram with a comprehensive list of all CRBL awards and it shows that the Tilden Tigers have won the most overall awards in League history with 94, followed by the Chippewa Falls LumberJacks with 72, the Augusta Athletics with 64 and the Eau Claire Bears, rounding out the top four with 60.

After Niese, the top four all-time players to win awards are Randy Rubenzer with 10, Freitag with nine and the Bears’ Todd Lasher also with nine.