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Top 10 Stories of 2023: No. 3 Alex Alicea Named PBR Wisconsin POTY After Electric Spring

December 28, 2023
By: Maddox Durst
Staff Writer

At the end of each calendar year, the PBR Wisconsin staff reflects back on the 10 most intriguing headlines that surrounded the baseball scene in the Badger State. Through the end of the month, we will break down the most impactful storylines from an eventful 2023 campaign, ending with our No. 1 story revealed Dec. 30.

SS Alex Alicea (St. Thomas More, 2023; Louisville) received the PBR Wisconsin Player of the Year in June after a season of excellence in his final spring as a member of the Cavaliers’ program.

His presence on the diamond for St. Thomas More proved to be a difference-maker in their 2023 campaign. The team finished with an overall record of 27-3 as runner-ups in the Division 2 field. Out of all of the groups in the WIAA, the Cavaliers were arguably the best team to not win a state championship in 2023.

Much of their success had to do with the skill set that Alicea brought to the table.

It was most noteworthy on the offensive side of the ball, where Alicea’s switch-hitting prowess and game-changing speed was on full display this past spring. In a strong 5-foot-8, 150-pound frame, Alicea batted .500 – earning 51 hits in 102 at bats.

His .587 on-base percentage resulted in the frustration of his opponents, mostly with his work on the basepaths – where Alicea was notoriously known for swiping bags. The Louisville commit entered the season with 46 stolen bases – seeking to raise that number as his senior season progressed.

He did so, as Alicea tallied 57 stolen bases and finished with 103 in his career. The most significant part of his accomplishment: The senior was flawless in his stolen base attempts in 2023. Alicea was never caught on the bags – turning leadoff singles into hypothetical doubles and triples with just a couple of extra pitches.

The shortstop’s athleticism and smarts on the basepaths was the igniter for the Cavaliers, who took full advantage of his play. It set up the middle of their order, and allowed St. Thomas More to score in an instant – something that opposing teams learned in a hurry.

Head coach Tim Schultz and the Cavaliers were undefeated against non-Division 1 competition for the entirety of this past spring, until they ran into the eventual Division 2 champions in Denmark. Much of that had to do with Alicea’s defensive play, too.

He manned the shortstop position and performed at one of the highest levels in not only Wisconsin, but the Midwest as well. At the shortstop position, he was nearly perfect as a defender in 84 total chances. The dynamic athlete turned 13 double plays, too – a number that often remains in the single digits for most prep baseball players.

As his play on both ends of the field translated on the high school stage, Alicea’s pure athleticism and grit allowed him to excel at the college level this past fall.

Now a freshman at Louisville, Alicea made a name for himself in the Cardinals’ annual Omaha Challenge. In numerous challenges – including sprinting the stairs of L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium late into the night – Alicea was seen as one of the leaders in each competition.

Just a month ago, Alicea was crowned the individual champion of the challenge – showcasing his motor and competitiveness on the college stage. It was those traits the state of Wisconsin was able to witness throughout the entirety of his prep career – concluding at Fox Cities Stadium in June.

Alicea’s illustrious career was one of the best in the Badger State, as our staff is excited to see what he can produce in the ACC this upcoming spring. The freshman exemplifies the known shortstop talent to come from Wisconsin – maintaining a developing lineage of athletic middle infielders who blossom at the next level after dominating the WIAA for multiple years.

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