From June 18 to 21, the PBR Wisconsin staff headed back to The Rock Complex in Franklin to host the second annual PBR @ The Rock 15U Championships. Nearly 40 teams made the trip to southeast Wisconsin to participate in the tournament where our team of scouts was on the scene. We’ve taken the time to compile and share notes amongst our staff to produce the Scout Blog below, featuring over 80 of this past weekend’s standouts.

In case you missed any of our earlier coverage on this event, click on one of the following links spotlighting the highlights from each of the three days: Quick Hits, Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3.

The work below contains scouting reports on prospects to familiarize yourself with as they enter their sophomore year of high school.

15U

BREW STATE BASEBALL ACADEMY

Noah Dreier, SS, Brookfield Central, 2023
Right-handed-hitting shortstop. Batted second in the lineup for Brew State Baseball Academy on Friday against MVP Elite. Dreier went 2-for-4 at the plate with a single and a double. He has a tall, narrow stance accompanied by a smooth load and a level swing. Dreier showed above-average actions at shortstop this weekend, ranging well side to side with slick hands that played well on the move. He and the aforementioned Grennier comfortably handled the up-the-middle defense this weekend and the two worked well in tandem.

Keli Grennier, SS/2B, Menomonee Falls, 2023
Listed at 5-foot-7, 145 pounds. Right-handed-hitting middle infielder that led off for Brew State and often served as their offensive spark. Swings a quick bat that stays short and level through the zone. Speed is his primary weapon on offense, posting 4.65 and 4.68 second home-to-first times against MASH Baseball on Saturday afternoon. Spending the tournament at second base, Grennier showed feel for the position and looks like he can provide value from the position long-term with above-average middle infield actions; range and soft hands.

Thomas Janisch, RHP, Wauwatosa West, 2023
A lanky 6-foot-2, 165 right-handed pitcher with projection. Janisch started for Brew State on Thursday and had a steady fastball/curveball mix working throughout leading to seven strikeouts in his four innings of work.

Grant Schultz, RHP, Menomonee Falls, 2023
6-foot-2, 155-pound right-handed pitcher. Lanky, long-levered frame with projection to come. Got the nod for Brew State against MASH Baseball on Saturday afternoon. Long arm action, deceptive ¾ slot. Tall/fall type delivery, short stride downhill, stays in line with target, upright finish. Fastball sat 75-77 mph, T79 mph with natural arm-side actions. Slider showed sweeping actions sitting at 65-66 mph. Changeup was used sparingly, 65-66 mph. Tossed six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out four. 

Zac Wolfram, 1B, Menomonee Falls, 2023
Right-handed-hitting first baseman, listed at 6-foot, 210 pounds. Wolfram batted fifth in the lineup for Brew State Baseball Academy on Friday against MVP Elite. He went 3-for-4 with a double and a pair of singles. Has an open setup and uses his stride to bring him balanced, while his hands load back. Has an easy, uphill swing that generates power. By the conclusion of the tourney, Wolfram went a combined 7-for-11 with two doubles, and three RBIs.

CANGELOSI SPARKS NORTH

Troy Stukenberg, MIF, Lyons Township, 2023
5-foot-8, 150-pound middle infielder, solid build. High motor player, plays the game with bounce and a sense of confidence. Defensively moves well on the infield, showed all the actions and abilities to make the necessary plays, vocal leader on the infield, controls the defense.Right-handed hitter with short repeatable stroke, competitive in the box and goes hard down the line.

CBT WOLFPACK

Thomas Burns, RHP, Hortonville, 2023
6-foot-1, 165 pounds; tall/lanky right-handed pitcher with long levers. Delivers the ball to home with a little funk, and the steep angle out of the hand generated a little tilt, at 78-82 mph, touching a couple 83s early in his start Friday; he also launched a homer in the team’s second game of the tournament.

Jonah Conradt, RHP, Hortonville, 2023
5-foot-11, 145 pounds; long, lanky levers that project. Quick, loose arm from a high ¾ slot that generates carry through the strike zone; fastball sat 81-83 mph in his short look on Saturday, some arm-side action. Mixed in a sweeping breaking ball in the 66-68 mph range. He struck out six batters in three total innings of work throughout the weekend. One of several underclass prospects to follow belonging to Hortonville.

Maxwell Kalk, C, Kimberly, 2023
Becoming a premium prospect in the state’s 2023 class; 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, premium athleticism in physical/wiry strong frame. Left-handed-hitting catcher with a loose, athletic swings, fast hands, works off an uphill path. Led off all weekend for CBT with a quiet confidence in the batter’s box and an excellent feel for the strike zone; selects pitches to jump on. His athleticism is on full display in the crouch; he caught three total baserunners attempting to steal second base through the tourney, with in-game pop times ranging from 2.10 to 2.25, advanced for his age. Soft, delicate hands that receive the baseball well in and around the zone, flexible lower half that helps him block balls in the dirt with agility. A high-follow in Wisconsin’s incoming sophomore class.

Logan Kraus, SS, Fond du Lac, 2023
5-foot-8, 150 pounds; athleticism in lean/slight frame. Made a strong impression this weekend for his handiwork at shortstop. Smooth, reliable actions and made some athletic, highlight reel plays to his forehand; throws carry, with accuracy – topped 80 mph across the infield at a preseason event in March. Right-handed hitter, line-drive approach, repeats well on an inclined plane; still developing offensively, but there’s upside in the bat, too.

Devin Mrozek, RHP, Stevens Point Area, 2023
5-foot-11, 180-pound right-handed pitcher; stout build with strength in lower half. Mrozek clearly has some innate arm strength and a quick arm, high ¾ window, and he’s just beginning to harness it right now. Sat in between 78-82 mph, up to 83, with an inconsistent curveball that got sharper as he settled in.

Nathan Vela, RHP, Hortonville, 2023
5-foot-9, 158 pounds; long-limbed right-handed pitcher with some projection. Made two interesting relief appearances over the weekend, striking out three in 1.1 innings of work. Loose arm from a high ¾ slot, sat 75-76 mph, up to 78.

CHICAGO ELITE (KEMP)

Nathan Ruzich, INF, Lincoln-Way East, IL, 2023
6-foot, 150 pounds; made all at-bats count during their game against STiKS Academy Red on Saturday. In his first at-bat, Ruzich showed off his speed with an infield single and later stole second base. During his second at-bat, Ruzich singled down the third baseline before he recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to center field to wrap up the day.

CHICAGO ELITE (SPOOLSTRA)

Kevin Denty, 3B, Marian Catholic, IL, 2023
Denty boasts a strong athletic build in the left-handed box with a confident pole-to-pole approach. He's a strong-handed hitter with above-average feel for the barrel. Denty went 3-for-3 in his first game with a double and pair of singles that he sprayed to each part of the outfield, en route to an 8-3 win. Denty kept the hot bat going in his second game, smoking a double off the centerfield wall and beating out a handcuffed ground ball to the second baseman. Denty hit out of the leadoff spot and played both left and centerfield on the day and looks to profile as a two-hole type left fielder.

Sam Gurgone, LHP/OF, Marist, IL, 2023
6-foot, 155-pound two-way player. On the mound works with a high front side, arm plays out of an over the top slot, short arm action, comes out clean and deceptive. Fastball topped at 80 mph, sat 77-78 mph. Curveball played 1/7 shape, 65 mph. Gurgone also has a loose, athletic left-handed swing, keeps the barrel through the zone a long time and has fluid actions to his overall game.

D.J. Helwig, RHP, St. Laurence, IL, 2023
Helwig has a 6-foot-4, 165-pound, high-waisted, high-ceiling arm that looks to be just scratching the surface of his potential. The arm works long, clean and quick out front, showcasing the ability to pitch to the glove-side with his fastball early in the outing. Control became more scattered as the outing went on but his fastball sat anywhere 82-84 mph throughout, touching 85 and gets late arm-side-run and sink at times. Would be really interesting to see Helwigs’ perceived velocity numbers on the TrackMan B1 unit, given how far he gets down the mound at foot strike; as well as his high front side adding deception. When he was at his best he was out front, finishing his offerings and the fastball seemed to play up from the already impressive velocity. Helwig has a chance to be a power arm in Illinois down the road. 

Ryan Hussey, RHP, Providence Catholic, IL, 2023
Hussey solidified his status as one of the top 2023 arms we have seen to date in Illinois. Hussey boasts a 6-foot, 165-pound, wide-shouldered, durable frame with athleticism throughout. He comes from a stretch-only delivery, stays closed down the mound, repeats and pitches with rhythm and ultra-easy effort. Hussey’s arm works clean and quick from a high ¾ slot. Fastball comes out of the hand clean and easy, angle at times, high-volume of strikes with late finish through the zone; sat mostly 82-83 mph throughout, touching 84 a handful of times. Hussey also showed off an above-average breaking ball, working out of the same window as his fastball, with short, late action at 71-73 mph. Easy to imagine the curveball turning into a hard slider down the road, which will only elevate the offering. Hussey was able to land it for strikes early in the count and expand with two strikes. Also, a right-handed hitter, Hussey hit the first home run of the weekend taking a pitch up in the zone and launching it deep over the left-field fence. High-follow uncommitted 2023 right-handed pitcher with current polish and high-ceiling potential.

Charalambos Nicoloudes, INF, Naperville Central, IL, 2023
Nicoloudes, is a 6-foot, 172-pound, wide-shouldered, physical, right-handed hitter with bat strength. Nicoloudes has natural lift in his swing and the ball jumps off the barrel when on time. He also has a short, strong arm attached to a build that looks like it’ll project best at third base.

Matt Sauser, RHP, Normal University, IL, 2023
Sauser has an upside, 5-foot-11, 150-pound frame, clean easy arm that works from a ¾ to high ¾ slot and filled up the strike zone in his outing. Sauser sat comfortably at 78-80 mph, touching 81 and mixed in a low-70’s sweeping breaking ball.

EDGE BASEBALL

Michael Comber, 1B, Verona Area, 2023
A hulking 6-foot-5, 205-pound, right/right first baseman; recorded a big day at the plate on Friday for Edge. Against Hounds Baseball, Comber tallied a pair of big hits. During his first at-bat, Comber took a two-strike fastball to left field for a two-run single. Later on, with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Comber singled up the middle to keep the inning alive. In Edge’s second game, Comber continued to add to his hit total by collecting another three hits. In his first at-bat of game two, Comber turned on a first-pitch fastball for a ground-rule double. During his second at-bat in a full count, Comber singled to center that actually scored three runners, emptying the bases. To end his day, Comber singled again to center to score another pair of baserunners for Edge.

Aiden Haack, SS/2B, Verona Area, 2023
5-foot-9, 145 pounds; thin/lean frame with some athleticism. Led off for Edge all weekend, tallied three hits and walked five times in total. Quick feet, an above-average runner, and not just for his age. Fast footwork helps him move well to up the middle of the infield.

Riley Peterson, LHP, Verona Area, 2023
5-foot-10, 145-pound left handed pitcher. Sunday night Peterson pitched four strong innings for Edge Baseball in their game against Illinois Steel. Peterson did not allow a hit in four innings, though did give up one earned run, while he struck out five, walked eight. Peterson fastball sat 70-72 mph, with a curveball and changeup to help complement this fastball.

FASTBALL ELITE

Jordan Green, OF/LHP, South Elgin, IL, 2023
Strong 5-foot-7, 180-pound frame with proportional strength. Right-handed hitting outfielder that throws left-handed. Started both in the outfield and on the bump for Fastball Elite this weekend. Stands tall in the box, smooth load, steady leg kick trigger, hits off back side. Takes aggressive swings at the plate with a slightly uphill path, creates extension through contact, ball jumps when he finds the barrel. Boasts legit juice in his bat that gives him an exciting power ceiling. Uses his athleticism in the field to cover plenty of ground, capable of sticking in center field moving forward. Impressed on the mound this weekend. Short arm action from a high ¾ slot. Works exclusively from the stretch, creates deception with his drop and drive delivery, clean mechanics, constantly repeats. Fastball sat 75-77 mph with natural arm-side run and was thrown for strikes middle-away. Curveball worked at 61-64 mph, 1/7 shape, primarily used to put hitters away. A legit prospect to follow in Illinois’ 2023 class. 

Jared Rodriguez, RHP, York, IL, 2023
5-foot-7, 165-pound right-handed pitcher. Athletic frame with a strong lower half. Came in relief for Fastball Elite against Wisconsin Phenom on Sunday afternoon. Short arm action, high ¾ slot. Deceptive drop and drive delivery, strong front side, stays direct to target, recoil finish at times. Worked in rhythm throughout his outing and consistently repeats his delivery. Fastball sat 79-80 mph, T81 mph with spin rates in the 1500-1600 range, consistently working around the zone. Breaking ball flashed above-average actions, 11/5 shape, late break, sat 64-66 mph. 

Jameson Martin, SS, St. Laurence, IL, 2024
5-foot-7, 145-pound right-handed hitting middle infielder. Athletic frame. Bats near the top of a talented Fastball Elite lineup. Quiet in the box, tall setup, smooth load, fluid leg lift trigger, twitchy lower half. Short and level bat path, line drive approach, consistently finds the barrel, sneaky power production. Smooth actions in the field, quick feet, rangy defender up the middle, steady hands, strong arm from a high ¾ slot. Adequately competed all weekend against older competition; becoming one of the top incoming freshman in Illinois. 

GO PRO (SHELLEY)

Logan Barnett, RHP/C, Pontiac, 2023
One of the strongest arms of the tournament belonged to Barnett, a physical specimen listed at 6-foot-4, 210-pounds. Arm strength comes from a high ¾ slot to over-the-top slot. His fastball sat 82-84 mph for much of his outing on Friday with heavy, late boring action. The curveball varies in shape and action and sat 70-72 mph. Given his frame and arm speed, Barnett warrants a high-follow status moving forward.

HOUNDS BASEBALL

Sean Ryniec, C/RHP, Downers Grove North, IL, 2023
5-foot-11, 160 pound two-way player. Ryniec batted second in the lineup for his team on Friday in both of their games. Ryniec finished the day 4 for 6 with 4 singles. He has an open set-up with a toe-tap stride that brings him even and an uphill path to the baseball. Also pitched over the weekend, sat 77-79 mph with a firm fastball and showed an 11/5 breaking ball, 66 mph.

Ethan Thulin, SS, Downers Grove North, IL, 2023
5-foot-9, 160-pound right-handed shortstop. Helping his team to two victories on Friday, Thulin went 6-for-8 in the leadoff spot. He concluded the day with five singles, a double, and four RBIs. Thulin has a line-drive approach at the plate with a level and quick swing. Defensively, he is very agile and has soft hands and a loose arm, fit for the middle of the infield.

Anthony Titone, 3B, Downers Grove South, IL, 2023
5-foot-9, 170 pound right-handed third baseman; lean/athletic build. Right-handed hitter, fast bat, generates above-average power in his swing, especially for his age. Titone put one over the left field fence in his team’s match up against Fastball Elite on Friday morning.

ILLINOIS LIGHTNING (HART)

Michael Farina, INF, Stevenson, IL, 2023
5-foot-10, 135 pounds; was very productive out of the two-hole for the Lightning, which went 3-1 over the weekend. Recorded six hits, three of which were doubles. Right-handed hitter, line-drive approach with a pull-side preference. Flat-planed swings with average bat speed, but a feel for the barrel. Solid, fundamental actions on defense, room for improvement and growth; fits a second base profile.

Ryan Geraghty, 3B/RHP, Mundelein, IL, 2023
6-foot, 162-pound two-way prospect; physical, strong frame with athleticism. Put together a productive weekend on both sides of the baseball for Illinois Lightning. Started on the mound Friday afternoon. Long and loose arm action, high ¾ slot. Clear athleticism on the mound, repeatable drop and drive delivery, worked across body at times, throws with effort. Fastball sat 78-81 mph, touching 83, with life into the zone. Curveball played at 58-61 mph, 11/5 shape, occasional late break, flashed swing-and-miss potential at times. Threw three innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out six. Right-handed hitter, simple hacks with athletic, loose hands that produce bat speed with barrel feel; above-average bat strength.

Austin Gomez, OF, Libertyville, IL, 2023
5-foot-9, 153-pound left/left athlete. Led off for Illinois Lightning all weekend and tallied four hits and walked four times, helping jumpstart the rest of the lineup. Loose left-handed bat with an all-fields spray approach with a feel for contact that allows him to redirect baseballs on plane into the shallow outfield. Quick feet, above-average runner.

Bennett Musser, INF, Mundelein, IL, 2023
5-foot-11, 150 pounds; some physicality in lean frame. Right-handed hitter who generates bat speed with athletic, twitchy hands, producing above-average bat strength for his size. Intentful, aggressive swings – went 4-for-4 against Cangelosi Sparks North on Friday and 2-for-3 against P2P Millers on Sunday.

ILLINOIS PREMIER

A.J. Burnett, RHP, Romeoville, IL, 2023
Athletic 5-foot-10, 150-pound right-handed pitcher. Started on the mound Thursday night for Illinois Premier. Compact arm action, high ¾ slot. Simple tall/fall type delivery, level shoulders, closed-toe landing, some rhythm throughout. Polished arm for age that flashed feel for three pitches. Fastball sat 74-76 mph, flashed arm-side actions, consistently thrown to both sides of the plate for strikes. Curveball played at 65-66 mph, tight 11/5 shape, late break at times, feel to spin. Changeup was thrown with fastball arm speed and confidence, sat 68-69 mph with natural downward tumble. An intriguing pitchability right-hander to know moving forward.

Joseph Pender, C, Lemont, IL, 2023
6-foot-1, 170-pound, right-handed hitter who creates easy bat speed and the ball jumps off the barrel. Pender lined a single back up the middle in his first at-bat on Friday, and followed up with a triple to deep center field that looked like it may clear the fence when it left the bat. Kept it going on Saturday by going 2-for-2 with three RBIs in their game against NorthStar Neon. Pender helped get the scoring early for his team when he batted in the second run with a RBI single to center. With the bases loaded in the second inning, Pender roped a double to left field to score another two runners.

Nolan Zurawski, C/3B, Minooka, IL, 2023
Stood out defensively as a catcher on Thursday, and again as a third baseman on Friday, and he showed well with his right-handed bat through the weekend. The right-handed hitter took numerous competitive at-bats, tracked pitches deep into the zone; stays on balance, creates bat speed and is consistently on the barrel. Zurawski flew out to deep center field in his first at-bat Friday and then lined a sharp single through the left side later in the game. High-follow 2023 prospect.

ILLINOIS STEEL

Braylon Smith, C, Morton Community, IL, 2023
5-foot-10, 185 pounds; durable build, moves well behind the plate. Hard-nosed player, competitive, sound and confident blocks. Popped 2.30 in between innings. At the plate, left-handed hitter, has a line-drive approach. Stays within himself. Has a presence on the field, especially behind the plate. Quick out of the box, runs hard down the line.

ISA STARS ROYAL

Cole Bensen, RHP, Bay Port, 2023
5-foot-11, 160 pounds; athletic build with some proportional strength. He was greatly effective in his outing Friday, and came out sitting in the 80-82 mph range early in the start while spinning a sweeping breaking ball that earned some chases; 10/4 shape with above-average feel to spin, 65-66 mph. Repeats a loose, quick arm that produced a fastball that carried through the zone. A follow in the state’s ‘23 class.

Garrett Hietpas, 3B/SS, Appleton North, 2023
5-foot-10, 160 pounds; all-around athlete with lean frame. Right-handed hitter, swings a loose, aggressive bat with fast bat speed. Looks like a long-term fit on the left side of the diamond; above-average actions, steady and reliable hands with fluid funnels through exchange and release. Short, loose throws with some carry across the infield. A follow name in the incoming sophomore class.

John Kinziger, SS/RHP, De Pere, 2023
Kinziger was among the revelations of the weekend, especially within this Wisconsin 2023 class. A multi-sport standout, especially on the basketball court, Kinziger is a natural on the diamond, too. He’s a raw but projectable shortstop with an innate feel for the speed of the game and the position on defense; he ranges well with smooth actions. He hit in the two-hole for ISA, swinging a loose, athletic, whippy right-handed bat; some twitch in his hands. He launched a deep double to left field in the team’s first game of the weekend against Phenom Wisconsin. He also took the mound on Saturday night in relief where he looked sharp; really quick, athletic arm action from an over-the-top slot. He came out sitting 80-81 mph, settling into the 77-78 range later on, mixing in a tight breaking ball with 12/6 shape. Kinziger is a wiry athlete to watch as he progresses and hones his feel for the game.

Boone Kirst, 3B/C, Ashwaubenon, 2023
6-foot-3, 190 pounds; high-waisted, lanky frame with high upside. Right-handed hitter, uses long levers to create whippy, loose bat speed. May outgrow catcher, but moves well for his size back there right now; short arm action with average arm strength. Still growing into and harnessing his spindly frame, but possesses some serious ceiling as he continues to develop and mature.

Eli Zollar, RHP, Ashwaubenon, 2023
6-foot-3, 225 pounds; imposing presence on the mound, physical look. While Zollar is equipped with some inherent arm strength, he doesn’t need to overpower batters. In his Saturday night start against Windy City, Zollar sat 80-83 mph for most of the outing with heavy running fastballs, and dodged barrels all game by mixing in a slurve-y breaking ball with sharp/late action. Zollar also flashed a third pitch, a changeup, thrown at arm speed with some fade, offering an advanced three-pitch arsenal for his age. Zollar utilizes a long arm circle arm action from a high ¾ slot with quickness out front. His physicality and feel arsenal have him as a high-follow prospect in the state’s ‘23 class.

KENOSHA BRAVES

Brady Davidson, SS/3B, St. Joseph, 2023
5-foot-8, 165-pound frame with a strong lower half. Left-handed hitting infielder that hit out of the three-hole for Kenosha Braves. Balanced setup at the plate, fluid pre-pitch rhythm, smooth load, slight leg lift trigger. Loose at the plate, quick hands, raw bat strength, uphill path with a pull-side approach. Showed a knack for finding the barrel, found the barrel in nearly every at-bat. One of the top overall offensive performers of the weekend, going 9-for-13 with 11 RBIs. 

Tanner White, RHP, Tremper, 2023
5-foot-10, 165-pound right-handed pitcher. Athletic frame with a high-waisted lower half. Started on the mound for Kenosha Braves on Thursday afternoon. Loose arm action, high ¾ slot. Fluid tall/fall type delivery, open front side, closed-toe landing, works in rhythm. Fastball sat 75-76 mph, flashing arm-side actions at times. Curveball played between 58-62 mph, 11/5 shape, thrown with decelerated arm action. Knuckleball was used sparingly, 67-69 mph. Effectively mixed his fastball/curveball combination to keep hitters off balance throughout his outing. 

MINNESOTA MASH (HENKEMEYER)

Jack Thompson, LHP, Rosemount, MN, 2023
Thompson was in complete control in his start on Friday. Smooth delivery and repeatable mechanics, Thompson worked his fastball from 75-78 mph while also mixing in an effective changeup, in the 70 mph range. Thompson registered a complete game shutout in the victory: 5 IP, 2 H, 7 K.

Carter Theisen, RHP/1B, Rosemount, MN, 2023
6-foot-5, 220 -pound first basemen showed Sunday afternoon that he is able to hit to all parts of the field against Rhino Baseball IL. In Theisen's first at-bat of the game with runners in scoring position, he took a fastball in a 1-1 count to right field for a RBI single. The bottom of the third, in another 1-1 count Theisen found the sweet spot of his bat for a line out to center field. During his final at-bat of the game, Theisen on a 3-1 count, he got the bottom of the sixth started with a double down the left field line.  

MINNESOTA MASH (KROGER)

Spencer Friese, 1B, Little Falls, MN, 2023
Strong, physical 6-foot, 175-pound frame with proportional strength throughout. Right-handed hitting first baseman. Balanced setup in the box with a slightly open front foot, smooth load, short stride, works in rhythm. Loose at the plate, quick hands, uphill path, consistently elevates the baseball, advanced bat strength for age. Went 1-for-3 with a home run to left field against Slammers Coyote 15U on Sunday. 

Ezra Formaneck, RHP, Eastview, MN, 2023
5-foot-11, 152-pound athletic right-handed pitcher with room to add strength in his lower half. Came in relief against Brew State Baseball Academy on Saturday afternoon. Short and loose arm action, high ¾ slot. Simple drop and drive delivery, strong front side, works on line to target with an athletic finish. Fastball jumps out the hand at times, sitting 78-80 mph and topping out at 81 mph. Exclusively used it in this outing, showing above-average command for age to both sides of the plate. 

MIDWEST HALOS

Vidal Colon, SS/RHP, Grafton, 2023
Among the most productive players of the tournament; listed at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, lean/strong athlete. A position player first, Colon also started on Friday against ProPlayer Canes and turned in a solid outing. He sat 77-79 mph, touching 80, and holding it late into his outing. Colon continuously went to his slider and was comfortable throwing it as both an outpitch and early in counts. Offensively, Colon tallied eight hits in Halos’ four games (all singles) from a compact right-handed bat, creates bat speed, pull-side approach; natural feel to hit, timely barrels. Also a savvy defender; natural, quick actions with athleticism involved constantly. Might project best at third base long-term, but he’s an asset on the left side. An emerging ‘23 prospect to know in Wisconsin.

Jack Poellot, RHP, Living Word Lutheran, 2024
5-foot-6, 150 pounds; slight, athletic frame. Playing up a level this weekend, Poellot relieved Wachowiak from his start on Friday in a big spot and he came out hot, sitting 75-78 mph, touching 79; Poellot topped 75 a couple of weekends back at our 14U tournament, so he’s already up a few ticks. He’s an athlete with a quick, loose arm, worth following in this 2024 class. He K’d three in his 1.1 innings on Friday night.

A.J. Rieck, 1B, Catholic Memorial, 2023
Advanced strength into the right-handed batter’s box with his 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame. He showed that at the plate Saturday, crushing a fastball to deep center field in his first at-bat for a bases-clearing double and finding the barrel later on in the game for another double. Rieck’s power potential paired with his athleticism make him a sneaky follow in the state’s ‘23 class. He went 4-for-12 on the weekend with eight RBIs, two doubles, and a triple. 

Presley Wachowiak, RHP, Catholic Memorial, 2023
6-foot, 200-pound right-handed pitcher; durable, solid frame with proportional strength. Evolving into one of the top pitchers in the state’s 2023 class. Uptempo delivery, works on line to home, controls the pace of the game. Loose, quick arm, some effort involved; advanced arm strength. Started the Friday night game against MVP Elite; only got into some trouble later in the outing. Came out of the gates sitting 80-83 mph, up to 84 mph a couple of times; straight four-seam type with carry through the zone. He’s begun to separate himself from his peers with his feel for the curveball; a true 12/6 shape with hard, biting downer action that he can land for strikes or under the zone. Earned some ugly chases and knee-buckling strikes looking on Friday with it. A high-follow arm with the potential to debut in the top-10 of the state’s ‘23 class rankings when they’re initially released.

MVP ELITE (BROWN)

Matthew Bressler, SS, Stevenson, IL. 2023
5-foot-9, 150 pound right-handed shortstop. In the leadoff spot, Bressler went 2-for-3 with two singles on Friday against Brew State Baseball Academy. He has a balanced set up, small load, and an easy and short swing with an uphill path.

Brett Gaynor, RHP, Stevenson, IL, 2023
5-foot-11, 170-pound right-handed pitcher, wiry build. Uptempo delivery, whippy short arm action, high ¾ slot, lively arm for age. Fastball played 78-80 mph, ranged around 2000 RPM. Slider played at 66 mph, showed above average spin. 

NAPERVILLE RENEGADES

Aidan Kunimura, OF, Neuqua Valley, IL, 2023
Listed at 5-foot-7, 155 pounds; lean athlete. Kunimura was a competitive at-bat all weekend for the red-hot Renegades. Right-handed hitter with an advanced awareness of the strike zone, Kunimura set the table for his squad’s overwhelming 20-4 win over Rhino Wisconsin, going 2-for-2 with three runs scored, four RBIs, and a pair of walks.

Jake LaVine, C/RHP, Metea Valley, IL, 2023
Listed at 5-foot-9, 150-pounds; LaVine has a long, clean arm from a high ¾ window and sat 80-82 mph for much of his outing on Friday. He gets late arm-side-run, showed control in the zone and challenged hitters throughout. His out-pitch was a 66 mph curveball with 11/5 shape.

T.J. McMillen, 1B, St. Francis, IL, 2023
6-foot-2, 230 pounds; huge, physical frame. McMillen is earning some serious attention as a prospect in football for his work as a defensive end, but he’s got a future in baseball if he wants one. He’s a right-handed-hitting middle-of-the-order force with natural, inherent bat strength and barrel feel that allows him to swat fly balls with pop to all fields. He was one of the reasons this Renegades offense exploded in Franklin over the weekend.

Josh Wenz, SS, Neuqua Valley, IL, 2023
Listed at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds; long, athletic levers, projection. Left-handed hitter, slightly crouched setup, stays quiet and has a short, uphill path. Smooth, rangy actions at shortstop, plays exceptionally well on the move for age; fluid, strong throws with carry. A blossoming prospect to know within Illinois’ ‘23 class.

P2P MILLERS (BOXWELL)

Alex Altmann, OF, Rockford, MN, 2023
6-foot-3, 180 pounds; left/left prospect with premium present athleticism attached to all facets of his game, physical/lean build. The leadoff hitter for P2P Millers (Boxwell) all tournament, Altmann exits the event as one of the most intriguing prospects in attendance. Swings a loose, aggressive left-handed bat with fast bat speed and athletic hands. He’s quick out of the box and exceptional on the basepaths, eager to take the next base at any given opportunity. Spent all of his time on defense in center field and took some advanced routes and his advanced foot speed showed very well as he roamed both gaps.

Andrew Rakow, LHP, Crossroads-West Campus, MN, 2023
Compact, strong build; left/left prospect with some two-way upside. Showed best on the mound over the tournament in two appearances for P2P Millers (Boxwell). On Thursday, in two innings of work, he K’d four while sitting at an easy 77-79 mph on his fastball, touching 80 mph, with some deception. Loose, quick arm from a ¾ slot. Rakow relied heavily on his fastball in this brief outing and was plenty comfortable elevating it for strikeouts. He started on Sunday and allowed just a pair of hits against a quality ISA Stars Royal lineup and he stifled them, allowing just a solitary hit in five innings, striking out five, walking only one. Rakow touched one 81 mph early in the outing and held the velocity, 77-79 mph, throughout the start, mixing in an above-average 1/7 breaking ball.

PBA

Quade Moll, 3B, Antioch, IL, 2023
Listed at 5-foot-9, 145 pounds; hit leadoff for PBA, which won three of its four games this past weekend, scoring 29 runs along the way. Right-handed hitter, recorded six hits total, setting the table and the pace for his squad.

Noah Musolf, RHP, Franklin, 2023
5-foot-11, 150 pounds; lean frame with long levers. Right-handed pitcher with long, loose arm action from a high ¾ slot. Started for PBA in the team’s narrow 3-2 loss to Chicago Elite; did not allow an earned run in his five innings of work, and gave up just three hits and three walks, while striking out eight. 

PARK RIDGE JR. HAWKS

Joey Ward, SS, Maine South, IL, 2023
Compact frame. Right-handed hitting shortstop. Balanced setup, rhythmic pre-pitch movement, short stride to even. Swings a quick bat that stays short and level through the zone. Found the barrel in all three at-bats against PBA Wisconsin. Showed impressive defensive actions at shortstop with fluid feet, steady hands, and range up the middle. 

PHENOM WISCONSIN (LESNIK)

Ralph DeLeon, SS/2B, Grayslake Central, IL, 2023
5-foot-4, 125 pounds; versatile defender with the actions that helped him reliably cover shortstop and third base for Phenom Wisconsin over the weekend. Right-handed hitter, gets the most out of his slight stature; smooth, repeatable swings with some barrel feel. Sprays low-lying contact to all fields.

PROPLAYER CANES (PADJEN)

Sheppard Graf, 3B, Lake Forest, IL, 2023
Physical frame, 6-foot-3, 185-pounds, corner infield prospect with physical bat. Right-handed hitter with a presence in the box, confident approach. Double down the third-base line in game three, 5.19 on the turn. Defensively, shows a playable arm across the diamond. Actions play well at third base, reliable hands.

Cooper Jaworski, RHP/C, Hampshire, IL, 2023
5-foot-8, 150 pounds; lean with wiry strength in build. Started for ProPlayer in his team’s first game on Friday from the stretch-only; sat 74-77 mph in his four innings, and touched 80-81 early on, mixing in a sharp breaking ball he was throwing at will. Jaworski K’d four batters in three innings and walked only one. Spent some time behind the plate, too, and showed some athleticism with quick overall actions in hands and feet.

Austin Leonard, C, Hampshire, IL, 2023
Listed at 5-foot-10, 176 pounds; stout/strong build. Showed very well from behind the plate as a versatile receiver who softly blocked balls in the dirt and moved well from side to side, and way up, on errant pitches. He controlled the run game with an aggressive, but smart, ability to back-pick runners. Right-handed hitter with simple, repeatable swing that found several barrels through the weekend.

Joseph Pflug, SS, Westosha Central, 2023
Listed at 5-foot-10, 135 pounds; lean athlete. Led off for ProPlayer (Padjen) all weekend while operating as the team’s primary shortstop. Stood out for his defensive actions; ranges fluidly and easily on the move, especially to his forehand. Funnels efficiently with an athletic arm action. Right-handed hitter, bat control feel, swing stays inside the baseball with gap-to-gap approach. Tallied four hits, including a double, in the team’s four games at The Rock.

Preston Sanders, OF, Rockford Lutheran, IL, 2023
5-foot-11, 175 pounds; athletic, strong frame with projection. Fleet of foot with rangy actions in center field, present athleticism on routes. Balanced, fluid setup with some pre-pitch rhythm, feel to hit. Quick, short, and simple bat path that produced some sound line-drive contact; recorded five total hits (all singles) this tournament.

PTA CARDINAL

Nathan Cumberbatch, OF, Shorewood, 2023
Premium athlete, 6-foot, 145-pound lanky frame, high ceiling frame with long levers. Also a high level track and field athlete. Moves easy in the outfield and around the bases, light footed gliding runner, 4.44 down the line. Right-handed hitter, taller, easy setup in the box. Path is short with loose hands, tends to stay on top of the baseball, line drive swing.

Max Hennemann, SS, Oak Creek, 2023
Lean, athletic frame; stands out for his natural defensive actions at shortstop. Ranges smoothly from side to side and funnels efficiently and fluidly on the move. Arm strength is above-average; short, quick arm action that fits well on the left side of the infield. Left-handed hitter, loose hands, smooth swings with barrel feel. Showed an ability to spray line-drive contact to all fields. Another emerging shortstop follow in Wisconsin’s 2023 class coming out of the weekend.

William Hyland, 1B/3B, Oak Creek, 2023
5-foot-11, 174 pounds; physical, big frame. Batted cleanup for PTA Cardinal throughout the tournament, went a combined 6-for-8 with a couple of doubles and four RBIs. Right-handed hitter, tall setup, barrel feel with some natural bat strength. On Friday, tallied three hits against Go Pro, and muscled up a pair of extra base hits to right and right-center field.

RAIDER BASEBALL ACADEMY

Sam Deligio, RHP, Jacobs, IL, 2023
Athletic build with some strength in the lower half. Started on the mound against MASH-Henkemeyer for Raider Baseball Academy’s last game of the tournament. Showed athleticism on the mound, repeatable delivery, strong front side, works closed to target at times. Long and loose arm action, high ¾ slot. Has above-average arm speed for age. Fastball sat 77-79 mph, T80 mph with occasional arm-side action. Flashed an 11/5 curveball that played between 64-66 mph. Tossed 4.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts against a tough MASH-Henkemeyer lineup. An arm to monitor for the Golden Eagles moving forward. 

Owen Piazza, RHP, Sycamore, IL, 2023
Piazza has seen his velocity tick up slightly from the winter (73-75, T76 mph) to 76-78 mph in Friday’s outing. The loose arm right-hander mixed in a steady set of 65-67 mph breaking balls and ended up striking out nine in 4.2 innings pitched.

Ryan Quinlan, SS, Huntley, IL, 2023
The left-handed-hitting Quinlan led off for the Raiders and has a confident, relaxed look in the box from a slightly crouched setup with minimal pre-pitch movement. Quinlan understands the strike zone, stays short, direct to the ball and controls the barrel. Defensively, he flashed fluid actions and steady hands.

RHINO WI

Logan Frank, RHP/1B, Oshkosh North, 2023
6-foot-2, 210 pounds; physical build with strength throughout, especially in lower half. On the mound, drops and drives with some funk, creating a little deception. Works on line to home with level/closed shoulders, gains some extension while landing square to home with athletic finish. Loose arm works from a low ¾ slot, above-average arm strength. Started for Rhino Wisconsin on Friday, sitting in the 76-78 mph range, fastball features heavy arm-side action – has been up to 82 mph in the past, in a showcase setting. Raw feel to spin, changeup has shown best, tunneling well off the fastball with run/fade action.

RHINO BASEBALL

Brady Louck, LHP, Plainfield East, IL, 2023
5-foot-10, 155 pounds; wiry athlete. Louck dominated in his start against MVP Elite on Saturday. He struck out eight in four innings of work with a blistering fastball that sat 81-83 mph. Louck works out of a long ¾ slot that plays to a natural 2/8 shaped breaking ball with above-average lateral action and ability to consistently drop for strikes. Controls the pace of the game with low effort; his confident demeanor and pitchability on the mound lifted his stuff to another level.

Mikey Murphy, OF, Minooka, IL, 2023
Leadoff hitter, compact body type with strength. Plus runner, covers ground well in the centerfield and goes hard down the line. Barrel control hitter with line drive gap to gap approach. Finished the weekend 5-for-10 with a double, pair of walks and two runs scored. 

Tony Konopiots, SS/3B, Downers Grove North, IL, 2023
Athletic 6-foot, 165-pound infielder, strong athletic frame. Left side of the infield defender, athletic actions and soft hands, arm showed ability to play with carry across the diamond. Right-handed hitter, athletic setup in the box. Strong gap to gap approach, disciplined approach. 3-for-8 on the weekend, five runs, two RBI. 

Carter Olino, RHP, Lockport, IL, 2023
Olino started for Rhino Baseball (IL) on Saturday morning and put together an effective five innings of work, allowing just one run on three hits, three walks, striking out four, helping lead his team to the win. Olino was sitting in the mid- to upper-70s, touching 79 mph, with a straight four-seam type, mixing in a curveball, 69 mph, working off an 11/5 plane.

Tyler Stack, C, Oswego, IL, 2023
6-foot-1, 175-pound right-handed hitting catcher, long levered frame, highly projectable. Loose bat, above average bat speed, showed occasional pop and found the barrel consistently all weekend. Defensively, arm showed carry out of the crouch, long at times but played accurate. Went 9-for-12 on the weekend with two triples and a double and nine RBI. 

Wesley Carter, RHP, Central Catholic, IL, 2023
6-foot, 155 pounds; long limbs, high waist, projects well. While the results might not have been what Carter was looking for in his start on Sunday, he demonstrated his upside and swing-and-miss abilities by striking out eight batters in four innings, walking only one. He was sitting in the upper-70s, topping 80 mph, with arm-side action. Loose, repeatable arm action from a ¾ slot, works at an uptempo pace.

SLAMMERS COYOTE

Adam Behrens, RHP, Warren Township, IL, 2023
On Thursday, Behrens challenged hitters throughout with a lively fastball that topped at 81 mph and sat mostly 77-80 mph in the early going. Behrens struck out 10 in 5.1 innings pitched against Brew State.

Kristian Gavric, RHP, Libertyville, IL, 2023
6-foot-2, 185-pound athletic frame.  Athletic and quick arm, short path out of a high ¾ window. Fastball played straight, four seam type, sitting 78-80 mph, topped at 81 mph with finish, occasional ride through the zone.

Luca Morelli, 3B, Stevenson, IL, 2023
The strong bodied right-handed hitter came off the bench and barreled a single right back up the middle and then took a competitive second at-bat before hitting into a fielder's choice. Morelli is ready to hit when he steps in the box and looks to attack the fastball.

MN STARTERS

Maddox Foss, RHP, Chaska, MN, 2023
5-foot-9, 155 pounds; compact, strong build. Quick arm speed from from high ¾ slot, arm strength for size/build and age; fastball sat 76-79 mph, touching 80 multiple times throughout his start against CBT on Saturday. Struck out four in four innings, filling up the zone, working off the fastball with a 66-68 mph curveball with 10/4 shape that earned some chases out of the zone.

A.J. Trabert, OF, Rosemount, MN, 2023
5-foot-8, 160 pound right-handed hitter. Batting third in the lineup, Trabert went 2-for-3 with a double and a single on Friday against Rhino (IL), and then backed it up with a 3-for-3 game against P2P Millers. He has a balanced setup, toe-tap stride, and a level swing that creates solid contact on the baseball. In Trabert's first at-bat Friday, he roped a double to left field to start the bottom of the second and later went onto score. With the bases loaded for his second at bat, Trabert singled up the middle to score one run and later on crossed the plate himself. To end his night with two runners in scoring position, Trabert once again with another single to score both runs.

TRIBOH

Deavean Shearer, OF, St. Charles East, IL, 2023
Listed at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds; physical, strong build. Right-handed hitter who made some loud contact over the weekend. Sets up tall/open, long path on an incline through contact, above-average bat strength with clear power potential, as he homered to straight-away center field on Saturday, and later doubled down the third base line.

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