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Milwaukee Preseason ID: Quick Hits

March 23, 2022
By Wisconsin Staff

On March 19, PBR Wisconsin hosted its largest event on the state’s showcase calendar: the Milwaukee Preseason ID at the MOSH Performance Center in Franklin, Wis. Nearly 200 players from across the state met at the facility just south of Milwaukee to participate in the final Preseason ID event on our winter circuit. This was the second annual Milwaukee ID, and it’s becoming one of the most important events on our winter calendar, too.

Today, we’ll be highlighting the players who stood out here 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, and Vizual Edge. Each of the players listed below are uncommitted unless stated otherwise.

QUICK HITS

CLASS OF 2022

+ Peter Johnson (Blake School, 2022) is a large backstop standing 6-4, 195lbs and offering some high end metrics at the position. Opening the day at a 7.03 60 yard dash time with an XL frame, and popping a 2.06 down to second from the crouch with 77mph arm strength. From the left hand box, Johnson showed significant power with high contact quality and consistency. Johnson supplied some of the day's best ball speed (99mph), as well as one of the more interesting overall looks.


CLASS OF 2023

+ Saturday provided us our first look at RHP Jonah Conradt (P27 Academy, SC, 2023; Arkansas commit) since the former PBR Wisconsin Future Games participant moved to South Carolina. Conradt appears to have grown a bit since we saw him at LakePoint, now standing at 6-foot-2, 170-pounds with even more projection attached to his lanky limbs. He worked with ease and rhythm on the mound, creating forward momentum to his target from a controlled, athletic delivery. Conradt pumped his fastball in at 91-92 mph throughout his ‘pen with well above-average arm speed, averaging 2,330 RPM. Like we’d seen from him in the past, Conradt’s ability to spin his breaking balls has only improved. He ripped off a high-70s curveball at a 2,614 RPM average that he landed for strikes and complimented it with a low-80s slider at a 2,390 RPM average that was more conducive to generating whiffs. Conradt rounded out his arsenal with a mid-80s changeup thrown at arm speed that flashed sinking action from the stretch. It was an impressive showing by the nationally-ranked name and future Arkansas signee. 

+ Another noteworthy performance on Saturday came from RHP Presley Wachowiak (Brookfield East, 2023). The former PBR Future Games participant showed an uptick in stuff in this look, touching 91 mph with his fastball three times. Wachowiak landed his 73-74 mph curveball for strikes at an above-average rate and he threw his changeup around the zone as well at 75-76 mph from a lower arm slot, on average, than his fastball. At 6-foot-1, 195-pounds, Wachowiak remains one of the state’s top uncommitted juniors. 

+ Luke Agnew is a 6’3, 205lb RHP from (Marquette, 2023). Working from an up-tempo delivery with bounce in move, he runs the fastball up to with a large arm side run with solid spin. From there, he spins a 2300 RPM slider with potential, a low 70’s curveball, and a large action changeup that looks the part of a real swing and miss option going forward. 

+ In a recent move to catcher, 2023 prospect C/INF Vidal Colon (University School of Milwaukee) just elevated his profile to a whole new level. His bat has always outweighed his defensive capabilities on the infield, but our first look at him defensively behind the plate might change some minds on that. His body type fits the position well at a strong and compact 5-foot-10, 198-pounds and all of previous infield experience translates well also. He’s clearly an above average athlete and moved better than most backstops we’ve seen this winter. His arm strength also carried over at 80 mph out of the crouch resulting in event best pop times of 1.87-1.94. If this is a permanent switch for Colon there’s no doubt he’ll continue to improve with reps.

+ Parker Wyatt (Marquette, 2023) is another high-level athlete in the outfield. A 6.61 runner, Wyatt also showed off an 86 mph arm from the outfield with well above average actions. Wyatt also had a great day at the plate. Working out of stock setup with balance, and a physical presence. He drilled high line drives up to 96mph with a consistent, mature look that raised some eyebrows. 

+ RHP Noah Musolf (Franklin, 2023) used a productive off-season to raise the potency of his arsenal, showcasing an uptick in stuff across the board at this event. The twitchy 6-foot, 175-pound athlete has one of the more unique fastballs in the state’s junior class, generating hard rise and run action from a lower average release slot. Musolf pumped his fastball in at 87-88 mph, touching 89 mph on his hardest bullet. He averaged 20.1 inches of horizontal movement on it and paired it with 15 inches of vertical ride, per TrackMan. Musolf’s best secondary pitch in this look was his changeup, as it flashed late horizontal action from a similar release angle to his fastball. Still uncommitted, Musolf’s uptick in stuff alone has him poised for a productive spring with Franklin. 

+ RHP Austin Kutz (Hartford Union, 2023) was another name that represented Team Wisconsin at LakePoint this past August who impressed at Saturday’s event. Kutz is a unique player in his own right, as he currently stands at 6-foot-6, 200-pounds with long, lanky limbs that ooze upside. He’s pretty good under center as well, owning a formidable reputation as a signal caller for the Orioles that’s starting to get some Division I buzz on the gridiron. Kutz reached back for an 88 mph high on his fastball, sitting in the 84-88 mph range with above-average spin rates to pair (2,460 RPM average). Kutz averaged nearly 18 inches of horizontal action on his slider - a pitch that played in the low-70s and can be a true swing-and-miss offering should an uptick in velocity take place. Few possess the upside on the mound that he does, so we’re eager to see Kutz build off this momentum into the spring and summer. 

+ RHP Leo Berger (Rufus King, 2023) was a name that popped to our staff across multiple looks last summer and he impressed us yet again in his PBR event debut. Berger is a high-waisted 6-foot-2, 190-pound athlete with plenty of room to add strength to his frame, particularly in his long-limbed lower half. He gradually increased his fastball velocity as his ‘pen went on, starting at 83 mph and pumping his last two heaters in at 86.6 and 86.8 mph, respectively. Berger’s downhill operation is fairly controlled and low-effort, suggesting more velocity is left to come in the near future. He spun an above-average breaking ball with occasional sharp action off a 12/6 plane at 66-70 mph, averaging 2,234 RPM. Still uncommitted, Berger is certainly a follow name in Wisconsin’s junior class. 

+ Quinn Falish (De Pere, 2023) stands at 6’2, 205lbs as a strong two-way. After seeing him in action as a position player with pop and carry at the Madison ID, falish made the trip to the MOSH to showcase his pitching arsenal. Falish worked down the mound with some athleticism with power in his arm (89mph). The fastball has an impressive spin figure 2500, with 18i of vertical and a high hop score with 12i of horizontal. There was plenty of horizontal action on his breaking pitches with quality spin (2400+), and a usable changeup. 

+ Grant Schultz (Menomonee Falls, 2023) standing 6-2, 185lbs and offering an upside right hand look. Working off a mid to upper 80’s fastball, Schultz has two high spin breaking pitches. A high spin sweeper with (24i) of break, and a 2700 RPM slurve. Schultz rounds out the arsenal with a workable changeup. 

+ EJ Kuster (Greendale, 2023) 6-3, 205lb two way infielder has had a nice string of events throughout this cycle. Running a respectable 7.05 60 yard dash for a big body, and showing well in the box. More physical than in previous looks, and showing more strength throughout his actions on the field. Kuster repeated hard and low flights up to 98mph. Kuster has also shown well on the mound in previous showcases.

+ Camden Kuhnke 6-2, 205lbs two way infielder from Hortonville that offered well on both sides of the ball. After clocking a 6.93 60 yard dash, Kuhnke showed well in the box. He averaged near 88mph exits as he drilled balls around the field as far as 350ft. Then moved to his infield session and showed off a strong arm (90mph) across the diamond. From the mound, Kuhnke posted one of the day's best fastballs (90), a short wrinkle curveball, and a low spin changeup to round out the mix. 

+ RHP Michael Merline (Oak Creek, 2023) pitched in front of our staff for the first time in a showcase setting and displayed above-average arm strength throughout Saturday's pen. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior worked around the zone with an 86-88 mph fastball from a relatively low-effort operation.

+ At 6-foot-4, 200-pounds, RHP Elijah Niemiec (St. Thomas More, 2023) is a sturdy right-handed arm with a clean delivery that stays behind the baseball. He flashed a heavy two-seam fastball that sat 84-85 mph to go along with two high spin rate breaking balls. His curveball plays with above average depth at over 16 inches of vertical movement to go with the top average spin rate of the event at 2654. The slider has equally impressive spin, while working from a lower slot, it plays slightly firmer than the curveball at 70-72 mph, and some of the best lateral action getting over 20 inches of break. 

+ A pure athlete, 5-foot-10, 175-pound OF Owen Sullivan (Oak Creek, 2023; Western Illinois) jump started his day with a powerful 6.56 in the 60. He showed similar strength with his arm topping at 89 mph from the outfield, while bringing active feet to the position as well, and profiling as a center fielder at the next level. Sullivan had a great day in batting practice as well. Hitting almost exclusively fly balls with exits as high as 99mph. 

+ Ethan Daubner (Burlington, 2023) standing at 5-11, 193lbs, and offering an interesting criss cross profile with solid spin. The fastball works up to 88mph with large vertical (19i), and large horizontal (22i). He also offers a high spin slider at 2500 RPM with 20i of sweep. Daubner rounds out his mix with a high strike rate changeup. 

+ Owen Nowak (Union Grove, 2023) 6-0, 180lb L/L outfielder began his day with a 6.73 60 yard dash. Worth noting the left hand hitting outfielder who ran well this weekend, and had a solid round of batting practice. Working up to 94mph exits off the bat with some untapped ball speed. Nowak will take part in a tough Union Grove lineup this year. 

+  Keegan Bracke (Brookfield East, 2023) is a 6’2, 175 lbs two-way running a sub-7 (6.91) and throwing 86mph from the outfield. He also showed well at the plate during his hitting session. Bracke went for high contact quality, and marked well in sweet spot percentage (71%), with exits as high as 92mph off the bat. On the mound, he offers a low 80’s traditional three pitch mix, and a lively, loose arm action.

+ At 6-foot-7, 195-pounds, RHP Drew Kloster (Fort Atkinson, 2023) owns plenty of upside attached to his long, lanky limbs. Kloster pumped in a low-spin, sinking fastball at 82-84 mph while working in the lower half of the zone throughout his ‘pen. His best secondary pitch in this look was a firm 77-78 mph changeup that mimicked his fastball’s action, staying low in the zone with late arm-side action. Kloster also landed a 69-71 mph curveball for strikes, flashing direct downer action off a 12/6 plane. 

+ An athletic 6-foot, 158-pound uncommitted junior, RHP Arik Egerbrecht (Arrowhead, 2023) continues to spin both of his pitches at an above-average rate. Egerbrecht’s fastball played at 83-85 mph, while averaging 2,270 RPM, and he flipped in a low-70s curveball at a 2,400+ RPM average to pair off it as well. 

+ RHP Tyler Hewitt (New Berlin West, 2023) is an upside, uncommitted junior that flashed intrigue at Saturday’s event. Built at a projectable 6-foot-2, 192-pounds, Hewitt threw his fastball in the zone at a 71-percent clip, one of the event’s highest marks, in the low-80s, topping at 84 mph on his hardest bullet. He spun an above-average breaking ball with short, tight spin off an 11/5 plane that worked towards the glove-side corner of the plate and he threw a firm changeup with sink at 76-78 mph as well. 

+ RHP Samuel Wronski (Marquette, 2023) is 6-foot-2, 180-pounds with a repeatable delivery that showed above average zone feel off all four pitches. He’s got an 83-84 mph fastball that topped at 85 mph and two similar breaking balls (slider and curveball) that showed above average feel and action. His slider likely gets the nod as the out pitch, averaging 2554 rpm and locating it down and out of the zone at 70-72 mph. He rounds things out with a changeup that flashed hard sinking action at times from a lower slot. 

+ Steven Wood (Detroit CC, 2023) is a 6-3, 190lb outfielder from suburban Detroit. Wood put together one of the more impressive showings of the event. Opening the day with a 6.65 60 yard dash, working in the mid-80’s from the outfield to home, and producing solid contact around the field. Wood would level up quickly with some additional bat speed in the future. 

+ At 5-foot-10, 155-pounds, C Jake Olszewski (Germantown, 2023) is a compact and athletic backstop who plays with quick actions and a strong arm (79 mph), his overall athleticism is confirmed by his 6.97 run time, while also posting one of the best pops of the day at 1.97-2.17. Olszewski’s defensive prowess translated to the ‘pen portion of his workout, as he comfortably handled several quality arms throughout a long day while properly presenting the ball upon receiving. He’s vocal as well, possessing all the necessary qualities to be an everyday backstop at the next level. At the plate, Olszewski showed a controlled move with barrel control, and sprayed balls around the field.

+ INF Brady Davidson (St. Joseph, 2023) is a steady defender on the infield, likely profiling as a 2B/3B,  he showed the ability to athletically turn the double play, soft, reliant hands, and a carryable arm at times. Offensively, Davidson showed the same repeatable left-handed stroke we’ve seen from him in the past - one that’s consistently hit in-game and helped lead St. Joseph to the D3 state championship last summer. He worked line drives off the barrel throughout BP and efficiently stayed on-plane throughout. Davidson appears to have improved his athleticism throughout the off-season as well, dropping his 60-yard dash time nearly a full half-second since we saw him in the summer, running a 6.96 this past weekend. 

+ INF Nathan Vela (Hortonville, 2023) showed off a true arm that played up across the diamond at 85 mph. He worked through the ball well and showed enough athlete in him to stick in the middle of the diamond. From the box, Vela also showed high bat speed (79mph), and drove baseballs as high as 97mph off the bat. 

+ Devin Gudenschwager (Janesville Craig, 2023) standing at 5-11, 165lbs, and running a 6.81 60 yard dash as a L/R outfielder. At the plate, Gudenschwager was average in the outfield throwing 83mph to the plate, and produced a solid day at the plate. On the mound, he worked a four pitch mix with a 2400 RPM curveball to put away hitters. 

+  Brett Sommer (Hortonville, 2023) the 5-10, 165lbs infielder has consistently been a tried and true ballplayer. During his defensive session, he possesses quality actions, clean footwork. Sommer is an advanced defender with excellent instincts for setting up hops and ball security to help him project as a reliable defender. In the box, he works from a stock setup, and has repeatedly produced high contact quality, marking 80% on his round for the day. 

+ Ryan Weed (East Troy, 2023) standing at 6-4, 210lbs with plenty of strength. Running a 7.42, throwing 80mph across the diamond, and having a solid day in his batting practice round. Utilizing a 70mph barrel speed swing, with exits up to 92mph, traveling as far as 329ft. 

CLASS OF 2024

+ Brock Lulewicz (Muskego, 2024) is a rangy and easy defender. He’s got a naturally confident glove hand, with fluid footwork and low effort actions. He’s projectably built at 6-foot, 180-pounds and could profile in the long run at any infield position. From the left hand box, Lulewicz showed improved bat speed and intent from the most recent previous look. Moving his max ball speed up to 82mph. While lulewicz is currently a “drop the hands on it” kind of hitter, his progress suggests that more is on the way. Lulewicz is a rock solid infielder to know in the sophomore class. 

+ RHP Wyatt Rushing (Elkhorn, 2024) first popped to our staff at the Southern Wisconsin Open in October, earning his way onto the nationally-ranked list of names in the 2024 class. At 6-foot, 175-pounds, Rushing displayed similar arm strength to what we saw roughly six months ago, sitting at 87-90 mph with his fastball. Rushing’s changeup showed as his best offering on this day, as it flashed late horizontal action at 79-80 mph, thrown at arm speed. His breaking ball had more depth to it, though he’s still developing a feel to land it around the zone. He showed as arguably one of the top outfield defenders of the day as well, reaching a 90 mph max to home with true carry and paired it up with natural outfield actions that work through the baseball in stride. The arm strength he possesses for his age and he’s firmly one of the top uncommitted sophomores in the state. 

+ Arguably the most notable defensive standout of the day, SS/RHP Kyle Alivo (St. Thomas More, 2024) looks like a different human. At this event last year, he weighed in at 135-pounds standing 5-foot-8. He’s now 5-foot-11, 150-pounds and looks longer than that with the ability to carry significant additional strength. His infield actions look advanced, with quick glove work and a plus arm for his age at 91 mph across the infield. He looks natural and confident with the glove and showed the ability to every play necessary at SS. Later in his workout, Alivo hopped on the mound and displayed an uptick in what we had seen from him this summer. He ran his fastball up to 86 mph, pitching at 82-85 mph, and consistently ripped off several 2,500+ RPM sliders. In all, his two-way potential was certainly impressive and the St. Thomas More sophomore emerged a major winner from this event.

+ An athlete behind the plate, C Griffin Bowers (Homestead, 2024) moves well for the position, a 6.91 runner. Bowers showed quick athletic actions out of the chute with advanced arm strength at his age. With a shorter exchange and arm path, he’ll lower his pops even more than the 2.04-2.19 he posted. In the box, Bowers hit balls as 325ft with 90mph of exit speed, and looked the part of an explosive athlete with upside as he physically matures. 

+ Lincoln Ascher (Kettle Moraine, 2024) the 6-1, 205lb catcher has continued to trend upwards in looks throughout this cycle. From behind the dish, he popped as low as 2.00 down to second with above average defensive presence. Ascher also shows a mature presence in the box, driving balls in the air with ease, and working his exits as high as 95mph. Ascher looks the part of an up-and-coming backstop in the state’s sophomore class. 

+ Even based on arm only, OF Chase Baker (Mukwonago, 2024) will be one to keep an eye on. He's a lanky 6-foot-2, 165-pounds and showed a dynamic arm from the outfield that topped at 89 mph, it's a lively arm that looks like it will play on the mound as well. He showed athletic footwork and actions to go along with it in the outfield and a 7.11 runner. 

+ 2024 INF Andrew Halser (Marquette) was equally impressive on the infield, he’s got a highly playable arm at 85 mph across the diamond, but plays even better with a short quick efficient stroke that plays on target. Halser showed soft hands and easy actions including impressive body control. 

+ Nathan Schopf (Oak Creek, 2024) stands at 6-0, 185lbs, and looks like an up and coming catcher in the sophomore class. Running a 7.15 60 yard dash, and popped a 2.15 down to second from the crouch. In the box, Schopf produced one of the highest ball speed marks on the day (99mph), and flying distances as far as 360ft. Schopf also had the second highest hard hit% of the day (77%) while driving the baseball around the field. 

+ Josh Diorio (Whitnall, 2024) stands at a strong 6-0, 200lbs and runs a 7.33 60 yard dash. Diorio displayed his strength in the box, spraying hard contact with a higher degree of sweet spot contact (62%), and has the look of a bat that may age well. From the infield, he possesses some arm strength across the diamond. 

+ Another sophomore from Elkhorn to show well on the mound at this event was RHP Jacob Lueptow (2024). At 5-foot-10, 170-pounds, Lueptow threw his fastball in the low-80s, reaching an 84 mph high, and also owned one of the highest in-zone rates for his fastball on the day, throwing it for strikes at a 66-percent clip. Lueptow’s curveball played at 73-76 mph with tight spin off an 11/5 axis, averaging 2,200+ RPM, while his changeup flashed late tumble off a similar plane to his fastball at 76-77 mph. Lueptow’s arm strength translated to the outfield as well, reaching an 87 mph max to home during his defensive workout, and was 87mph off the bat. 

+ RHP Bryce Balistreri (Pius XI, 2024) stands at a strong, sturdy 5-foot-10, 180-pounds. Balistreri’s fastball touched 84 mph on Saturday, sitting at 82-83 mph with some vertical life as it entered the zone. Perhaps the biggest takeaway from his arsenal was his aptitude to spin his low-70s curveball at a 2,400+ RPM average with occasional sharp action to the glove-side corner of the plate. Balistreri also effectively limited vertical carry and spin on his changeup, pumping it in at 73-74 mph. 

+ RHP Tyler Conger (Waukesha South, 2024) has performed in-game for our staff multiple times, most recently at The Rock this past summer. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound sophomore displayed a quality three-pitch mix at Saturday’s event, throwing his entire arsenal around the zone and for strikes. Conger’s fastball played in the low-80s, an uptick from previous looks, and he paired it up with a sinking changeup (averaged 18.1 inches of horizontal movement) while landing his curveball for strikes, too.

+ Chase Baker (Mukwonago, 2024) is a 6-2, 176lb L/L outfield two-way that ran a 7.11 60 yard dash to begin his day. Baker possesses an interesting four pitch mix that works up to 84mph, and projects to pick up velocity as he goes along. Baker had a strong day in the field as well as at the plate. Tossing 89mph from the outfield during the defensive session, after working up to 95mph exits off the bat in the offensive session. He repeated high contact quality line drives throughout his round. 

+ LHP Joseph Herrick (Franklin, 2024) is an easy repeatable southpaw with an athletic delivery that makes his fastball appear firmer than its 79-81 mph. He showed above average breaking balls for his age, his slider likely playing best and true to its characteristics, creating angle and sweep action 67-69 mph. 

CLASS OF 2025

+ 1B/OF Karim Patterson (Latin School of Chicago, 2025) is a thick bodied L/L athlete who showed comfortable actions and soft hands around the bag at first base with a well above average arm for his age and position. While he showed best at first base, he looked serviceable as a corner outfielder as well moving fluidly through the baseball with average arm strength. Patterson juiced his hardest-hit ball up at 90.4 mph in BP and flashed above-average hand and bat speed, per Blast Motion. 

+ C Turner Kuhnke (Hortonville, 2025) has a lean, upside 6-foot, 170-pound frame and displayed athletic actions behind the plate with a well above average arm for his age that flashed carry and produced 2.04-2.12 pops. Kuhnke also ran well on the day (7.51), and was up to 89mph off the bat. 

+ 2025 Ryan Buchta (Oak Creek) is an intriguing upside arm in the freshman class. He’s 6-foot-3, 166-pounds with an above average spinning curveball for his age, it flashed sharp action and averaged 2341 rpm, while showing an upper 70’s fastball with well above average control of the zone.

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