Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 13 Webster

The Wisconsin high school season kicks off on March 26th, the first day for regular season games.

Leading up to the opening week of games we will be rolling out team previews of our top 25 high school teams all across the state and across all classifications, counting down our Preseason Power 25.

We will bring you a snapshot of what to expect along with top players and keys to success for that particular team.

Team: Webster
Preseason Rank: 13
2018 Record: 27-3
Conference: Lakeland West
WIAA Division: 4
Head Coach: Jarrod Washburn
Playoff Run: D3 State Champions
2018 Final Rank: 8
Returning Starters: 6
Returning Pitchers: 6

TOP PLAYERS

KEY PLAYERS LOST

Hunter Gustafson, INF (St. Mary’s-MN)

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

Freshman Auston Sigfrids is the younger brother to senior Bradley Sigfrids and could be the next up and comer for the Webster Tigers. Auston is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound two-way player who shows skill sets to do many things on the diamond, including catching. While the Tigers may not need him much behind the plate with Minnesota-Duluth commit Trevor Gustafson back for his senior year, his bat may play well enough to find himself in the lineup in some capacity.

STAT RAT

When it comes to stat lines, look no further than reigning PBR Player of the Year, Jack Washburn. Washburn returns for his senior campaign after posting lofty numbers as a junior en route to a D3 State Championship. The Oregon State commit went 9-1 on the mound with a 0.88 ERA over 47.2 IP and struck out 98, more than two an inning. Not done yet...on the offensive side Washburn belted 10 home runs while batting .443 with 10 doubles and 55 RBI, producing an OPS of 1.509.

Jack Washburn (2.3.19)

X-FACTOR

Complacency. That’s the only thing that could trip up the Tigers in a 2019 D4 title run, and my guess is it won’t happen. For virtually the same team that ran through the D3 playoffs with ease, to come back for a run at a lesser Division could easily give a group of teenagers a reason to back off and lose the hunger. But with former MLB veteran Jarrod Washburn at the helm, I doubt that will happen. This is a group of athletes clearly goal oriented and have plans to play beyond high school baseball.

OUTLOOK

Webster dominated the 2018 season on their way to a 2018 D3 State Championship. In fact at one point during the season the Tigers staff did not allow a run for nearly a month. It’s tough to repeat success at any level, but for the Tigers, there’s no reason not to. Especially now that they have moved down to D4. They return every significant inning pitched and are the envy of the state when it comes to top flight arms. Senior right-handers Jack Washburn and Hunter Rosenbaum are both top 10 prospects in the state, and both have their college commitments nailed down to high end power five programs, Oregon State and West Virginia respectively. Add another year of experience to sophomore Washburn, Owen, and you have arguably the best 1-through-3 pitching staff in the state, regardless of division.

On the offensive side of the ball Coach Washburn returns most of an offense that scored 58 runs in six games through their playoff run. It’s potent to say the least. Jack Washburn, the leading returning hitter, will be flanked by the likes of Trevor Gustafson (.371), Hunter Rosenbaum (.386) Brad Sigfrids (.314), Carsen Stenberg (.380) and Owen Washburn (.324), all of whom had more than 70 at bats last season. 

Trevor Gustafson (7.24.18)

The Lakeland West All-Conference team was littered with Tigers, five of which return for 2019 in Jack Washburn, Hunter Rosenbaum, Trevor Gustafson, Owen Washburn and Carsen Stenberg.

BOTTOM LINE

With the move of summer baseball into spring, several schools saw classification changes for 2019, and the TIgers were one of them. Being one of the smallest D3 schools in the state they were an easy move to D4 for 2019.

The Tigers only challenge in 2019 may just be themselves. It’s a roster loaded with talent for any classification let alone Division 4. And coming off a rather flawless run to capture a D3 title last year, Coach Washburn will need to keep his Tigers focused on 2019. Anything short of a state title would fall short of expectations, but that’s not why they are a Power 25 team. We expect the Tigers to win another title, especially in D4, and normally it's tough for any small schools to make the Power 25, but this team could compete at any classification. They have top end talent, especially on the mound, a high octane offense, and battle tested experience in a loaded senior class.

Make sure to follow @PBRWisconsin on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the season.

Find more information on the 2019 Tigers below:

• Full Schedule

• Team Website

Preseason Power 25 Countdown