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Gatorade 2016 - 2017: Player of the Year

Baseball - Wisconsin

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BASEBALL

Ben Dragani

LHP/First baseman
CATHOLIC MEMORIAL HS
WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN
SENIOR
Height: 6-FOOT-5
Press Release

Peak Performance

0.18

ERA

59

Strikeouts

0.436

Batting Average

21

Runs Scored
“I have never had a player with as high a baseball IQ and who developed his skills with as much relentless effort as Ben Dragani. He has very clean mechanics on the mound with an arsenal that features an 89-MPH fastball along with a slider and changeup. He works both sides of the plate and all areas of the strike zone with all three pitches.”
Tim Gotzler
Head Coach
excellence star

Athletic Excellence

The 6-foot-5, 220-pound senior left-handed pitcher and first baseman had led the Crusaders to a 16-2 record and a berth in the Division 2 regional final at the time of his selection. Dragani posted a 5-0 record on the mound with a 0.18 ERA, recording 59 strikeouts in 37.2 innings through 18 games. Ranked as the state's No. 5 recruit in the Class of 2017 by Perfect Game, he also batted .436 with 21 runs scored and a 1.190 OPS entering the regional title game.

a graduation cap

Academic Achievement

Dragani has maintained a 4.13 GPA in the classroom. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball on scholarship at the University of Michigan this fall.

first place ribbon

Exemplary Character

A member of the National Honor Society, Dragani has volunteered locally on behalf of the Special Olympics, his church youth group and his school's annual blood drive. "I have never had a player with as high a baseball IQ and who developed his skills with as much relentless effort as Ben Dragani," said Catholic Memorial High head coach Tim Gotzler. "He has very clean mechanics on the mound with an arsenal that features an 89-MPH fastball along with a slider and changeup. He works both sides of the plate and all areas of the strike zone with all three pitches."