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Milwaukee Open: Quick Hits

June 22, 2023
Wisconsin Staff

On June 20th, PBR Wisconsin hosted its first event along the 2023 summer showcase circuit, the Milwaukee Open at The Rock Sports Complex in Franklin, Wis. Over 40 players made it out to this event, providing us with updated looks and a new list of prospects to follow in an area of Wisconsin that regularly produces some of the state’s top talent.

Today, we’ll be highlighting the players who stood out in Franklin within this Quick Hits piece. Stay tuned throughout the week as we continue to break down the in-depth metrics measured at this event, with the help of our tech partners TrackMan, Blast Motion, Swift, and Vizual Edge.

POSITION PLAYERS

+ Standing at an imposing 6-foot-4, 215-pounds with obvious strength throughout his frame C Parker Schwake (Wauwatosa West, 2024) put together a loudest round of BP of the day. Schwake started off hot with his very first swing registering a 102.1 mph EV and when it was all said and done, he reached highs of 104.8 mph (90.7 mph avg.). Schwake is able to use his long levers to leverage baseballs and drive them in the air, mostly to the left-center gap with his farthest driven ball traveling 405 ft. While led in many batted ball metrics, he also led in a number of Blast Motion ones, too, highlighted by a max bat speed of 80 mph. Defensively, behind the dish Schwake showed the tools to control the run game, with a quick and clean transfer and advanced arm strength up to 79 mph on his hardest bullet. Schwake was able to get the ball out quick and produce an accurate throw to second that carries through the bag and record pop-time lows of 2.01.

+ C Ethan Knoll (Waukesha North, 2024) is a physically imposing prospect, standing at 6-foot-3, 215-pounds with long limbs and strength throughout his frame. During his round of BP, Knoll was able to consistently make hard contact and recorded a max EV of 98 mph (88.0 mph avg.) as he showed the ability to drive the baseball to the middle to pullside part of the field. Defensively Knoll showed off an accurate arm up to 73 mph to go along with a quick transfer which helped him record a low pop time of 2.10.

+ C Wilson Kershner (Menomonee Falls, 2024) is fresh off a successful spring campaign for Menomonee Falls in which he helped them to their third straight State Tournament appearance. While we have seen Kerschner in live gameplay a number of times, Tuesday served us our first look at him in a showcase setting. Kerschner stands at an athletic 6-foot-1, 190-pounds with even more room to add to his frame. During his round of BP Kershner used his strong hands to consistently drive the baseball to both gaps, with his hardest ball coming off at 92.4 mph, and averaged 87.9 mph. Behind the plate, he has a strong arm that topped at 78 mph on his throws to second and paired it with quick feet that helped him produce pop-time lows of 2.07.

+ OF Max Johnson (South Milwaukee, 2024) is an athletically built 5-foot-9, 180-pound outfielder who showed off his tools during Tuesday’s showcase in Franklin. Johnson started off his day by turning in a 7.04 60-yard dash, and reached a top speed of 19.6 mph. At the plate, Johnson uses his quick hands that topped at 21.7 mph, per Blast Motion, to create backspin to both gaps, and he averaged EVs just over 85 mph throughout his round. In the outfield, Johnson is an athletic mover, and topped at 77 mph on his throws home with carry. 

+ OF Bennett Karolewicz (St. Thomas More, 2024) is listed at an athletic 5-foot-10, 165-pounds, and he impressed while making his PBR event debut on Tuesday. Offensively, Karolewicz utilized quick, strong hands to deliver a controlled barrel that is able to shoot line drives to both gaps. We have seen this hit-tool play out in game too, as he helped his St. Thomas More squad to a State Tournament berth. In the outfield, Karolewicz is an athletic mover with the ability to range to either side, and he couples it with an arm that topped at 78 mph on his throws home. 

+ OF Braylen White (Brown Deer, 2025), a former 2021 PBR Junior Future Games participant is athletically built at 5-foot-11, 160-pounds with room for added strength. White started off his day by recording the fastest 60-yard dash time of the day, at 6.71 and also reached a top speed of 21.3 mph. During BP White showed quality feel for the barrel as he was able to consistently drive balls in the air to the pullside. Defensively playing an athletic outfield, White’s athleticism is put on display as he fields through the baseball with a quick release throwing 81 mph on his hardest bullet to home.

+ OF Matthew Gruber (Union Grove, 2025) is a projectable left-handed hitter that put together a solid overall day in Franklin. Listed at a long 5-foot-11, 168-pounds, Gruber started off his day by registering a 7.03 in the 60-yard dash, good for third-best of the event. At the plate, Gruber features a loose left-handed swing with a natural uphill path that produced loft to all parts of the field, and his hardest ball of the day came off at 89.2 mph. In the outfield, Gruber is an athletic mover that has the ability to easily range from side-to-side, and he couples it with a strong arm that topped at 83 mph on his throws home. 

+ Built at a long 6-foot-3, 179-pounds OF Bennett Cagle (Madison Edgewood, 2025) provided an upside look during our time in Franklin. He would start off his day by recording a number of low-90 EVs from a short and direct path, working the ball into both gaps with ease. During his round, Cagle registered line drives 55% of the time, per our TrackMan units, which led all players in attendance, too. Defensively in the outfield, Cagle is an athletic mover, and pairs it with an accurate arm that produced throws up to 80 mph to home. Tuesday provided us with our first look at Cagle in over a year, and it definitely did not disappoint as he is a name to monitor as he continues to develop as a prospect.

+ INF Kody Hage (Union Grove, 2025) stands at a sturdy 5-foot-11 build with a thick lower half. During his round of BP, Hage used a short and compact bat path to consistently drive baseball to both gaps. Hage was able to consistently make hard contact throughout his round, recording multiple EVs in the low-90s and his hardest hit ball came off at 92.8 mph. Defensively Hage showed an overall smooth round in the infield, working well to either side and he paired it with sure-handed actions. As for his arm, he featured low-effort, accurate throws to first base, with his hardest coming in at 80 mph.

+ INF Bradley Check (La Crosse Logan, 2025) is a physical 5-foot-11, 210-pound infielder who impressed on Tuesday. At the plate, Check, a left-handed hitter, works with control, and features a short, compact swing that can impact the ball to both gaps. Throughout his round, Check averaged an EV of 84 mph, with his furthest batted ball traveling an estimated 326 ft. In the infield Check is an athletic mover, staying under control while moving to either side and also has a loose and accurate arm across the diamond.  

+ C Jackson Ferris (Muskego, 2025) stands at a compact 5-foot-8, 165-pound build with room for added strength as he matures into his frame. During his round of BP, Ferris impressed with his ability to be on the barrel throughout his round driving line drives to the middle part of the field. Defensively, Ferris is a soft blocker and an athletic mover behind the dish.

+ CIF Wynn Hotchkiss (Wisconsin Lutheran, 2025) created some noteworthy batted ball metrics, using his sturdy 6-foot-3, 260-pound frame. During his round, Hotchkiss’ hardest hit ball came off at 95 mph, and he averaged 86.5 mph, too.  

PITCHERS

+ Tuesday offered us our first look at RHP Sawyer Conradt (P27 Academy, SC, 2025) since making the move to South Carolina to attend P27 Academy, and it did not disappoint. First off, Conradt showed up boasting a taller, more filled out frame, now listed at 6-foot-1, 175-pounds with plenty more upside within. On the mound, Conradt is an athletic mover with a simple and clean delivery that he is able to repeat, pairing it with a loose arm. Throughout his ‘pen, Conradt’s fastball sat in the 83-85 mph range and featured just over a foot of horizontal movement on average. As for his offspeeds, he spun in a slider in the low-70s that played with tight 11/5 action, and was thrown at arm speed. He rounded out his well-above average three-pitch mix with a deceptive changeup in the mid-70s that averaged nearly 16’ of horizontal movement and flashed some hard downer action. The ease at which Conradt cruised through his ‘pen was impressive, and it is safe to say that he is just scratching the surface of what his ceiling on the mound could ultimately be. 

+ RHP Paulson Yesbeck (Elkhorn, 2025) is a sturdy 6-foot-1, 220-pound righty who impressed during our time in Franklin. Working with tempo, Yesbeck is a raw mover on the bump, but features a strong, whippy arm that sat in the 83-85 mph range with his lively fastball and created over a foot of IVB on average. He also showed feel for two secondaires, the first being a tight slider in the high-60s that was thrown at arm speed and projects as a quality off-speed offering. The second was a low-70s changeup that he effectively killed spin on and maxed at 12.2’ of horizontal movement. Yesbeck has made some gains to his overall profile as a pitcher since our previous look at him in the winter, and is certainly a name to monitor throughout the summer, and on.

+ RHP Ben Mills (Oak Creek, 2025) is an intriguing righty to keep an eye on as the summer goes on. Listed at a projectable 6-foot-2, 160-pounds, Mills showed feel for a three-pitch mix out of a controlled, easy delivery. During his ‘pen, Mills ran his fastball up to 79.2 mph and it was thrown downhill, occasionally playing with some arm side run. He also showed confidence in a big 11/5 curveball that played with late depth, and Mills also showed the ability to bury this pitch, too. He rounded out his repertoire with a low-70s changeup that was thrown at arm speed, and featured fade/depth actions. 

+ LHP Monty O’Brien (Wauwatosa East, 2026) is a high upside incoming sophomore to follow after putting together a clean ‘pen on Tuesday. Listed at a projectable 6-foot, 160-pounds with long limbs, O’Brien is a clean mover on the bump and pairs it with a loose arm that projects to add more velocity as he continues to develop. During his ‘pen, O’Brien sat in the 78-80 mph range with a running fastball that featured 15.5’ of horizontal movement at its peak. He also mixed in two breaking balls, the first being a more traditional curveball that played with 1/7 action with depth and the second was a sweeping slider in the high-60s. 

TWO-WAYS

+ 1B/RHP Rocco Conrad (New Berlin West, 2025) is an incoming junior that impressed in our first-showcase look at him on Tuesday. Conrad stands at a physical 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame with strength throughout his frame. During his round of BP Conrad showed advanced feel for the barrel with an up the middle approach. Conrad would also show off his power potential, using his strong lower half, Conrad was able to consistently produce exit velos in the upper-90s, topping out at 99.1 mph. Defensively at first base Conrad would show soft hands and a general feel for the position. Conrad would also tease his arm strength with his hardest throw running up to 88 mph across the diamond. On the mound, out of an easy, controllable delivery, Conrad created some noteworthy metrics with his fastball. Conrad sat in the 83-86 mph range, and topped at 87 mph, but the most impressive thing about this pitch was that he averaged 18.5’ of IVB. As for his offspeeds, he featured a changeup that averaged 10.4’ of horizontal movement, and a developing slider. 

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