Gatorade Names Whitefish Bay Student As WI Baseball Player Of The Year

WHITEFISH BAY, WI — Mitch Voit is the first student from Whitefish Bay High School to earn the title of 2021-22 Gatorade Wisconsin Baseball Player of the Year, the company announced in a news release Friday.

The award recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement, and exemplary character, marking Voit as "Wisconsin’s best high school baseball player," Gatorade said for its 37th year of the program.

Voit joins the ranks of big-name athletes who have won the awards in the past when they were in school, including Derek Jeter for Michigan in 1992, Jon Lester from Washington in 2002, Clayton Kershaw from Texas in 2006, and others, according to the news release from Gatorade.

The statewide win qualified Voit for Gatorade's National Baseball Player of the Year award. The winner of the national award will be announced in June.

“There are a number of players who have put up great offensive numbers, or have great pitching numbers this season, but Mitch has dominated all season long at both,” said Homestead High School head coach Jason Kosanke in the news release. “In addition to his athletic ability, Mitch displays a high level of character and integrity on the field. He is the unquestioned team leader in the whitefish Bay dugout and it’s clear to see that his teammates respect him and hold him in high regard.”

Voit, a right-handed pitcher and third baseman for Whitefish Bay's Blue Dukes, helped lead the team to a 23-2 regular season, a North Shore Conference title, and a bye in the sectional round of the Division I state tournament, according to Gatorade's news release.

Voit entered the Section 6 postseason with a .562 batting average, five home runs, 37 RBIs and 26 stolen bases. The student-athlete also managed to record one no-hitter, coming out with a .49 ERA, according to the news release.

Beyond time on the field, Voit volunteers with a group that helps clean litter from Cahill Park in Whitefish Bay and has maintained a 3.33 GPA in school, the news release said.

Voit signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball for the University of Michigan in the fall.

With the award and Gatorade's Play it Forward program, Voit will be able to choose a local or national organization that helps young athletes to receive a $1000 grant, Gatorade said.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program recognizes one player from each state every year in a variety of sports.