Former Burlington standout captures 2nd consecutive honor
By Mike Ramczyk
Correspondent
Respected by teammates, coaches and opponents alike, Trey Krause is blessed with all the talent in the world.
The left-handed fire-baller possesses a plus fastball in the upper-80s and a devastating curve ball that makes even the most feared hitters buckle at the knees.
He persevered from a shoulder injury during the spring season and came back with a vengeance, tossing shutouts at sectionals and state to help lead the Burlington Demons to their fourth consecutive state tournament and first state semifinal since 2016.
Krause secured a scholarship with Division 1 Illinois State University thanks in part to dominant pitching numbers, including a 7-0 pitching record with an ERA below 0.50. At the plate, Krause, the 2019 Racine County player of the year, hit a cool .400.
Krause is the Southern Lakes Newspapers All-Area player of the year for the second consecutive season.
But what’s perhaps more impressive than his talent and numbers is Krause’s poise, presence and maturity on the mound.
Never one to take all the credit, Krause is always giving of himself, whether it’s pitching an extra inning to help the team or listening to the constructive criticism of Burlington pitching coach Bob Lee.
“Trey is very deserving,” Lee said. “He was always ready to try new things and improve himself. Trey never backed down and always showed poise and presence. He was always about the next pitch.”
“He was always coachable and had a lot of success because of that.”
Lee, another lefty pitcher, who played for the Milwaukee Braves organization, formed a special bond with Krause, who he calls a “little bulldog.”
Krause would always honor Lee by emulating his windup and pumping his arms above his head before he faced the last batter of a game.
“I would say, ‘Just try this,’ and I didn’t want pitchers to not be happy. I wanted that chemistry. I would always help Trey try to set up hitters and get that next double play or that next strikeout. Trey challenged hitters and was always thinking of the next pitch. He’s a pleasure to be around, a great young man. It was absolutely a thrill to work with him.”
Southern Lakes Newspapers Correspondent Mike Ramczyk recently caught up with Krause to discuss baseball, the future and advice for young baseball lovers.
SLN: Congrats on winning back-2-back POY awards. What does it mean to you?
TK: It means a lot knowing that my hard work has paid off these last two years in receiving this award twice.
SLN: What have you been up to this summer?
TK: This summer has been a mix of everything so far. Right after state I had to head to college to take a few classes and start my training at Illinois State. So I was on campus for about a month and a half. After my classes ended, I have been home for about another week until I have to go back down for my fall semester. Right now I’m back in Burlington just chilling with some friends until I have to go back.
SLN: Why Illinois State? What drew you to the school?
TK: I choose Illinois State for a bunch of reasons including the great opportunity it presents to me and the great coaching staff and players. Also the location is perfect to me since it’s not too far and it’s close enough to home that I still feel at home.
SLN: Talk about state baseball. How special was it to win a game?
TK: This year at state was a blast as expected. It was great to be down there again and get a win this time and share one more memory with this team.
SLN: How did your game improve this year?
TK: My game improved this year a great deal on both sides of the field. I feel it improved the most in locating my off-speeds. This year I really made an effort to place my off-speed pitches in certain spots, not just throwing them for strikes.
SLN: How did you get your start in baseball? Why did you fall in love with the game?
TK: My baseball career started pretty early because my dad was a coach for Burlington High School. I fell in love with it right away and was always doing something that involved baseball, whether it was watching it or playing it.
SLN: What are the biggest obstacles you’ve had to overcome in your personal and baseball life?
TK: The biggest obstacle I had to overcome was my size I feel. I knew I wasn’t going to be the biggest or strongest kid, so I had to perfect my game to the best of my ability. I had to be a very smart baseball player and know how to win the mental battles.
SLN: What are you majoring in? What do you want to be someday?
TK: At Illinois State, I’m majoring in Business Management, I’m hoping to manage a business in whatever category. I hope to obviously be a major league baseball player in the future.
SLN: What will you remember most about Burlington baseball?
TK: There is so much to love about Burlington baseball, the Friday night games under the lights at Beaumont, the best infield and outfield pregame in the state, the list goes on and on.
SLN: What advice would you have for young players that want to be like you?
TK: I would tell them to never stop working hard because you never know when your baseball skills will develop and turn you into a great baseball player.
Getting to know Trey Krause
Favorite movie: 42
Favorite Song: “Fast Car”
Baseball is… everything to me and will be a part of me ‘til the end.
I am playing D1 baseball because… of my family, friends, coaches, and teammates.
Pregame food ritual: Bacon Ranch Sunflower seeds
Favorite Social Media: Instagram
Netflix or Hulu: Hulu
If I could have dinner with one person dead or alive, who would it be and why? Elon Musk, because I think he is the coolest person alive and I would never be bored talking to him.
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