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Bryant & Stratton (WI) College: Gameday Takeaways

September 20, 2021
By: Diego Solares
Staff Writer, Associate Scout

On Sunday, September 19, the PBR Wisconsin staff traveled to Trenary Field in Menomonee Falls to check in on a scrimmage game for the Bryant & Stratton Bobcats, one of four JUCO baseball programs the Badger State has to offer.

Below are a few standout players from the day’s gameplay, all of which are still uncommitted.

ARMS, ARMS, ARMS

Several uncommitted arms stood out for the Bobcats throughout the day:

+ Getting the start for Bryant & Stratton was sophomore RHP Jorden Rauch (West Allis Central). Rauch struck out 61 batters in 41.1 innings last year for the Bobcats, and the arsenal he showed on Sunday certainly indicates that of a power pitcher. A 6-foot, 190-pound athlete with present strength in the lower half, Rauch worked a 1-2-3 first inning for the Bobcats. Rauch’s go-to pitch was a hard high-70s slider that he turned to quite often, throwing it in all counts and spotting it up consistently around the zone. Rauch turned to a lively fastball when he needed to - a pitch that worked from a short window that sat at 85-87 mph and reached an 88 mph high.

+ We became familiar with sophomore RHP Joe Ducharme (Verona) throughout his prep career, as he attended a handful of events while he was still in high school. Now Ducharme is back onto our radar and he looked the part during his brief outing yesterday afternoon. Ducharme’s an efficient mover downhill with a simple delivery, landing controlled through finish. His fastball sat at 82-84 mph from a clean, loose arm that works from a lower release angle and plays with slight vertical ride at times as it enters the zone. Ducharme’s bread-and-butter pitch, just like it was in high school, is a sharp high-60s curveball with depth that he can land for strikes and spot beneath the zone. Ducharme logged 45+ innings last year during his freshman campaign and he’ll certainly be a follow piece on this pitching staff, especially after another full off-season.

+ Less than four months ago, freshman RHP Isaac Cychosz was leading the Rosholt Hornets to the D4 state title game and falling just short of a championship. Now, Cycoshz finds himself as arguably the highest ceiling arm on this staff, showcasing tremendous upside on the mound during his inning of work. Cychosz’s arm traveled on a short path to release with present arm speed, producing a high-80s fastball that touched 90 mph twice. Though he’s still fully harnessing feel for the zone, the ease and talent Cychosz possesses separates him from his peers. He effectively changed speeds by flipping in a handful of mid-60s curveballs for strikes and flashed a changeup at arm speed, too. He’ll absolutely be someone to monitor throughout the spring season.

+ RHP Isaiah Piscitello (Wausau) was not a name we were familiar with prior to yesterday, but the lanky freshman right-hander introduced himself to our staff in emphatic fashion. He came out of the ‘pen with some serious fuel and effort, exclusively sitting at 88-90 mph from a live, whippy arm. Piscitello is still fully developing feel and consistency for his off-speed pitches, but he did flash a handful of 75-78 mph sliders with sweeping, swing-and-miss spin. Piscitello looks like a potential relief weapon that the Bobcats have at their disposal.

+ The fifth arm to toe the rubber for Bryant & Stratton yesterday was sophomore OF/RHP Danny Llanas (West Allis Central). Llanas was a key piece to the Bobcats’ all-around effort last spring, striking out 35 batters in 29 innings as a primary reliever. He also slashed .306/.381/.519 over 108 at-bats, homering four times and walking (13) nearly as many times as he struck out (17). Llanas consistently attacked both corners of the zone with his fastball for strikes, sitting 84-86 mph from a short, compact arm slot. He threw a handful of changeups at arm speed in the mid-70s, exclusively spotting them at the knees and below the zone.

+ Another familiar face that we saw yesterday is freshman RHP Andres Kleinsek (Verona), who we saw multiple times at showcases and in games throughout his high school career. Kleinsek turned in a quality inning sitting at 84-85 mph with his fastball, topping at 87 mph from a simple, low-effort operation downhill. His heater plays with natural arm-side run and sink, likely aiding him in keeping the ball on the ground. Kleinsek also threw a firm changeup at arm speed with similar sinking action that can be effective despite not having a significant velocity separation from his fastball.

+ Closing things out for the Bobcats was sophomore RHP Brody Cypert (Waukesha South). Ranked inside the state’s top-60 prospects as a prep, Cypert is a physically built athlete with clear upside on the mound. He essentially sat at 84-86 mph on the mound throughout his inning, but it’s relatively obvious that there’s untapped velocity left in his tank.

POSITION PLAYERS

+ Penciled in near the top of this lineup as arguably their most integral player is sophomore SS Tyson Ludwig (Troy, MO), who looked every bit the part of a high-follow uncommitted prospect. Ludwig enjoyed a successful freshman campaign last spring, slashing .309/.399/.407 with more walks than strikeouts and 33 stolen bases. It appears that Ludwig is already starting to hit for more power, screaming the second pitch he saw in the game on a line over the left field fence for a home run after hitting a no-doubt grand slam on Saturday in the Bobcats first game of the weekend. His quick-twitch fibers allow him to generate easy bat speed and whip his barrel through the zone for gap-to-gap power. Ludwig’s most impactful asset might actually be his glove, where he checks plenty of boxes as a shortstop at the next level. He has the athleticism, foot speed, and lateral quickness to cover plenty of ground to both his glove and back side. His silky smooth hands further enhance his defensive profile and he has the arm strength to accurately reach the bag, too. Ludwig should be on several Division I radars as the fall and spring campaigns roll on.

+ Sophomore C Ethan Toone (Brookfield East) is a proportionally strong, barrel-chested athlete that offers middle-of-the-order upside at the plate. Toone enjoyed a productive first year for Bryant & Stratton, slashing .331/.423/.417 in 139 at-bats as an everyday contributor. Hitting out of the three-hole on Sunday, Toone barreled up two baseballs the other way, including a single on an outer-half breaking ball for a base hit to right field in his first at-bat. He wields a potent right-handed stroke with both bat speed and bat strength, flashing that impact potential at the plate.

+ Sophomore INF Sean Walsh (Catholic Memorial) popped as a follow name, collecting a handful of hits to both fields. He boasts an athletic, well-proportioned frame that still stands room to fill out physically, which could ultimately enhance the offensive impact he has should that occur. Walsh made a handful of plays on the infield at third base where he showed a sure-handed glove, working out in front of the baseball with clean funnels to release. 

+ Hitting cleanup for Bryant & Stratton was sophomore CIF Robert Logan Martin (Porter; TX), a physical 6-foot-2, 225-pound athlete. He slashed .305/.377/.453 with two home runs and eight doubles in 95 at-bats for the Bobcats last spring. Martin offers clear power potential at the plate, thumping a loud line drive to left field off the barrel for his lone hit of the contest. It’s an aggressive right-handed stroke looking to do damage in the box, swinging with intent to elevate the baseball.

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