Player Profile: Trent Bauer
Original photo credit: Reg Steuck
Frustrating. Hapless. Disheartening. Name an adjective like those three and chances are that it has been used to describe the collective baseball success of Green Bay East and Green Bay West High Schools in the past five to ten years.
Between 2009 and 2013, West finished in last place in the Fox River Classic Conference three times. In 2012, the Wildcats didn’t win a single game. In 2013, they tallied just one victory. East didn’t fare much better over that span. They won double digit games in only two of those five seasons.
Given the two schools’ mutual struggles, the decision was made to form a co-op beginning in 2014. The move was something not often seen in Division 1 high school baseball in Wisconsin. Outside of the Milwaukee area, there are only a couple of co-ops at the Division 1 level. The East/West connection is unique because it combines two schools that both already have sizeable enrollments, which is not typical for a baseball co-op. The merger forced everyone involved to make an adjustment, especially the players.
“It definitely took some getting used to. East and West are the biggest rivals in Green Bay and it was kind of a shock to both teams when we were told that we would be playing together,” East catcher Trent Bauer said. “Some people were not happy about the teams combining but once we started practicing together you wouldn't have even known that it was two different schools playing together.”
The newly-formed Devil Cats enjoyed a decent debut season which saw them win six conference games. However, it wasn’t until the 2015 season that the team would finally experience substantial success.
The Devil Cats went 16-12 last year, finished in the middle of the FRCC standings and won a regional championship in just the second year of the co-op’s existence. Although they were defeated in the sectional semifinals, the addition of a regional championship to their résumé made it a historic year for the team. Bauer’s performances played a big role in their success.
The senior batted .370 and drove in 13 runs in the middle of the lineup last year. He posted a .452 on-base percentage and also stole 12 bases. He was a big part of a crop of players that offered East/West the chance to be successful for the first time in a long time.
“It was a very special year with a very talented group of guys. Everyone on the team put in the work necessary to be successful last year. My sophomore year we only won six games and my freshman year we only won three games, so it was very satisfying to finally have a group of guys that had a winning mentality,” Bauer said.
Much like the East and West baseball programs faced adversity for so long, Bauer has had to battle through individual setbacks. Following his sophomore year, his hopes of playing Division 1 college baseball took a major hit. He sustained a severe injury to his shoulder, which hampered his college recruitment.
“I suffered a torn labrum in my throwing shoulder; it was completely torn off the bone and required surgery. Obviously suffering a major injury like that at age sixteen isn't very appealing to a college coach, so after that my recruiting process slowed down greatly,” he said.
The injury’s effects lingered throughout his junior campaign, and it wasn’t until recently that he got back up to full speed. When he did recover, things started to fall into place for the backstop.
“It took a while to get my arm strength back. Within the last two months I would say I finally got back to 90 to 100 percent,” he said. “I was lucky enough to get a call from Ellsworth Community College. I went on my visit and the coaching staff really knew their stuff, and I strongly believe that they will be able to help me pursue my dream of playing Division 1 baseball.”
He’ll be packing his bags for Iowa in the fall, but not before he takes on his final season of high school baseball.
The Devil Cats will have some new faces on the field this spring. They lost some of their best players, including their ace and leadoff hitter. However, Bauer still believes the team can build on last year’s success. He says the team’s goal is to win another regional title, and hopefully add a sectional trophy this time around.
Bauer will be one of the top players in the Green Bay area this season, and his performances will have a big impact on East/West’s chances this year. If they’re anything like last year, it could be another season to remember for the Devil Cats.
