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Wisconsin Class of 2021 Rankings Update

December 2, 2020
By Andy Sroka
Illinois and Wisconsin Assistant Director

With the year’s 2020 events officially in the books, and showcase analysis and video published, it’s time to tidy up the state’s 2021 rankings. Around this time each year, we take a quick look at the rankings and make a typically modest amount of movement around the board following the handful of fall events we either hosted or scouted.

In Wisconsin, this update includes next to no movement within the state’s top-100 rankings, but we expand the board by 10 names and move previously ranked seniors around after that place on the board.

We’ll break down some of the latest nuggets regarding the top players in the class, even if their ranking is unchanged, and we’ll outline the new names to know debuting within this update, too.

TOP-100 NOTES

+ It’s no surprise that SS Noah Miller (Ozaukee; Alabama commit) has retained his status as the top player in the state’s class, but his productive summer and fall only helped him further his mark on the national board. He was excellent at the plate in front of our national staff, Nathan Rode, at a September LakePoint tournament. His offensive prowess has enhanced his stock entering his draft year, and it’s becoming more and more apparent that his all-around toolset is one of the country’s best, as he’s already owned the title as one of the slickest defenders in the Midwest already – if not, the country. Miller’s No. 1 in Wisconsin and No. 33 nationally.

Noah Miller (9/11/20)

+ The state’s top-ranked arm, RHP Vincent Trapani (Eau Claire Memorial; Arkansas), impressed twice down the stretch this fall, once in Indiana and again at The Rock Complex. His fall performances helped earn him a mention on the November edition of the ‘Hotlist’, quoted here:

“Trapani was identified early on in his prep career as one of Wisconsin's top prospects for 2021, and he's only reaffirmed himself of that status since, capping his final prep summer in style. Listed at a strong and sturdy 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, Trapani works with some funk, a unique arm action that's become trademark by now. It was a concern early on, leaving scouts to wonder whether or not he'd be able to repeat it often enough to throw a starter's number of strikes, seeing as the rest of his arsenal generated genuine starter traits. However, Trapani spent the duration of this past summer establishing that his sneaky athleticism creates a smooth rhythm, allowing him to show an ability to locate his powerful fastball often enough, as well as his upside offspeed offerings, a curveball and change. The fastball is one of the Midwest's best, as demonstrated as recently as September, at the PBR Fall Championships. His inherent arm strength manufactures easy 91-94 mph velocity, and it has reached as high as 95 in front of our staff. Peripherally, the fastball also features some substantial vertical action through the zone, playing up even beyond its obviously high velo. Trapani's confidence is palpable on the mound, and his steady rhythm and eccentric fluidity should help his power arsenal translate to Arkansas upon his arrival to the SEC.”

Vincent Trapani (9/13/20)

+ Notre Dame commit Joey Spence (West Bend West) continues to take advanced swings from the left side against quality competition. He, too, enjoyed a successful trip to LakePoint in September, where he launched this home run:

+ RHP Logan Schulfer (Stevens Point Area; Wisconsin-Milwaukee) retained a top-five spot on the board after a familiar, still impressive outing at the PBR Midwest Fall Championships. There, he was up to a low-spin 94 mph with sink that effectively tunnels off his upside changeup.

+ One of the top-ranked southpaws in the state, and former Team Wisconsin member LHP Jared Lessman (St. Croix Falls), committed to the JUCO powerhouse Iowa Western in mid-September. He was the top-ranked uncommitted senior in the state prior to that announcement, who spins mid- to upper-80s velocity from a deceptive angle that plays effectively alongside his sharp breaking ball.

+ RHP/INF Grant Ross (Pewaukee; Valparaiso) helped his travel club win the Midwest Prospect League qualifier at Grand Park in late September. His trip to Florida in October was also highly successful, where he continued to locate low-90s velocity with aggression after making a velo jump earlier in the summer, first at the Badger State Battle.

+ 1B Jared Everson (La Crosse Aquinas; Minnesota) made it out to PBR Minnesota’s Fall Upperclass event where he recorded some of the day’s most impressive offensive metrics. There, he averaged a 73.9 mph bat speed at an average exit velocity of 83.9 mph, with a 94.7 mph max. He’s a sturdy, physical 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, who’s carving out muscle still and he looks capable of becoming an asset at first base.

Jared Everson (10/18/20)

+ RHP Tyler Hug (Waukesha West) remains the top-ranked uncommitted player in the state. He earned an ‘Uncommitted Spotlight’ tweet on the main Prep Baseball Report channel in October.

+ Another top uncommitted prospect, LHP Alex Hayes (Muskego), is still in search of the right fit. He’s an easy-going lefty in a sturdy build with mid-80s feel in a three-pitch mix.

+ Bay Port’s RHP Carl Cano committed to St. Thomas (MN) shortly after an excellent outing at the Senior Games, on Sept. 20. He’s a strong, athletic prospect who works out of a low release height that makes his high-spin fastball explode through the zone, topping 88 mph. And he can really break off a slider.

Carl Cano (9/20/20)

+ St. Thomas also welcomed commitments from fellow right-handers Walker Retz (Boyceville), Bryce Leedle (Markesan), Colin Dailey (Cedarburg), and C Brigs Richartz (Menomonie) since the last time we updated our rankings, joining No. 29-ranked senior OF Tanner Marsh (Mondovi). It’s fair to call all the four latest commits some of the biggest risers in the state’s 2021 class throughout this past year.

NEWCOMERS

We’re welcoming 10 names to the 2021 board, prospects making their rankings debuts. We’ve included notes on each, several of whom remain uncommitted:

Elijah Frank 3B / RHP / Bay Port, WI / 2021

NO. 105 | UW-WHITEWATER COMMIT

A powerful athlete who looks like he should be roaming around the middle of the football field as a linebacker – and he does well to translate that physicality to the diamond. He averaged 88 mph off the bat, and a high of 97, in game while effectively backspinning baseballs with natural loft to all fields. At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds of strength, Frank offers a true power profile from the right side and he applied it in-game after crushing the day’s hardest hit ball into the right-center gap for a loud double. Defensively, Frank fits a corner infield profile who might maintain the ability to stick to third base, and there’s plenty of arm to make it work. He was also up to 85 mph on the mound with some big horizontal break, as just another element of his game to keep in mind. 

George Seaman 3B / 1B / West Bend East, WI / 2021

NO. 121 | UNCOMMITTED

TrackMan helped identify him as one of, if not, the batting practice winner of the Southern Wisconsin Open. He’s built at a barrel-chested 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, and his strength produced some noteworthy left-handed juice during BP. At the exit velo station, Seaman recorded a 97 mph high, one of the day’s best, and it translated directly into his BP round where he topped that same mark in front of our TrackMan unit, averaging an exit velocity of 91.9. In addition to this batted-ball profile, Seaman’s right-handed swing also produced the event’s fastest average bat speed (75.8 mph) and hand speed (25.7 mph). Defensively, he’s a corner infielder with the upside and arm strength to grow into third base, as he topped 88 mph across the infield – the event high. 

Ethan Sawyer 2B / OF / Germantown, WI / 2021

NO. 133 | UPPER IOWA COMMIT

We had received some indications prior to Senior Games that Sawyer had put together a big summer, and we saw it first-hand at the event. Sawyer’s round of batting practice was arguably the day’s best, underscored by some especially hard pull-side contact. His approach worked in-game, too, as he notched a couple barrels, including a hard liner that split the left-center gap for a triple.

Ryan Kendziorski SS / 2B / Whitnall, WI / 2021

NO. 134 | UNCOMMITTED

Kendziorski is a lean and lanky right-handed hitter with an upside frame, listed at 6-foot-1, 170 pounds. He uses a leg-kick trigger to create whippy bat speed through the zone, with notable hand speed highlighted by the Blast device. Kendziorski also produced a max exit velocity of 92.8 mph during BP at the Southern Wisconsin Open. 

James Bornick OF / Bay Port, WI / 2021

NO. 135 | UNCOMMITTED

Bornick swings an easy left-handed bat and he recorded some of the day’s best batted-ball data, per TrackMan at the Southern Wisconsin Open. Bornick topped 95.8 mph off the bat while staying balanced in a slight pull-side approach – and he hit one of the furthest balls of the day, over 350 feet. It's a smooth, repeatable swing that should bode well at the next level.

+ Fellow prospects also debuting (or resurfacing) on the top-160: 1B Tyler Young (West Bend West; Eckerd College), C Sage Stellmacher (Markesan; Upper Iowa), C Zach Alburg (Menomonee Falls; uncommitted), LHP Kaden Pfeffer (Union Grove; uncommitted), INF Ben Johnson (New Berlin West; Carroll), and 3B Will Mattheis (Laconia; uncommitted).

Click here to view the entire Wisconsin Class of 2021 Rankings.

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