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South Milwaukee Preseason ID: Quick Hits

March 6, 2024
By: Wisconsin Staff

On March 3rd, PBR Wisconsin hosted its latest event along the 2024 winter showcase circuit, the annual South Milwaukee Preseason ID took place at Hitters Baseball Academy in Caledonia, WI. Around 80 players made it out to this event, providing us with updated looks and a new list of prospects to follow in an area of Wisconsin that regularly produces some of the state’s top talent.

Today, we’ll be highlighting the players who stood out in Caledonia within this Quick Hits piece. Stay tuned throughout the week as we continue to break down the in-depth metrics measured at this event, with the help of our tech partners TrackMan, Blast Motion, Swift, and Vizual Edge.

POSITION PLAYERS

CLASS OF 2025

+ INF Ethan Moore (Oak Park & River Forest, IL, 2025; Louisville commit) is a dynamic switch-hitter with feel to hit and power from both sides of the plate. From the left side, Moore has high hands with a wide base, using a lengthy stride straight toward the pitcher. It’s a very direct path with notable bat speed that enabled him to hit the ball hard, reaching 96.7 mph off the bat. In the right-handed box it’s more controlled movement, working into a strong loaded position with quality timing. Moore showcased his speed, as the Illinois native was one of just four players to run a sub-7.00 60-yard dash (6.92). Defensively, Moore showed quality actions with the feet, soft hands and quick lateral movement. His arm worked from multiple angles with accuracy, reaching 89 mph across the infielder.

+ INF Jack Zeller (Indian Trail, 2025) showed why he was a top performer for Team Wisconsin at last summer’s Prep Baseball Future Games. Zeller showcased his skills with the bat during the hitting portion of the event with an upright set up, loose hands and impressive feel to put the barrel on the ball. His ultra-simple left-handed swing consistently drove the ball from gap-to-gap and he registered an average exit velocity of 86.2 mph. Another big takeaway was the improvements he made on the infield. Moving with smooth actions and a quick first step, Zeller looked the part of a lockdown defender at the next-level, pairing it with an arm that topped at 85 mph across. While his workout was impressive, Zeller really shines in live gameplay, something our staff has become quite familiar with over the past year or so, and he is certainly one of the top uncommitted prospects inside of the Badger State.

+ INF Brendan Scheel (Martin Luther, 2025) showed feel to hit with notable power on Sunday, using a simple set-up to generate excellent bat speed. His short path contributes to his feel to hit, while his strength and 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame provide the power, maxing at 97.4 mph in the exit velocity department. In the field, the junior showed feel around the bag to go with an accurate arm across the diamond. Scheel combined hit and power as well as anyone in Sunday’s event.

+ INF Ryne Dzierzynski (Grant Community, IL, 2025) is an athletic infielder who showed off his upside toolset over the weekend. Offensively, Dzierzynski begins with a controlled leg lift back, landing centered with a quiet hand trigger. It’s a flat bat path with barrel control, his quick hands creating the bat speed that allows him to consistently hit hard line drives around the field. The right-handed hitter reached 95.1 mph in the exit velocity column. After running a 7.11 60-yard dash, the Illinois native displayed his athleticism in the field. He’s aggressive through the ball with some bounce in his feet. The arm plays from multiple angles with carry and accuracy, reaching 89 mph across the diamond.

+ OF Matthew Gruber (Union Grove, 2025) showed speed and feel to hit in Sunday’s event, recording a 6.86 seconds 60-yard dash time (2nd best at the event) to go with his impressive round of batting practice. The left-handed hitter works from a wide base to a good hitting position, with controlled and quiet movements. It’s a compact swing with some loft and quick hands that allow him to drive the ball to all fields; and he recorded a max exit velocity of 93.4 mph. Defensively, the junior showed quality direction and intention through the ball, working up to 83 mph from the outfield. Gruber has a unique combination of strength and quickness that should propel him to an excellent 2024.

+ C Jackson Ferris (Muskego, 2025) put together an intriguing round of BP on Sunday. From a direct and short path, Ferris consistently drove the ball back up-the-middle of the field. His hardest hit of the day came off at 91.7 mph and he averaged 84.3 mph, too. He also possessed some interesting swing metrics, as he averaged a hand speed of 22.2 mph, and a rotational acceleration of 16.8 mph, as well.

+ C Ryan Lemm (Janesville Craig, 2025; Wisconsin-Milwaukee commit) was one of the biggest winners from last year's fall circuit, and on Sunday he, yet again, impressed. The backstop ran a 7.01 60 yard-dash showing solid athleticism and burst off the line with quick turnover once underway. At the plate, Lemm hits with a well sequenced swing from the ground up and has a flat bat path that gets into the zone quickly and gets through the ball with good extension and length. The junior shows impressive feel for the barrel with quality bat speed. Behind the plate, Lemm is a more than capable defender as he was able to register the second quickest pop time of the event at 1.98 seconds and plenty of arm strength to turn the ball around consistently. The UW-Milwaukee commit had a very nice day overall and is poised for a big spring.

+ INF Marek Wawrzyniakowski (Catholic Memorial, 2025) made another appearance on the 2024 showcase circuit, putting his strong athletic build and above-average hit tool on display. The junior works from a wide set-up, getting to a strong hitting position on-time. His bat speed, which stemmed from a flat path and efficient use of his body, allowed the ball to jump off his bat to both gaps at up to 90.8 mph. Wawrzyniakowski showed quick feet on defense, moving well laterally before showing off his soft hands. The arm worked up to 80 mph from multiple angles with accuracy, looking the part of a capable defender at the hot corner in the long run.

CLASS OF 2026

+ The current No. 1 prospect in the state’s 2026 class, and No. 84 nationally, 1B Dominic Santarelli (St. Joseph, 2026; Louisville commit) was a top performer on Sunday. First off, Santarelli showed up boasting a more filled out and stronger 6-foot, 209-pound frame. Working from a balanced setup, Santarelli swings a fluid and loose left-handed bat that is short to the ball with a slightly uphill path. Despite his low-effort swing, he still produced the day's top batted ball metrics as he averaged an exit velocity of 95.4 mph with his hardest ball coming off at 100.4 mph. He is also a quality defender at first base that showcased the ability to smother throws in the dirt while working with quality actions around the bag. It was yet another ultra-impressive look at Santarelli who continued to assert the notion of being one of the state’s top prospects, regardless of class.

+ 1B Zach Rizzo (St. Joseph, 2026) showed notable pop and a strong feel to hit at Sunday’s event. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound sophomore works out of a wide base, landing centered on-time consistently. His ability to hit the ball out front, along with his strong build and quick hands, enable Rizzo to drive the ball to all fields, hitting the ball as hard as 97 mph while averaging 93.6 mph. Defensively, Rizzo has soft hands with clean footwork around the bag, showing an aptitude for first base.

+ INF Charlie Fitzke (Milton, 2026) is an athletic infielder with feel to hit and sneaky pop inside of his 5-foot-7, 156-pound frame. Fitzke has a simple set-up and load, working on-time to the ball with a short path and long finish, an easy swing. Fitzke worked up to 93.3 mph off the bat, while averaging 87.5 mph throughout his round. Defensively, he has quality actions with bounce and aggressiveness with two hands through the ball. His arm works from 3/4 slot, up to 79 mph.

+ OF O’Neil Wright (Port Washington, 2026) was responsible for one of the louder rounds of the day. With strength throughout his 5-foot-9, 197-pound frame, Wright produced a max exit velocity of 99.4 mph and an average of 87.3 mph, both of which were amongst the day’s leaders. In the outfield, he possesses a quick transfer and an arm that topped at 85 mph on his throws home with carry through the target.

+ INF Aidan Kolb (Hartford Union, 2026) is an infielder who showed feel to hit, along with a strong, athletic build. At the plate, it’s an open set-up with a crouch, working to a controlled glide into a centered hitting position with quiet hands. Kolb generates bat speed from his short, direct path, also controlling the barrel to hit the ball consistently through the middle of the field at up to 90 mph. In the infield, there’s quickness and bounce to his feet, resulting in good lateral movement. His soft hands and aggressive actions have the makings of a quality defender on the dirt. Kolb reached 83 mph on his top throw across the diamond, with accuracy. Rounding out his game, the sophomore ran a 7.20 60-yard dash, one of the better times of the day.

+ OF Kaiden Romens (Hartford Union, 2026) is a left-handed hitting outfielder with quality feel to hit. The sophomore sets up with a wide base and relaxed hands, working into a simple load that enabled him to be on-time consistently. Romens has a short, flat bat path that generates some easy bat speed, leading to hard line drives to the middle of the field and pull-side. The 5-foot-7, 148-pound Romens topped out at 90.5 mph in exit velocity. In the outfield, Romens showed athleticism with a clean gather into a crow hop and quick release. The arm is quick, working up to 83 mph.

CLASS OF 2027

+ C Maddux Lessard (Muskego, 2027) is a strong backstop who showcased his top-notch talent at Sunday’s event. The 6-foot, 187-pound catcher recorded the best pop time and catcher velocity of the event at 1.95 seconds and 82 mph, respectively. His body is quick behind the plate and the arm is accurate, showing clear athleticism. The freshman also ran a 7.25 60-yard dash, one of the best among all catchers. With the bat, Lessard looks to do damage with his loud right-handed bat, taking intentful hacks to the ball with a quick bat. During his round, Lessard produced some of the day’s top batted ball metrics, as he averaged 93.4 mph and his hardest hit ball came off of 99.4 mph. Lessard, the current No. 1 prospect in the state’s freshman class and No. 51 nationally, is certainly an advanced prospect and is someone our staff is excited to continue to follow throughout the entirety of his prep career.

+ INF Tenzin Pavlik (Shorewood, 2027) is a 6-foot, 150-pound infielder with an intriguing hitting ability and some power. It’s a basic set-up with relaxed hands that show his comfort in the box. The ball jumped off Pavlik’s bat, the infielder showing a hitter-ish feel with a loose, clean bat path. Defensively, Pavlik has a quick first step and works with a two-hand gather into a clean transfer. The arm is accurate from a lower 3/4 slot. The freshman showed feel to hit, and should continue to develop power as he grows into his wiry frame.

PITCHERS/TWO-WAY PLAYERS

CLASS OF 2025

+ RHP Ethan Bauerschmidt (Tremper, 2025; Penn State commit), a Prep Baseball Future Games standout last summer, showed off some gains he has made over the offseason. Built at a lean 6-foot-2, 161-pounds, Bauerschmidt is a simple and athletic mover on the bump, pairing it with a quick arm that produced the day’s highest velocities. He sat in the 89-91 mph range and he reared back for a 91.7 mph max on a hard running fastball that averaged 15.5” of horizontal movement. His slider, which averaged 2,451 RPM, played with tight 10/4 break and was thrown with fastball intent. Rounding out his three-pitch mix was a changeup that was thrown with intent, featuring tilt/fade and he was able to consistently throw in the lower part of the zone. While his ‘pen was impressive in its own right, there is still a considerable amount of upside there, and it is safe to say that he is just scratching the surface of what his ceiling on the bump could ultimately be.

+ RHP/OF Jacob Haughton (Case, 2025) had a loud showing over the weekend. Currently ranked No. 29 in the state, the 6-foot-2, 209-pound right-hander displayed innate arm speed with a fastball up to 90.3 mph, sitting mostly in the upper-80s throughout his ‘pen. He spun his curveball over 2,400 rpm at times, playing with 11/5 action. His changeup was firm out of the hand at 80-83 mph, playing with horizontal action and landed in the zone for strikes. With the bat, Haughton has notable bat speed as a result of serious hand strength and hand quickness through the ball. He had the seventh highest exit velocity of the event at 96.5 mph and the fifth highest average exit velocity at 89.3 mph with a max distance of 324 feet. Meanwhile, his 6.70 60-yard dash was an event best, along with his max vertical jump height of 34.3” which proves Haughton to be one of the best athletes in attendance. Haughton's ceiling is as high as anyone’s in the state and our staff continues to be impressed with the uncommitted junior.

+ INF/RHP Nolan Litkowiec (Cudahy, 2025) impressed as a two-way talent at his first Prep Baseball event on Saturday. Litkowiec showcased his athleticism with a 7.14 60-yard dash and the third best vertical jump of the day at 31.1 inches. Litkowiec impressed with the bat as well, as he had a quiet and controlled approach and registered an average exit velocity of 88.1 mph, with his highest coming off his bat at 95.4 mph. On the mound, Litkowiec showed off a strong arm from a 3/4 slot while his fastball velocity topped out at 84.9 mph. He flashed a sharp slider with two-plane break at 74-75 mph and 76-78 mph fading change up. Overall, it was a very intriguing look at a player we have not seen in the showcase setting and has placed himself firmly on our radar heading into the WIAA spring season.

+ RHP Sam Hirthe (New Berlin Eisenhower, 2025) left with an arrow pointed up over the weekend. Listed at 6-foot, 166-pounds, the right-hander displayed a loose and athletic delivery that indicates there is more in the tank. His arm is also extremely loose throughout its path, working into a ¾ release. His fastball worked in the 87-88 mph range, topping out at 88.5 mph with easy life out of the hand and arm-side run. His curveball has wipeout potential, playing with 11/5 slurvy shape and depth, 75-76 mph. His changeup showed similar actions to his fastball with horizontal running action, playing at 78-80 mph. Overall, Hirthe is a high-upside arm to know that’s still uncommitted.

+ RHP Douglas Wagner (Germantown, 2025) came away as another winner on the mound from the event. At an athletic 6-foot, 171-pounds, Wagner showed some polish throughout his ‘pen. He had one of the harder fastballs on the day (T86.2 mph), while sitting in the 84-86 mph range, playing with carry through the zone (avg. 16.9” IVB). Wagner’s secondary offerings played well off of his fastball, with his slider showing 10/4 shape showing depth and feel for the glove side. Wagner rounded out his mix with a changeup that played at 77-79 mph with arm-side run and occasional sinking action.

+ LHP Joseph Suokko (Westosha Central, 2025) is an uncommitted arm to know from the event. Listed at 6-foot-4, 210-pounds, the southpaw has some deception in his delivery and arm angle, producing a fastball with heavy run/sink at 84-85 mph. His curveball spun at over 2,300 rpm at times, playing at 72-74 mph with sweeping action which he landed for some strikes. His final offering was a heavy fading changeup with over 16” of run at times at 77-78 mph with feel for the zone.

CLASS OF 2026

+ RHP/INF Cameron Carter (Arrowhead, 2026) has a lean 6-foot-3, 168-pound build with sloped shoulders and much more in the tank. On the mound, the right-hander impressed with a fastball up to 86.5 mph, sitting 84-86 mph with life out of the hand, playing mostly at the top of the zone. He flashed a sharp 11/5 curveball with depth at 74-76 mph, showing out-pitch potential. With the bat, Carter has an inside path and gets quality extension through the baseball while showing the ability to drive the ball to all fields. Throughout his round, Carter registered a max exit velocity of 93.6 mph and averaged 88.1 mph. Carter also showcased impressive actions during the outfield portion of the event and showed off his arm that topped at 88 mph with carry and accuracy through the target.

+ LHP Briar Thoe (Indian Trail, 2026) is a long-limbed 6-foot-5, 200-pound southpaw, and he gave an upside look over the weekend. Working with a slight coil into balance point, he moves with an up-tempo pace in his operation and extends down the mound with a long stride, using his lower-half well before delivering his arsenal from a loose, high ¾ release. His fastball played right around 79-80 mph with heavy running action, setting up a curveball at 70-71 mph with downer action, controlling it around the zone. His final offering was a changeup at 74-76 mph, playing similar to his fastball with arm-side life.

+ RHP Damian Kosempa (Marquette University, 2026) popped as a name to know from the weekend. Listed at 6-foot, 175-pounds, the right-hander cruised with his fastball in the 82-84 mph range, playing with carry and running action to his arm-side. He showed both a curveball and a slider, with the slider appearing to be his stronger offering with over 2,400 rpm at times, playing with sharp lateral break at 73-75 mph. He also displayed a changeup at 75-77 mph, running over 16” at times.

+ RHP Darren Law (Oak Park-River Forest, IL, 2026) gave a raw but upside look throughout his ‘pen. Listed at an uber-projectable 6-foot-4, 153-pounds, the right-hander had scattered accuracy with his fastball, but it comes out well at 83-86 mph, playing with over 24” of run at times. He has a knack to spin his breaking balls, with his curveball and slider both coming in with over 2,500 rpm at times, developing feel for both offerings.

+ RHP Tanner Effertz (Whitnall, 2026) is relatively new to pitching, and despite struggling to command the zone, came away as one of the more eye-opening arms on the day. The athletic right-hander worked his fastball up to 88.8 mph, sitting mostly 86-88 mph with over 2,400 rpm at times. His slider also spun at an above-average clip, averaging just over 2,500 rpm with lateral 10/4 action, 71-73 mph. His final offering was a changeup at 78-82 mph, killing spin effectively and playing with arm-side fade.

CLASS OF 2027

+ C/RHP Jack Spielmann (Milton, 2027) is a projectable two-way player with tremendous upside behind the plate and on the mound. At the plate, it’s a simple load and an efficient use of the lower half to hit line drives to all fields. His extension through the ball contributed to his strong 92.5 mph exit velocity. Behind the dish, Spielmann has a quick, clean transfer with good direction and balance to allow him to make accurate throws to second base. His 2.00 pop time and 7.21 60-yard dash were top-three numbers among catchers of all classes. On the pitching side, Spielmann reached 83 mph with the fastball, an offering that has some tilt through the zone. The curveball has depth at 67-70 mph, while his changeup showed run at 73-75. Spielmann was one of the top all-around 2027s at the South Milwaukee event, a big name to watch this year.

+ RHP/INF Ira Hilbelink (Cedar Grove-Belgium 2027) is a talented two-way player with projectability. On the pitching side, it’s a controlled tempo into a medium leg-lift with a tall-and-fall style delivery. He showed polish on the mound, filling the zone with three offerings - a mid-80s fastball, low-70s curveball and upper-70s changeup. His clean, loose arm action into a high-¾ release allowed the freshman to reach 86.4 mph on the fastball. His curveball showed sharp 11/5 action. At the plate, Hilbelink works from an athletic set-up with a short, consistent trigger into a downhill path that leads to hard-hit line drives. He creates some easy bat speed that contributes to his power, maxing at 94.4 mph off the bat. Hilbelink has quick feet and range in the infield, showing quality actions all-around.

+ RHP Finley Pearson (South Milwaukee, 2027) impressed with some of the best pure arm-strength on the day. The right-hander worked his fastball in the 82-84 mph range, playing heavy through the zone with straight four-seam action. To pair off the fastball he went to a curveball/changeup duo, with the changeup looking to be his better off-speed offering in this showing.

+ INF/RHP Cooper Schaefgen (Oconomowoc, 2027; Louisville commit) gave an impressive look over the weekend. Listed at 6-foot, 189-pounds with some strength throughout, the right-hander displayed a simple and repeatable operation that works in-line down the mound, utilizing his lower-half well before transitioning into a high 3/4 release. His fastball played in the 81-84 mph range, topping out at 84.6 mph with some life and carry through the zone. He also went to a short 11/5 curveball at 67-71 mph, showing some feel around the zone. His final offering was a changeup at 72-74 mph, playing clean out of the hand with some run to his arm-side, kept mostly to that side of the plate as well. Schaefgen continues to impress us with his work as a third base prospect, too. He hits with a short and compact bat path that stays in the zone for a long time which allowed him to be all over the barrel during batting practice. His 95.3 mph max exit velocity was amongst the day’s best and second best for the 2027 class participants. His 91.7 mph average exit velocity was also up there, too. The freshman’s actions and his 81 mph velocity across the infield with accuracy are plenty good to stick at third, as well.

+ INF/RHP Boden Brandner (Hartford Union, 2027) gave a strong look throughout his ‘pen over the weekend. He has a compact and repeatable delivery, working with some pace throughout his operation. Long arm action out of the glove, works into a high ¾ slot. He filled up the zone with his fastball, sitting 79-80 mph and topping out at 81 mph with straight four-seam action. He showed a knack to spin the breaking ball, averaging over 2,400 rpm with sharp 11/5 break, 71-72 mph. His final offering was a changeup at 75-76 mph, playing with similar action to the fastball. The freshman also showcased what he can do as a two-way talent. He hits with a balanced and consistent swing, hitting line drives to all fields. His quality actions play in the infield with soft hands and an accurate arm.

+ LHP Cal Schneider (New Berlin Eisenhower, 2027) gave one of the more polished looks on the day. He is a high ceiling southpaw, standing at 6-foot, 139-pounds. He has an up-tempo delivery that works with a tall/fall lower-half, staying in-line down the mound with some pace and a balanced finish. His arm is loose and easy, working long out of the glove into a 3/4 release. Schneider worked his fastball in the 75-77 mph range, playing clean out of the hand with life and arm-side action. He showed some feel for his slider, playing with sharp 10/4 break, thrown with arm-speed at 63-64 mph. His final offering was a changeup at 66-67 mph, playing with heavy fade to his arm-side and kept mostly beneath the zone.

+ LHP Mason Robertson (Martin Luther, 2027) is a projectable freshman with a ton of upside. The lefty controls his tempo, working in-line to home plate with a drop-and-drive stride into an athletic finish. It’s a long, loose arm that works into a high 3/4 release. The freshman sat 79-81 mph, hitting 81.5 mph with his fastball and setting up a curveball at 65-68 mph. He also went to a true cutter, playing with short lateral bite at 70-74 mph to give a different look. His final offering was a splitter with late downward action at times, playing below the zone at 70-72 mph.

+ INF/RHP Charlie Wronski (Marquette, 2027) is a talented two-way player with additional size and strength coming. At the plate, Wronski works from a wide base with a crouch. His short, quiet, on-time hand trigger worked into a direct path downhill with bat speed. The freshman showed the ability to back spin the ball with line drives to all fields, maxing out at 95.3 mph off the bat. On the bump, Wronski worked up to 81.4 mph on the fastball, a pitch with life and carry through the zone. His curveball was 62-67 mph with true 12/6 break - Wronski threw the pitch down in the zone consistently. The changeup is developing, a pitch at 71-75 mph with downward action. The 6-foot right-hander has a clean and repeatable delivery, relying on his strong lower half. He works on-line with home plate, using a medium arm swing into a high 3/4 slot.

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