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Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 7 De Pere

March 21, 2024
By: Isaiah Glidden
Area Scout, Content

The 2024 Wisconsin high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across the Badger State.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in their respective WIAA Division State Championship, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams with this initial Preseason Power 25 release which will take us right up to first pitch.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across Wisconsin. Each week we will be releasing our Power 25, Players of the Week, Diamond Notes, Scout Blog and much more.

Our 2024 preseason coverage continues today.   

High School: De Pere Redbirds

Preseason Rank: 7
Head Coach: Bob Van Rens
WIAA Division: 1
Conference: Fox River Classic
2023 Record (Finish): 22-8 (Lost in Sectional Final)

Key Players Lost: Bryan Gerbers (Crown College)

 

ROSTER PREVIEW

Team Strengths: We will be very experienced with almost everyone back from a quality team last year. The players are hungry to take the next step after losing two years in a row in the sectional finals.
No. of Returning Starters: 8
No. of Returning Pitchers: 8

NAME STATE CLASS POS COMMITMENT
Easton Arendt WI 2024 RHP/OF Winona State
Axel Donaldson WI 2024 RHP/INF Madison JC
Javin Gauthier WI 2024 MIF Valparaiso
Landon Raygo WI 2024 LHP/1B -
Casey Trousil WI 2024 RHP -
Milo Upton WI 2024 CIF Concordia University (WI)
Carter Polfuss WI 2024 C -
Devin Weber WI 2024 INF -
Jack Nikolay WI 2024 C -
Isaac Poehlman WI 2025 1B/RHP -
Lucas Koskey WI 2025 RHP -
Caden Krutz WI 2025 RHP -
Cullen Pennings WI 2025 RHP -
Mason Seguin WI 2025 OF -
Colton Setzer WI 2026 UTIL -

X-FACTOR

+ While the Redbirds return basically their entire team from last year, none will make a bigger impact on both sides of the ball than RHP/OF Easton Arendt (2024; Winona State commit). The reigning Fox River Classic Conference Player of Year did all for De Pere last season, as he pitched to a 9-1 record while maintaining a 2.49 ERA. That was just the start for Arendt though as he also totaled a batting average of .396 while hitting towards the top of their lineup game in and game out, too. As this team's ace, he pitched in all the big games last season, highlighted by a dominant outing in their Regional Semifinals win over a talented Kimberly team and he is set to lead them on the mound yet again. Our staff has seen his fastball up to 87 mph, while also spinning in a sharp 11/5 breaking ball that consistently earns award swings and misses. Heading into his third full season at the varsity level, Arendt is just one of the many seniors on this De Pere team that are looking to end their prep careers in Appleton come June.

Easton Arendt (7/11/23)

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

+ 1B/RHP Isaac Poehlman (2025) is a physical junior that could ultimately make some quality contributions on both sides of the ball for De Pere. Just a couple of weeks ago, Poehlman made it out to our annual Madison Preseason ID, where he put together a standout showing on both sides of the ball; here is what our staff has to say regarding his performance:

“...was another physical two-way in attendance on Sunday, built at a strong 6-foot-2, 220 pounds. From a simple right-handed swing, Poehlman registered a max exit velocity of 93.4 mph and his furthest batted ball traveled 360 ft., too. On the mound, he sat in the 83-85 mph range throughout his ‘pen with a four-seam and two-seam mix. As for offspeeds, his featured a low-70s curveball with that flashed sharp and late 10/4 break. He also threw in a deceptive changeup in the upper-70s that played with over 15” of fade to his arm side.”

His physicality and two-way abilities make him a more than viable option for head coach Bob Van Rens heading into this season.

Isaac Poehlman (7/2/23)

TEAM OUTLOOK

This De Pere team has been playing together for a number of years now and they have been successful too. After going 22-8 last year and finishing in four-way tie for first place in conference, the Redbirds cruised through the playoffs. That was until they ran into a buzzsaw Hortonville team in the Sectional Finals, a team who had one of the deadliest one-two punches in the state. In 2024 they will be looking to get over the hump and make a trip to Appleton, something they have fallen one game short of the past two seasons.

On the mound, they bring back all of their innings pitched from last year. RHP/INF Axel Donaldson (2024; Madison JC commit) will hold down the top part of this pitching rotation with the aforementioned Arendt. Last year Donaldson created some late season buzz for himself in De Pere’s Sectional Semifinal matchup with Kimberly, when he came in and closed the narrow win while sitting in the mid-80s. Then during the summer, he continued to impress at Prep Baseball at The Rock Open tournament, where he featured a similar mid-80s heater while flipping in a sharp curveball that helped him earn 10 strikeouts in his six innings of work.

Their experience on the bump doesn’t stop there though as both LHP/1B Landon Raygo (2024) and RHP Casey Trousil (2024) were big pieces in last year’s sectional finalist team. Raygo, who is an intimidating presence on the mound, pitched to just a .79 ERA last season en route to a 3-1 record. As for Trousil, he logged a 5-2 record while pitching to a 3.65 ERA; both of them will be relied upon arguably even more this season out of the ‘pen and in the starting rotation.

RHP Lucas Koskey, RHP Caden Krutz, and RHP Cullen Pennings are a trio of juniors that are also expected to see some quality time on the mound this season and they certainly add to the overall depth of this talented staff.

One bat who could have the biggest impact on the success of De Pere this season is SS Javin Gauthier (2024; Valparaiso commit). Currently ranked No. 36 in our Class of 2024 Rankings, Gauthier swings a smooth left-handed bat that has produced exit velocities upwards of 95 mph. He is also expected to hold down shortstop this season, which is nothing new for him, where he is a sure-handed defender that will offer consistent defense all season long for De Pere.

Javin Gauthier (7/2/23)

Outside of Gauthier, plenty of names previously listed will also be key pieces in the offensive efforts for the Redbirds. Landon Raygo is coming off a season in which he batted just under .400, and also provided some big time power in the heart of De Pere’s lineup. Axel Donaldson surpassed the .300 mark last season, and he is set to do more of the same this season.

CIF Milo Upton (2024; Concordia University (WI) commit) and C Carter Polfuss (2024) are two other experienced bats expected to see time in the starting lineup, with Polfuss batting .424 and Upton .282 respectively.

Rounding out the offense will be OF Mason Sequin (2025), INF Devin Weber (2024), and C Jack Nikolay (2024), who are looking to contribute during their first full seasons at the varsity level.

One underclassmen on this season-laden team is Colton Setzer (2026), who head coach Bob Van Rens called a “late season speed demon.”

BOTTOM LINE

+ As always, the FRCC is going to be one of the most competitive conferences in the state and despite the talent throughout, De Pere is shaping up to be the team to beat. They have one of the most experienced teams in Wisconsin and possess depth throughout the entirety of their squad. Their season kicks off on April 4th with a conference matchup against Green Bay Southwest.

Find more information on the 2024 De Pere program below:

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