Prep Baseball Report

Inside the Rankings: 2019 Newcomers


Steve Nielsen
Scouting Supervisor - Wisconsin/Illinois

Our coverage of the 2019 Wisconsin Rankings continues with the top newcomers added to the rankings. After expanding the rankings to 80 we’ve added nine new names to the list. Earlier this week we took a look at the top ten and biggest risers. Here’s a look at some of the top additions.

CLICK HERE to view complete 2019 Wisconsin Rankings.

RHP Sean Barnard (Hudson) is the top new addition to the 2019 rankings coming in at No. 14. Barnard recently committed to Iowa after a stellar performance at the PBR Fall Championships this September. He’s a 6-foot-3, 170-pound righty with long lanky levers that produced an effortless 84-87 mph fastball, touching 88 mph. His secondary stuff is above average with a hard breaking ball at 75 mph and changeup he was able to turn over for strikes as well.

Sean Barnard 9.16.17

Hunter Olson is a catcher from Oconomowoc who stood out recently at the Southern Wisconsin Open. In the eight months since his last showcase appearance, Olson improved immensely across the board. Besides putting on 15 pounds and adding an inch, his exit velocity improved by 10 mph, arm strength out of the crouch by 6 mph, pop times by more than a tenth and cut his 60 time down by two tenths.

Hunter Olson 10.28.17

RHP Reese Dutton saw a spike in velocity this fall. From one of the many college camps our staff attended this fall, we saw Dutton up to 82-84 mph with natural cut type action at times along with a sharp breaking ball at 76 mph. Dutton entered the rankings in the top 55.

Inside the top 70, OF Luke Blaha (Mukwonago) and LHP Anthony Montilva (Madison East) were added to the rankings. Blaha is a physical type outfielder who showed pop in his bat from the right side. Montilva is an 80-81 mph left-hander with ability to control his secondary stuff.

Rounding out the remainder of the new additions are Anthony Beasley (Somerset), Jake Nelson (Altoona) and Kyle McKinnon (Bradford). Beasley and Nelson are both right-handed hitting infielders with above average tools across the board. Both project to stay in the middle of the diamond while also being a nuisance in a lineup. McKinnon rounds out the rankings as a loose armed righty who sits in the low 80’s with little effort and feel for secondary stuff.

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