The Wisconsin high school baseball season kicks off on April 27, opening day for regular season action under WIAA regulations. Over the next several weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2021 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, leading into a countdown through the official PBR Wisconsin Preseason Power 25 Rankings.

Perennially, we’ve submitted a Preseason Questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state. Their responses have been flooding in and we’re using the detailed insight they’ve provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis.These preseason previews are also assembled with the help of Joe Waite and his comprehensive Baseball Wisconsin Yearbook, and the 2021 edition will soon be available for purchase here.

Our 2021 preseason coverage continues today.

Team: Verona Area
Preseason Rank: No. 12
2019 Record: 15-12
Conference: Big Eight
WIAA Division: 1
Head Coach: Brad D’Orazio

TOP PLAYERS

OUTLOOK

The strength of this Verona team, on paper, lies within its pitching staff. This is a roster without any real obvious holes, but its rotation projects to be among the most effective in the state, led by senior RHP and Bradley recruit Jacob Kisting. Kisting’s a 6-foot-5, 190-pound athlete who enjoyed his 2020 as one of the year’s biggest winners. 

He turned heads at July’s Badger State Battle as a high-follow uncommitted incoming senior then, and he ended his big summer with a commitment to that Peoria, Ill., mid-major. Before he gets to Bradley, Kisting will operate as this squad’s go-to arm. Last year, he showed 86-89 mph velocity from a loose, quick arm, and his lean, upside frame suggests there’s still more ceiling to go. He rounds out his arsenal with two distinct breaking balls, a slider and curveball, with the former flashing more frequent sharp spin, although the latter has improved throughout his prep career. Having an ace-type arm is essential to compete inside the Big Eight, and Kisting is just that.

Jacob Kisting (7/14/20)

There’s a handful more dependable arms set to reinforce Kisting inside this rotation. Junior INF/RHP Nick West is one of the top two-way talents in the state’s 2022 class, and he’ll have a big role near the front of this staff and at the center of this lineup. West represented Team Wisconsin at the PBR Future Games as a physical 6-foot-1, 185-pound athlete. His switch-hit bat generates loud exit speeds from both batter’s boxes, from noteworthy bat and hand speed. At our Madison showcase in mid-March, West also sat in the mid-80s on the mound, up to 87 mph, with above-average feel for his curveball-changeup offspeed combination.

Senior RHP Andres Kleinsek is a 5-foot-11, 185-pound arm who will provide quality innings for the Wildcats this spring, spotting up all three of his pitches for strikes on a consistent basis to form a comfortable starter’s profile, highlighting Verona’s on-mound depth.

Junior right-handed pitchers Garrett Jones, Charlie McChesney, and Logan Neuroth contribute to the team’s substantial pitching depth, but consider them more than just depth pieces. Jones is a high-end athlete with some two-way appeal for the Wildcats, though it works best on the mound right now. His low-80s fastball plays up, with jump from the hand, complemented by a tight knuckle-curve and aggressive changeup. McChesney’s a strike-thrower inside a durable build, and he sat 84-85 mph at that same Madison-area showcase in March. His three-pitch feel could earn him plenty of innings this spring. And Neuroth has upside levers, listed at 6-foot-2, 160 pounds, and yet another two-way profile for head coach Brad D’Orazio to consider this spring.

Offensively, Verona will surround the aforementioned West with multiple upperclassmen, including senior INF James Rae, who’s a top-100 prospect in the state’s senior class. Rae brings an experienced presence to this lineup and there’s upside offensively nestled inside his 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame, while his glove can be an asset for this team on the infield. He’s a natural-born hitter, capable of being relied on as the team’s main run-producer. 

James Rae (7/14/20)

Junior N.J. Elias took another step forward this winter, as he showcased at our Madison I.D. There, Elias had one of the best statistical performances of the event – he ran a 6.75, topped 91 mph across the diamond, 97 to home, and he averaged an exit speed of 92.7 mph, with a 97.6 max. Elias’ simple right-handed swing figures to be crucial to the Wildcats’ spring, as the lineup comes with some preseason question marks, as compared to the team’s deep pitching staff.

N.J. Elias (3/14/21)

More juniors like C/OF Mason Fink and INF Garrett Hoppe will help extend the quality of this lineup. Fink has previously shown advanced catcher actions, though his athleticism could help him slot in elsewhere. Hoppe’s a physical right-handed hitter who we’ve seen exhibit natural bat-to-ball skills, allowing his in-game power potential to threaten opposing pitching.

Seniors 1B John Ferguson and C Colby Davis help offer this daily order some more experience, simply as older, talented members of this roster. Davis’ duties behind the plate are particularly important, as he’s become a quality backstop and receiver, and those skills should allow this rotation to comfortably and confidently pitch to their senior backstop.

The fact that Verona is well-covered by upperclass talent is what has us optimistic about their chances to make a postseason run, but there are a couple sophomores who could earn playing time in 2021: C/OF Mason Armstrong and LHP Riley Peterson. Armstrong’s built at a strong 6-foot, 195 pounds, and he showed above-average bat strength for his age at the Madison I.D., consistently working on the barrel throughout his BP round. He’s a quality defender behind the plate as well with athletic actions and quick catch-and-throw skills to pair. Though there’s some reliable catcher talent ahead of him, Armstrong’s bat might be the reason he earns his share of at-bats as a sophomore this season.

BOTTOM LINE 

The pitching at this Verona program provides the Wildcats with a game-in-game-out chance to win, even against the likes of the members inside this historically heavyweight conference. And while they might be lacking experienced offensive pieces, the daily lineup will be comprised of a handful of seniors and reinforced by a talented junior group. It’s a balanced, competitive roster with the recipe to earn a shot at state later this season.

Make sure to follow @PBRWisconsin on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2021 season.

Find more information on the 2021 Wildcats below:

+ Team Website
+ Team Schedule
+ Team Twitter

PRESEASON POWER 25 COUNTDOWN