2016 Overall Rankings: Wisconsin Analysis

November 13, 2015

By Steve Nielsen
Scouting Supervisor – Wisconsin/Illinois

It’s been a busy month of coverage for the 2016 class. Unsigned Senior showcases have been completed and analyzed, Wisconsin updated its state specific 2016 player rankings, this week started the early signing period for seniors inking their National Letters of Intent and capped off by releasing our updated overall 2016 player rankings.

It is important to note that the PBR overall rankings only include the states that we intimately know from our scouting staff. The updated Top 400 Class of 2016 rankings is comprised of our current 27-state coverage area, which now includes all New England states.

As our overall rankings continue to expand both in number and coverage area, it gets increasingly difficult for prospects to hold their spot in the overall rankings. That being said, Wisconsin has always fared well in the 2016 class especially at the top end and they continued that trend in our latest update.

All of the hype in Wisconsin’s 2016 class has been on C Ben Rortvedt (Verona Area) and SS Gavin Lux (Indian Trail), both making their verbal commitments official this week with Arkansas and Arizona State, respectively.

Both were already highly touted prospects with high draft consideration and top 20 prospects in our rankings and both have seen their stock rise as they have now cracked the top 15. Rortvedt left-handed bat has gotten tons of attention and moved him up one spot to No. 9, a big jump considering the talent in the class. Lux has continued to wow scouts with his defensive prowess and projectability bumping him up three spots into the top 15.

While Rortvedt and Lux are grabbing most of the highlights, RHP Nathan Bro wn is quietly climbing the ranks as well jumping eight spots into the top 60. Brown’s summer caught the attention of many area scouts and while much of the scrutiny will be on the two left-handed bats this spring, Brown is making a legitimate case to throw his name in those same draft conversations.

Making the biggest jump in the overall ranks was Illinois commit Cyrillo Watson (South Milwaukee) we’ve always loved the right arm of Watson as he has been a high level two-way prospect throughout his high school career. Now scouts are taking notice of the electric right arm and the life it generates. Watson is an intriguing prospect with a ton of upside and jumped 25 spots in the overall ranks nearly cracking the top 100.

One of the more impressive numbers for Wisconsin’s class is that seven of the top 110 hail from the Badger State, again speaking to the depth of high-level talent in this class.

Hold on tight for an interesting spring as Wisconsin is sure to be a hit topic come June.

CLICK HERE for more on the complete 2016 Overall Rankings.