Wisconsin Class of 2022 Rankings: Newcomers

May 29, 2020
By Andy Sroka
Staff Writer, Associate Scout

This week, our staff unveiled our updated Wisconsin Class of 2022 Rankings, and we dissected the top-10 names, a group we’re pretty familiar with to this point, as well as the ‘Risers,’ prospect climbing up the rankings inside this update. Today, we’re breaking down the 30 names debuting in our expanded rankings after a busy winter circuit shined the light on what’s becoming an excellent – and deep – class.

NEWCOMERS

Below are the prospects making their first-ever appearance on their class’ 2022 rankings after standout performances along this winter showcase season.

Taylor Kilps LHP / Whitnall, WI / 2022

This 6-foot-1 lefty stole our attention in Madison last March with his live and loose arm that topped 86 mph, sitting 82-85, with hard run/sink. While still honing his feel to spin, Kilps’ lanky frame and arm strength have him ranked as the highest debutant on the state’s Class of 2022 board.

Carson Klaus RHP / Adams Friendship, WI / 2022

Klaus put on one of the best bullpens at the enormous Madison I.D. in mid-March, also up to 86 mph, only from the right side. The sophomore from Adams-Friendship is equipped with a live arm and a fastball that jumps and runs hard through the zone. His changeup features similar action, thrown at arm speed, and he has the early makings of tight/sharp spin feel for his curveball. Klaus is certainly a name to keep an eye on this summer.

Jenkin Alexander 3B / 2B / Sun Prairie, WI / 2022

The Sun Prairie infielder is the top position player debuting on the 2022 board. He’s a smooth, simple left-handed hitter who creates bat speed with barrel feel. On defense, he moves with natural actions and soft hands; and he’s a strong runner at 6.88 in the 60.

Nathan Elias OF / INF / Verona Area, WI / 2022

The Verona Area multi-positional prospect is debuting inside the top-30 of this update for his versatility and smooth actions and toolset that show well all over the diamond. Back at our Madison showcase, Elias looked especially sharp in the outfield, and he swings a short and simple right-handed bat with a timely barrel.

Tyler Deleskiewicz RHP / Badger, WI / 2022

We saw Badger’s big right-hander twice this winter and both times he impressed with his physicality and stature, standing in at 6-foot-5, 190 pounds. His long levers and funky delivery make for an awkward at-bat, and he has inherent arm strength that helped him touch an 87 mph this winter, primarily sitting 84-86 mph otherwise. Still harnessing his lanky limbs to land a consistent release, Deleskiewicz has a skillset and size that’s simply hard to come by.

Anthony Lausten SS / 2B / Hartford, WI / 2022

Lausten is a wiry-framed middle infielder with advanced actions on defense, including soft hands that stay soft on the move with an athletic arm that carries through to first. He swings a simple left-handed bat that projects well, especially as he further matures and adds muscle to his thin, long levers.

Addison Ostrenga OF / Sun Prairie, WI / 2022

Another Sun Prairie prospect to keep an eye on this summer and beyond, making his debut in this update, is Ostrenga. A towering 6-foot-4 athlete who moves exceptionally well for his size and age, packed with a short, loose arm action that topped 89 mph to home in March. Ostrenga also swings a simple, loud right-handed bat off a short path that helps him land consistent barrels in rhythm.

Cristiano Ramirez RHP / INF / Muskego , WI / 2022

Ramirez is a two-way prospect from Muskego who looks particularly interesting from the rubber. A loose, quick, and clean arm from a high slot that sits in the low-80s right now. He can spin a tight breaking ball and mixes in a deceptive changeup, too. From the right-handed batter’s box, he swings a short, loose bat that generates some whip, and he’s an action-y defender that projects best at third base.

Jaxson Easterlin RHP / Franklin, WI / 2022

Franklin has a youthful core to follow for the next few springs and Easterlin is entrenched among them. He sat 81-83 mph at the start of March with low effort and clean mechanics, and his 6-foot-4, 180-pound frame suggests that there’s plenty of projection left here. His changeup is his best offspeed at present, thrown confidently with arm-side action, and he’s shown an early feel to spin his slider off an 11/5 plane.

Carson Hansen OF / LHP / Pewaukee, WI / 2022

Hansen came to the Madison-area showcase looking a lot more physical – listed at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds – but he still moved around the outfield well and the added strength helped him make stronger contact from the left side and with more consistency. A southpaw, he was also up to 82 mph on the mound, sitting 77-80, flashing a sharp breaking ball.

Christian Oppor OF / Columbus, WI / 2022

Columbus’ Oppor is an athletic left/left prospect with all-around actions that help him move around the outfield with agility, while reaching an 89 mph high to home. He swings an easy left-handed bat in rhythm that projects well.

Caden Capomaccio RHP / Notre Dame Academy, WI / 2022

Capomaccio is a compact 6-foot right-hander with a mid-80s fastball featuring steady run and carry through the zone. He mixes in a firm changeup and tight slider and attacks the zone, pitching with a competitive demeanor.

Dylan Mass OF / Franklin, WI / 2022

Mass is one other rising Franklin follow in the state’s 2022 class. He swings a loose, flat bat that persistently barrels line-drives to all fields. Mass is thin right now, and he’ll create harder contact more often as he continues to develop, but he’s an athlete and good runner (7.00 in the 60) who glides in the outfield with above-average arm strength and accuracy.

MORE NEW FACES

RHP

+ Lanky, long-levered uncommitted prospects like Thomas Harper (Wauwatosa East), Easton Zempel (Middleton), and Benjamin Lee (Amherst) each carry similar, promising profiles. They all stand at 6-foot-4 or 6-foot-5, with low-80s stuff at present. Harper is a little firmer at 83-84 mph more consistently, with low effort and a fading change. Zempel has a downhill, heavy fastball in the 80-83 mph range with the feel to spin a tighter, if inconsistent, breaking ball. And Lee has some of the best upside of the bunch, with a more physical frame that gets big extension down the mound, though his offspeed feel is more raw.

+ A few more RHPs to know: Ryan Roehl and Joey Schneider, both from West Bend West, and Sam Dodd (Hortonville). Roehl’s a 6-foot athlete with a loose arm that was up to 83 mph with arm-side action. Schneider is an arm strength prospect, up to 85 mph back in February, standing in at an imposing 6-foot-3, 230 pounds. And Dodd is another physical type, at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, with loose, clean low-80s stuff and the makings of a go-to 12/6 curve.

LHP

+ Two more left-handers debuted within this update: Matthew Mueller (Brookfield Central) and Vincent Gohlke (New Berlin West). Mueller was up to 83 mph in March and he projects well for his 6-foot-4, 195-pound size. Gohlke has an early feel for three and was also up to 83 mph in March.

OF

+ Landon Behringer (North Fond du Lac), Joey Nerat (Campbellsport), Tristan Ott (Oconomowoc), Sam Meidnebauer (Waukesha West) are each follow outfielders making their rankings debuts in this update. Behringer has some serious upside in this class; a sub-7.00 runner with live actions in a thin, athletic frame. He swings a loose and athletic right-handed bat in rhythm and it looks like he’s only just tapping into his projection. Nerat's another outfielder with a high ceiling in the state. His fast left-handed bat is impactful with inherent strength and gap-to-gap abilities. Ott swings a fast, compact bat from the right side with excellent torso/hip rotation. And Meidenbauer is a towering 6-foot-2, 180-pound prospect who swings a simple bat from the right-handed box that helps him land hard-hit contact with relative ease, generating a power profile to grow into.

INF

+ Up the middle, there are two more follows to know debuting next to each other in the top-60: SS/2B Camdin Jansen (Racine Lutheran) and SS/2B Josh DeGroot (Union Grove). Jansen owns some big-time upside in the class because he has all of the necessary actions already inside a thin 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame. His smooth and timely right-handed bat routinely syncs up the barrel and he’s a confident and quick-footed defender who was also up to 88 mph across the infield. DeGroot peppers the diamond with line-drive contact that’s similarly simple and easy, like Jansen. He was also up to 88 mph across the diamond, defending with bounce and natural actions.

+ Take note of Medford’s Caleb Guden, too – a switch-hitting middle infielder with above-average actions on defense. He currently swings with a little more strength and looseness from the right side, but he projects well at both.

+ Ivan Jake (Tremper) established himself as a follow first baseman back in January, swinging a loose and loud left-handed bat that looks like it’ll naturally grow into some power as he develops. At 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, he’s a big target at first and he moves around the bag well and that should help him become an asset at the position on defense.

+ Alec Campbell (Milton) has been steadily progressing offensively; a quiet right-handed hitter who can square up consistent line-drive contact. As a catcher, Campbell’s quiet as a receiver with soft hands who moves well despite his 6-foot-2 size.

Click HERE for a look at the complete Wisconsin Class of 2022 Rankings.