Madison Preseason ID: Preview
March 11, 2022
This Sunday, March 13, the PBR Wisconsin team is hosting the Madison Preseason ID at GRB Academy in Windsor, Wis. This is an open event for all high school classes (2022-25), and gives our staff an ample look at the area's top players – and it’s perennially the largest event on our entire showcase calendar. The event is now sold out with over 200 players set to attend.
For a closer look at the showcase details and the technologies we'll have on-site to assist our in-person evaluation for all in attendance, click here. For a complete look at those registered to attend this event, view the most up-to-date version of the roster by clicking here.
EVENT HISTORY
Considering the sheer number of players slated to attend this event on Sunday, we’re expecting to learn the names of many new follow prospects in Wisconsin. Historically, that’s been the most valuable part of this showcase, providing our staff with new names and faces to add to our class rankings and follow lists for the WIAA season ahead.
For example, our 2021 Madison ID event produced PBR Future Games selections like C Thomas Curry (Arrowhead, 2023; Missouri), INF Ethan Hindle (Arrowhead, 2023; Kentucky), INF Jake Schaffner (Janesville Craig, 2023), OF/RHP Quinn Falish (De Pere, 2023), OF/C Caleb Karll (Madison West, 2023; Ohio), RHP/INF Noah Dreier (Brookfield Central, 2023), and C Dominic Kibler (New Berlin West; Kent State). These seven players helped construct one of the strongest Team Wisconsin roster we’ve been able to assemble for the Future Games, and we’re looking forward to pulling some Class of 2024 names on Sunday to start to create a shortlist of players to extend invitations to in the near future.
Speaking of, the Class of 2024 prospects who attended this event last year made big impressions that ultimately helped them earn places on our initial ‘24 state rankings, like OF/LHP Logan Dunn (Wautoma) and RHP/INF Noah Wech (Manitowoc Lincoln). SS Eddie Rynders (Wisconsin Lutheran, 2024) also emerged as one of the Class of 2024 winners from this event, and he committed to Kent State not too long after.
We’re eager to get the latest intel on this 2024 class while learning the names of more sophomores to follow from across the state, all while beginning to construct an enhanced outline of the Class of 2025.
SUNDAY’S ROSTER
UNCOMMITTED CLASS OF 2023 PLAYERS
There’s a plethora of talent on this roster, including OF/RHP Garrett Kay (Waterford), OF/1B Owen Bond (Kettle Moraine), INF Jake Busson (Hudson), C/CIF Maxwell Kalk (Kimberly), and RHP/3B Jackson Hunley (Sun Prairie). Kay is a dynamic athlete capable of impacting the game on both sides of the ball, swinging an athletic left-handed bat and a live arm to pair that’s reportedly been in the high-80s with his fastball this winter. At 6-foot-3, 200-pounds, Bond is one of the class's loudest left-handed bats, consistently squaring up loud contact when we’ve seen him. Busson showed our scouts a loud right-handed bat at this summer’s Western Wisconsin Open as well, while Kalk is an athletic left-handed hitting backstop with some juice attached to his barrel. Finally, Hunley played a key role on both sides of the ball for state champion Sun Prairie and we’re eager for an up-to-date look at the lanky 6-foot-3, 170-pound junior.
This roster is extremely deep, and here’s three more names-to-know: RHP Roman Trapani (Eau Claire Memorial), INF Logan Kraus (Fond du Lac), and RHP Logan Frank (Oshkosh North). Trapani, the younger brother of Vincent Trapani (2021; Arkansas), saw an uptick in stuff last summer, running his fastball up to 86 mph and increased feel for his secondaries. Kraus first popped to us at this event last year and he’s an athletic up-the-middle player capable of impacting the game in multiple ways. Frank brings plenty of physicality to the mound with a strong, sturdy 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame. We’ve heard reports of his fastball velocity climbing this winter and we’re eager to see the strides he’s made this off-season at Sunday’s event.
Roman Trapani (7/17/21)
UNDERCLASS PROSPECTS
Naturally, this is an exciting roster with 2024-25 representation that we’re eager to see after a critical offseason of development. Sophomores at the top of the list to know ahead of time, like Dunn and Wech (mentioned in the previous section), as well as INF Eason Hurd (Ashwaubenon) and RHP Nate Langbehn (D.C. Everest), have each performed high enough to have earned spots on the state’s Class of 2024 rankings, but this is always a crucial stop that greatly affects our upcoming update in the spring.
These aren’t the only sophomores we’re familiar with either, prior to Sunday. C/INF Cal Casper (Bay Port, 2024) has previously performed at a high level for us, defensively, and his progress over these past few months will be intriguing for us beforehand. Fellow backstop Joshua Gilroy (Arrowhead, 2024) has demonstrated considerable bat strength from the right-handed batter’s box, and in-game, too. MIF Keagan Jirschele (Mosinee, 2024) has made a mark as a quality middle-infield defender on more than one occasion in front of our staff at PBR Tournaments. RHP/1B Anderson Hayes (Oconomowoc, 2024) has a huge 6-foot-6, 200-pound frame that naturally stands out from his peers, and we’re intrigued by his potential on both sides of the ball. INF/RHP Abraham Ahlberg (Solon Springs, 2024) impressed at a PBR Minnesota event late last summer, and we’re looking forward to our own first live look. From Elk Mound, RHP Kaden Russo (2024) is a pop-up sophomore with multi-sport pedigree who should intrigue in this kind of setting. And OF Issei Takahashi (Arrowhead, 2024) put together a strong all-around performance earlier this winter, and we’ll see if he can top it in Madison.
Inside the Class of 2025 roster are several freshmen who’ve already made impressions on our staff, like MIF Preston Yaucher (Edgewood), who represented Team Wisconsin at the PBR Junior Future Games last August. INF Casey Wambach (Sun Prairie, 2025) is a 6-foot-1 left-handed-hitting infielder we’re interested in seeing in a showcase setting. And RHP Jack Welak (Catholic Memorial, 2025) pitched well in front of us in the fall, and we’ll see what the offseason did for him.
To reiterate, the best part about this event, year after year, is its ability to shine light on players we’ve not yet seen. And with a roster of over 200 players, we’re especially interested in what this year’s crop will reveal, though it’s clear that the future of baseball in Wisconsin remains as talented as ever.
CHECK-IN PROCESS
In an effort to continue and develop contactless check-in strategies, upon arrival, players will scan a QR Code with their smartphone camera that will lead them to a Google Form. On that Form, players will enter their name (matching the spelling on their PBR profile) and hit submit. Upon submission, players will be prompted to click a link that will direct them to their jersey color and number, located next to their registered name.
ITINERARY
POSITION GROUPS
CHECK-IN TIMES:
+ Registered Outfielders: 10 a.m.
+ Registered Infielders: 12 p.m.
+ Registered Catchers: 4:30 p.m.
+ Two-way players will return to pitch at 5:30 p.m., following their participation in the defensive session they registered for.
+ Registered Pitchers-only: 6:30 p.m.
MORE EVENT DETAILS
Click here to learn more about our tech partners that have enhanced our players showcase experience. Partners like TrackMan, Blast Motion, and Vizual Edge have helped both our in-event evaluation process, as well the compilation of our post-event scouting reports – and they're also a tool for our players to learn more about their measured and collected data, that can be applied to improve upon their game.
We will facilitate a contact-less check-in. Wear baseball clothes; assigned and numbered PBR jerseys will be provided.