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Madison Preseason I.D.: Quick Hits

March 17, 2021
By Wisconsin Staff

On March 14, the PBR Wisconsin team hosted the Madison Preseason I.D., at GRB Academy in Windsor, Wis. This was an open event for all high school classes (2021-24), and gave our staff an ample look at the area's top players as, perennially, the largest event on our winter circuit with over 170 players in attendance.

Today, in our first post-event piece from this event, we’ll publish our biggest takeaways and highlights from Sunday’s showcase within this Quick Hits story. Throughout the rest of this week, we’ll be taking diving deeper into all of the data we collected, too, with the help of our Blast Motion and TrackMan devices.

For now, check out our notes and findings from Sunday’s event at GRB. Each of the players below are uncommitted unless stated otherwise.

QUICK HITS

CLASS OF 2022

+ LHP/OF Christian Oppor (Columbus) started the day by showcasing his elite arm strength in the outfield where four of his five throws home were clocked at 95 mph. But his real impact was made on the mound where he took that same arm strength to top out at 92 mph. It's an extremely live arm that is just scratching the surface of its capabilities. There’s excellent athleticism in his actions that should develop into harnessing a well-above-average three-pitch arsenal.

+ 3B Davis Hamilton (Sun Prairie) is a steady defender that looks like his bat could profile as a third baseman moving forward. Hamilton is a sure-handed infielder with feel to turn the double play in rhythm. He swings a really easy bat that has excellent barrel awareness, a quintessential gap to gap approach while staying well balanced, all traits that will likely carry on to be a high level hitter at the next level.

+ RHP Caden Capomaccio (Notre Dame Academy) took a major leap forward since our last look at the 6-foot-1, 180-pound right-hander. Capomaccio was up to 91 mph with his fastball, sitting 89-90 mph with control of the zone. Most impressive was his sinking changeup that was thrown aggressively, with heavy action and the bottom just falls off. His slider showed some depth and control as another viable offering. Look for his name to rise up the rankings board before this pivotal summer junior-to-senior summer.

+ Easily the biggest winner of the day in the 2022 class was INF Colin Obermann (Kimberly). The 5-foot-11, 185-pound middle infielder impressed our scouts both offensively and defensively with strong hands and bat speed at the plate that repeats a barrel controlled swing that stays inside the baseball and peppered line-drives to the middle-opposite field. On the infield, he’s highly athletic with active feet and well-above-average actions on non-routine plays.On top of what our eyes saw, he backed it up with an impressive stat line, running a 6.62, with an 86 mph arm across the diamond and a 91.1 mph max exit velocity recorded in BP. 

+ INF Kolton Schaller (Mount Horeb) is a wiry 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, and he’s among the top uncommitted juniors in the state. He makes some pretty impactful contact for his stature from the left-handed batter’s box, and upside still remains as he continues to add to his lean levers.

+ LHP/OF Michael Carpenter (Arrowhead) was one of a number of quality defensive outfielders in attendance at the event. Carpenter plays with quick, fluid footwork fit for the outfield and his arm topped at 91 mph. Like Oppor above, Carpenter’s quick arm actually translates best to the mound where, on Sunday, he sat 83-84 mph and showed one of the day’s best breaking balls, a curve that spins at an average rate of 2,501 rpm.

+ OF/INF N.J. Elias (Verona Area) has always had an above average arm, but the numbers he put up on Sunday were beyond plus for his age. Elias touched 97 mph from the outfield and threw it 91 mph across the infield. On top of that he’s a 6.75 runner and showed an easy right-handed swing.

+ RHP Troy Knutson (Holmen) is set to make an impact on the 2022 class rankings after his first PBR event. The 6-foot, 210-pound right has a durable build and works with little effort in a repeatable simple delivery. He features a heavy sinking fastball with unique qualities by TrackMan standards, aided by an above-average feel for the zone. His changeup is an advanced pitch as well, with hard arm-side action while mixing in a complementary slurve-type breaking ball.

+ INF Max Stocco (Marquette University) made his presence felt on the infield thanks to his smooth actions, advanced double play and easy, confident hands. Stocco also showed plenty of arm strength for the left-side of the diamond, topping at 87 mph. Stocco brings a left-handed bat into the equation as well, a compact 5-foot-7, 155-pounds, his swing matches showing bat strength with an opposite field approach.

+ Here’s another player who clearly made excellent use of this past offseason: 3B Payton Frehner (Waukesha North). Frehner’s a physical 6-foot, 190 pounds, but he’s managed to add more than just strength to his profile. He ran a 6.87 on Sunday, down from a 7.51 around this time last year, and he’s made positive strides on defense for a better chance to keep to tending the hot corner. Offensively, he brings a sound right-handed bat geared for hard-hit, gap-to-gap contact. He averaged an exit speed over 86 mph and utilized both gaps effectively.

+ RHP Carson Klaus (Adams Friendship) continues to see his velocity tick up and he put together arguably his best bullpen to date on Sunday. Klaus has a 5-foot-11, 153-pounds wide-shouldered build that looks to have plenty of room for continued added physical development. His arm works short, loose and quick, showing easy upper-80’s velocity; sitting 86-88 mph throughout his ‘pen (up from 82-84 this past summer) while controlling the zone. He also featured two above-average secondary offerings, with his curveball showing sharp, late action at times, working off an 11/5 plane and registering a couple of 2400+ rpm’s. His mid-70’s changeup was thrown for strikes with fade action. Upside, easy arm with seemingly much more velocity to come.

+ RHP/INF James Vargas (Arrowhead) is a 5-foot-10, 192-pound, two-way prospect who stood out with his defensive abilities on the infield. Vargas – listed at a compact, 5-foot-10, 192 pounds – moves better than expected, ranging around with fluid/active feet at times while showing soft, sure hands and a strong arm that played at 87 mph across. He also ran a 6.92 laser-timed 60. Vargas hopped on the mound later in his workout and continued to build off previously impressive live looks. He showed a complete three-pitch mix, all of which were thrown for strikes, and improved his fastball velocity, now sitting at 84-86 mph.

+ RHP Trevor Stevens (Waunakee) featured one of the better breaking balls of the day. Stevens features two-different breaking balls but it was his curveball that stood out. It is thrown with intent and features sharp downer action with advanced depth. The go-to offering topped at 75 mph and registered a max spin rate of 2617 (averaged 2391 rpm). Stevens ran his fastball up to 85 mph. 

+ Listed at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, RHP Nolan Klug (Menomonee Falls) has an obvious ceiling. He’s added big velocity in between looks, and touched a 90 mph high twice on Sunday. The fastball jumps down a steep angle to home, making the pitch project to earn swings and misses at the top of the zone on its own. He’ll still need to continue to sharpen his offspeed mix, but regardless, this was a nice look at a rising junior to know in this class.

+ RHP Tyler Schmitt (Madison Memorial) featured one of the easiest arms on the day. The 6-foot-2, 165-pound, high-ceiling right-hander cruised through his bullpen, seemingly playing a game of catch with his fastball sitting in the low-80s. It wasn’t until his final couple fastballs where he truly showed the untapped velocity he possesses. His last three fastballs sat 85-plus mph, with his top coming in at 86.4 – up from an 81 high reached this past October. The loose-levered, easy-armed 2022 should continue to see his velocity spike over the coming years as he continues to fill out his frame.

+ Ethan Graham (Wausau West) featured some of the best catcher actions on the day. Graham has flexible hips, is clean and efficient out of the crouch with an advanced glove-to-hand exchange. Graham was consistently on the bag with his pop times ranging from 2.01-2.07.

+ OF Caleb Guden (Medford) is an athletic switch-hitter who showed well from both sides of the plate. It’s a gap-to-gap approach that he replicates on both sides of the dish, staying on top of the baseball to create line-drive contact to the center of the diamond. He carries some aggressive athleticism in the outfield as well with an above-average arm at 86 mph. Guden is ultra-aggressive to the baseball with sure hands and a clean release.

+ 3B Nick West (Verona Area) is another switch-hitting, steady defender fit for a corner infield spot. He throws a true ball across the diamond that topped at 84 mph and put together strong offensive rounds from both sides of the dish.

+ RHP Easton Zempel (Middleton) is another tall, lanky right-hander with a high ceiling to note inside this 2022 class, listed at 6-foot-6, 185 pounds. Zempel projects best on the mound, where he sat 83-85 mph from a direct over-the-top slot, and the pitch features some late arm-side action that resembles his changeup. That change was among the day’s best as it, too, showed late run that he spotted well on the corners. Zempel throws an aggressive breaking ball that also projects as he continues to refine it.

CLASS OF 2023

+ RHP Cole Selvig (Regis) will put a big dent on the 2023 class rankings. Selvig has been trending up and his uptempo drop-and-drive delivery matches the intensity at which he pounds the zone. He showed the ability to command the fastball at 88-90 mph, topping at 91. The breaking ball flashed sharp action while working on 11/5 plane, almost slurve-like at times, but he was able to repeatedly control it. His changeup has advanced feel and flashed plus arm-side action at times with a convicted arm stroke.

+ C Thomas Curry (Arrowhead) has a 6-foot-1, 210-pound, physical, prototypical catcher’s build with strength throughout his frame. Defensively, he is clean out of the crouch and showed off the strongest arm of the day at 84 mph from the chute; Curry’s pop times ranged from 2.00-2.03. In the box he has a quiet, aggressive approach from the right side and his strength translates efficiently to his swing to create above-average pop. He generated a highly impressive average and max exit speed, at 93.3 and 99.8, respectively, which both led the event – and he also hit the day’s furthest batted-ball, traveling and estimated 344 feet. Curry landed a barrel with each physical/fast swing, while averaging the fastest bat speed (78.6 mph) of the showcase and the second highest average hand speed (26.8 mph).

+ INF Jake Schaffner (Janesville Craig) is a left-handed-hitting infielder who showed above-average bat-to-ball skills. He swings from a spray/line-drive approach that is simple and easy, while using the whole field. Defensively, he plays low to the ground with receptive hands, fluid footwork and an advanced/smooth double play turn. Schaffner is a 6.89 runner with an 81 mph arm across the diamond as well. Look for him to rise up the ‘23 rankings when we update our sophomore board after the winter.

+ Quinn Falish (De Pere) stands out as a strong 6-foot-2, 195-pound third baseman with some pop at the plate. He reached a 96.6 mph max exit speed in BP, with a short right-handed stroke that gets through contact well. On top of his strength and size, he showed body control on the infield while running a 6.89, with an 85 mph arm across the diamond. Falish has immediately emerged as a follow sophomore in the state’s 2023 class.

+ OF/C Caleb Karll (Madison West) showed equally as well in the outfield and behind the plate. In the outfield, he is aggressive to the baseball with clean actions, plays through in rhythm and showed off a quick arm that topped at 88 mph. Behind the plate, he is light on his feet, quick out of the crouch, and flashed a low pop time of 1.94 with a peak velocity of 76 mph to second. Offensively, Karll is a physical right-handed bat at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, and he possesses clear bat strength and a solid feel for the barrel. He registered one of the furthest batted-balls of the day, as his best travelled an estimated 331 feet.

+ At 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, RHP Noah Dreier (Brookfield Central) made some noise with an 84-86 mph four-seam fastball. Working with a high front side out of a high ¾ slot, Dreier showed an ability to spin the baseball with both a slider and curveball that logged above-average spin rates for his age, while his curveball showed more depth. He’s an athletic arm to follow inside this class.

+ OF Drew Brookman (Tomah) stood out amongst a crowded field at his first-ever PBR event. A 6-foot-3, 170-pound outfielder, Brookman brings a lot of similarities to the plate as Cuyler Zukowski, a top-ranked junior you can find in a section below. Brookman’s lanky frame has a ton of upside, creating well-above-average bat speed generated with his top half. Even his spray chart mimicked a lot of what Zukowski did in his round, with six of his 11 swings traveling over 250 feet to dead center, while reaching a 92.2 mph max exit velocity.

+ C Hunter Szymborski (Brookfield Central) really looks the part behind the plate. He is an advanced receiver, staying ultra-quiet with soft hands and the ability to present pitches in and around the zone with minimal wasted movement. The lean/athletic 5-foot-11, 175-pound left-handed hitter had a low pop time of 2.00 and flashed strength in his spring and opposite field approach at times.

+ 1B E.J. Kuster (Greendale) has made some noteworthy strides from the right-handed batter’s box, and it’s helped him find the barrel with more regularity, while utilizing his strong 6-foot-3, 190 pounds better. He landed barrel after barrel in his round of BP to average one of the event’s top average exit speeds, measured at 88.2 mph, with a 91.2 high.

+ 1B Tyler Butina (Jefferson) showed some easy pop from the left side, launching three balls over 300 feet from a swing that creates natural lift, reaching a max exit speed of 93.1 mph on Sunday. Butina showed up to the event looking leaner, too, which allowed him to move around the first base bag with lighter feet – and he chopped his 60-yard dash time down to 7.35 in a short period of time.

+ RHP Tyler Lusic (Waterford) is a lean 6-foot-3, 167 pounds, and he’s an upside player to know in the 2023 class. Lusic was up to 85 mph with a four-seam fastball that showed occasional life to it. His changeup offers above-average sink at times, and and shows a complementary curveball. 

+ INF Ethan Hindle (Arrowhead) is a high-level athlete who performed well across the board on Sunday, statistically. He clocked a 6.66 time in the 60 to start his day, and followed it up with a 94.6 mph max exit speed in batting practice, and looked smooth on defense, improving his arm strength to an 84 mph high, 10 ticks higher than it was in July.

+ C Dominic Kibler (New Berlin West) is an impressive left-handed-hitting catcher. He’s loose and barrel aware in the box, stringing together one of the most consistent rounds of the day with only one ball struck under an exit speed of 89 mph. It's a repeatable line-drive swing, triggered by a leg kick stride that is on time and athletic. On top of that, he put up one of the best pops of the day, measured at 1.94 out of the crouch.

+ 3B Jackson Hunley (Sun Prairie) took a big step forward with the bat on Sunday. He’s a projectable 6-foot-2, 162-pound infielder and he drove repeated hard contact back up the box. His upside swing is loose with well-above-average bat speed, and he controls his extra-long levers well, adding to the follow upside he brings to the diamond.

+ INF Brady Davidson (St. Joseph) is a compact athlete in a sturdy 5-foot-9, 175-pound build. His left-handed bat is loose with a feel to use the whole field, and he reached a 90.2 mph high off the bat in BP. He looked smoother on defense, too, and added some arm strength over the offseason.

+ INF Logan Kraus (Fond du Lac) put together another round of quality BP after his showing at the Fox Cities Preseason I.D. last weekend, running a slightly better 60 time (7.01), and topping 85 mph across the diamond.

CLASS OF 2024

+ OF/LHP Logan Dunn (Wautoma) may have been the standout of the day in the 2024 class. Dunn is a L/L 5-foot-10, 155-pound two-way player with a high ceiling at the plate. Dunn creates next level bat speed with an athletic leg kick trigger and line drive gap to gap approach. Not only a high follow with the bat, but he showed well in the outfield and on the mound as well. From the bump, Dunn showed three-pitch feel, sitting 80-81 mph with a running fastball that reached an 83 high at the end of his ‘pen. He has the feel to spin a tight breaking ball that projects as he hones it, and his changeup is presently an out-pitch, as he mimics his arm speed and slot well, creating even harder arm-side run/fade.

+ Freshman INF/RHP Noah Wech (Manitowoc Lincoln) had a solid all-around day. Listed at 5-foot-11, 163 pounds, Wech is an athletic defender who looks the part manning the shortstop position. Wech moves with fluid rhythm, soft hands, and a quick, strong arm that topped at 85 mph. At the dish, he has short, level path that stays flat through contact producing line-drive after line-drive.

+ RHP Craig Kabat (Bay Port) is a freshman arm to keep an eye on moving forward. Kabat showed an advanced feel for three pitches, especially for his age, with his changeup looking like a plus offering moving forward. The changeup is thrown at arm speed with feel for the bottom of the zone, and plus fade action, measured at 17.8 inches of max horizontal movement. Kabat also filled up the strike zone with a 83-84 mph fastball, touching 85, and a late-biting 12/6 curveball, 70-73 mph.

+ INF Eddie Rynders (Wisconsin Lutheran) is one to keep an eye on in this class. He’s got a loose left-handed swing and he enters the batter’s box with a confident look about him. Rynders has some projection to him, listed at a lanky 6-foot, 155 pounds, with a barrel control swing.

COMMITTED PROSPECTS

+ OF Cuyler Zukowski (Madison La Follette, 2022; Creighton commit) creates a different sound off the bat, he’s an athletic 6-foot, 190-pounds and has been a top-20 prospect in the state for good reason. He screams upside with his athletic frame and lively levers, topping at 91 mph from the outfield while running a 6.92. His bat is what will really carry him ripping 7 of his 11 hits between 280’-335’ to dead center field.

+ LHP/1B Matthew Mueller (Brookfield Central, 2022) is a recent Gonzaga commit who emerged as one of the biggest overall winners from this event, particularly on the mound. He stands at a hulking, yet projectable, 6-foot-5, 190 pounds and he uses every bit of it to work down the rubber, making for an uncomfortable at-bat. Mueller routinely attacked the bottom half of the zone with an 86-88 mph fastball that played with downhill tilt from a high release point. Mueller rounded out his arsenal with a slider and changeup, the former being his go-to secondary pitch; a frisbee-like offering that spins off a 10/4 plane and flashed swing-and-miss potential. He’s cemented himself as a high-follow arm in the state’s junior class. It’s worth mentioning he swings a fast left-handed bat that created some loud contact on Sunday, too, reaching a max exit speed of 94.3 mph.

+ RHP Jonah Conradt (Hortonville, 2023; Arizona) tossed a typically impressive bullpen, one that we’ve become familiar with this winter. This time, Conradt hit his personal best at 90.4 mph on TrackMan while showcasing his feel to spin each of his pitches at above-average rate, including a slider and curve that each feature separate movement profiles.

+ RHP Dylan Questad (Waterford, 2023; Notre Dame) has an easy demeanor about his bullpens; he stays quiet and balanced throughout, making his 91 mph fastball look extremely comfortable. Questad showed a similar four-pitch mix that we’ve seen in the past, only this time his fastball sat at 91 mph for the duration of his ‘pen.

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