The 2023 PBR MN Scout Blog provides insider information, videos and scouting notes collected by the PBR MN Scouting Staff through this year's spring season. This running blog will feature information on underclass prospects, unsigned seniors, draft prospects, and anything else that is notable. We will provide a wide range of information, including player evaluations, videos, velocities, pop times, home to first times, and more. Simply put, the PBR Minnesota Scout Blog is loaded with information.

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PBR MN SCOUT BLOG

June 2nd

Mounds View – 2 vs. Champlin Park – 1
Section 5AAAA Semifinal

7:00pm @ Osseo High School 

+ A trip to the section 5AAAA championship game was on the line Friday evening, leading to a tightly contested pitcher’s duel between Drew Rogers and Andrew Rakow. The game had a total of just ten hits, and three of those hits were each solo home runs. That was the only scoring of the game.

+ The number 1 ranked player in Minnesota’s 2024 grad class had quite the evening and showed up when his team needed him most. Rogers went two-for-three, and one left the yard in just the second at-bat of the game, the only offense for the first five innings. The Georgia Tech commit took the ball on the mound and went six solid innings for the Mustangs. Rogers allowed four hits, one earned run, and struck out 10 Rebels on 82 pitches. He featured an 88-90 mph fastball that touched 91 mph and paired with a 75-78 mph breaking ball.

 

 

+ The Champlin Park Rebels looked to Andrew Rakow, who did his part on the mound and in the box. The lone Rebel run was scored in the bottom of the 6th when he launched a ball to right field off Rogers. Rakow went one for two in the game with a walk. On the mound, the southpaw went all seven innings, allowing six hits, two earned runs, and striking out seven batters. The Creighton Blue Jay commit showed a fastball between 84-87 mph that went nicely with a 71-73 mph breaking ball.

 

 

+ Other notables were Mounds View’s third baseman and St. John’s commit Tanner Hoemann who scored the only other run of the game with his solo shot in the top half of the 6th inning. 2024 and Iowa commit Tyler Guerin also came up big, closing the door in the 7th for Mounds View. Guerin was pumping 90-91 mph with his fastball and took just nine pitches in his lone inning of work.

+ Mounds View will wait to see who they play with Maple Grove, Spring Lake Park, and Champlin Park are all still alive in the elimination bracket.

June 1st, 2023
St. Thomas Academy – 11 vs. Two Rivers – 1
Section 3AAA Semifinal

1:30PM @ Richfield High School

+ On an afternoon of forecasted rain, the storms stayed away long enough for a Section 3AAA semifinal game with Two Rivers and St. Thomas Academy. Starting on the mound was Northwestern commit and #11 ranked player in the Minnesota 2024 class JD Dobis. The strong-bodied RHP showed athleticism down the slope throwing from a high ¾ slot. He worked primarily with a running fastball which sat 84-86 mph T87 early and settled at 82-84 mph after the third. Dobis flashed a slider that had slurve movements, moved to be out to a sweeping slider later in his outing at 74-77 mph. As well as on the mound, Dobis also got the offense started with a 2-RBI double in the first.

+ Junior Future games alum and 2026 grad Patrick Karlen showed up and was a leader for his Warrior pitching staff. The catcher showed maturity on defense with smooth receiving and blocking movements with an in-between inning pop time of 2.15. Karlen barreled balls with a short, compact swing and a fast lower half. Karlen has plenty of room for strength and is currently ranked 7th in the Minnesota 2026 class.

+ Uncommitted 2023 Gavin Engelbert got the offense started and stayed hot the whole day for the Cadets. The first baseman showed plus bat-to-ball skills and already has a presence in the box. Lots of bat speed and a gap-to-gap approach landed him a double and a single on the day.

+ 2024 Eli Chandler got the lone RBI for the Warriors, barreling a hard ground ball through the left side.

+ Playoff baseball atmosphere and a game that just got away from Two Rivers in the last inning, giving up seven runs. Both teams are still alive in the section tournament, with the Cadets moving on to the championship game and Two Rivers in the elimination bracket.

May 31st, 2023
Cretin Derham Hall - 12   White Bear - Lake 5

1pm @ Northwestern College

+ It was hot in St Paul as we watched the top-ranked Cretin Derham Hall Raiders take on the White Bear Lake Bears. Starting on the mound for Cretin was uncommitted ‘23 Justin Benjamin Jr. The righty used his 84-86 mph fastball and attacked hitters all day with multiple pitches to get six strikes outs and go 4 1/3 and give up four earned runs. Benjamin also showed his bat by hitting a two-run shot to give Cretin the early 2-0 lead.

+ CDH’s versatile lineup showed why we have them as the number 1 team in our rankings. Leadoff hitter and uncommitted ‘23 Trey Gnetz showed an advanced approach with power in the leadoff spot by collecting two extra base hits and a couple of runs scored.

+ Maryland Commit and ‘24 PJ Jones had a day going 4-4 with two home runs. Jones showed patience and the ability to go the other way, with one of his home runs being to the opposite field.

+ Gopher Commit Jack Taxdahl had a couple of good at bats, including a double off the left field wall to extend the Raiders lead to 5 early in the game.

+ For White Bear, uncommitted ‘23 Aiden Welch took the mound for the Bears. Welch showed his ability to go deep into games by throwing his fastball at 80-82 and his slider at 70-73 for five innings, keeping White Bear within striking distance for most of the game.

+ Concordia St Paul commit Kaden Johnson paced the offense for the Bears with a couple of knocks and some RBIs to show.


May 31st, 2023
Lakeville South - 4    Farmington - 3

5pm @ Lakeville South High School

+ Extra innings were required to finish this battle in the 1AAAA quarterfinals between the Lakeville South Cougars and the Farmington Tigers.

+ Getting the ball for the Cougars was Concordia St Paul commit Ian Segna. After giving up one earned run in the first, Farmington wouldn’t have another off Segna the rest of the game. Segna showed why he’s a starting pitcher by throwing three pitches for strikes and drawing weak contact in his five innings. Segna’s used his 82-85 mph fastball to get ahead and his 73-76 mph slider as an out pitch, leading to his success for the day. Segna also had a clutch 2-run HR to tie it in the 5th for the Cougars.

+ Bethel commit Brandon Witter was stellar out of the pen. Witter’s funky 3/4 slot showed tough for hitters as he went 3 IP and 0 ER.

+ Cedarville commit Tate Marland had a couple of big plays on both sides of the ball in this game. In the 6th inning, Marland threw out what would be the go-ahead run for Farmington, and then in the bottom of the 8th, Marland had the game-winning sac fly to win it for the Cougars.

+ For the Tigers, starting pitching would keep them in this game. Winona State commit Owen Schmidt was dominant for seven innings, only giving up two earned runs. Schmidt’s mid 80’s fastball and sharp slider kept the South offense at bay. Schmidt’s day was over at seven innings while racking up seven strikeouts.

+ On the offensive side of things for Farmington, uncommitted ‘24 Dillon Carlson played a big part in this one. Carlson had 2 hits, showing a ton of speed on the base paths while also drawing a 10-pitch bases-loaded walk that extended the lead for Farmington early on. 

 

May 29, 2023
Lakeville North – 5 vs.  Burnsville  – 2

4:30PM @ Lakeville North High School

+ It was a beautiful day for some Memorial Day baseball at Panther Field as the first round of section 3AAAA playoffs began. Squaring off was the Lakeville North Panthers as they hosted the Burnsville Blaze.

+ Starting on the mound for the Panthers was right-hander Teddy Juaire. The uncommitted 2025 grad showed good command for multiple pitches which let him go deep into the ballgame. His fastball was 81-83 mph which was paired with a slider that was 70-73 mph. He kept hitters off balance all day as he was able to go 6 2/3 and secure the Win. Juaire also had himself a solid day at the plate by hitting a solo shot in the 2nd.

+ His opposition was uncommitted ’24 Nick Discher. The right-hander mixed well and attacked hitters with his 83-86 mph fastball that went well with his off speed. Discher’s ability to keep the panthers guessing by consistently throwing breaking balls to right-handed hitters and changeups to left handed hitters was why he was able to rack up 6 punch outs in his 4 innings of work.

+ Uncommitted 2023 Nick Meuser came out of the Blaze bullpen and did a good job of escaping a jam in the 5th. Mesuer was in the zone with his 84-86 mph fastball and only gave up 1 hit in his 2 innings of work. Meuser also showed some offense as he had a double along with some other quality at bats.

+ On the offensive side of things for the Panthers, a couple clutch hits were the difference maker in this one. St. Johns commit Will Wareham had himself a day having 2 hits and squaring up baseballs all game. Sawyer Perry had a big double that gave the Panthers the lead. The lefty had a huge opposite field double off the fence to drive in 2 runs. DCTC commit Chase Flaskey and uncommitted ’24 Cal Schmelzle showed why the are hitting in the top of the panthers order as they both had some clutch opposite field hits to add some insurance late.

 

May 23, 2023

Rosemount – 3 vs. Prior Lake – 0

7pm @ Memorial Field, Prior Lake

+ On a gorgeous late spring evening, South Suburban Conference rivals Rosemount and Prior Lake faced off at Memorial Park in Prior Lake. The game featured two experienced senior pitchers going head-to-head. South Dakota State commit Tyus Smith started for Prior Lake. The tall right-hander started slow, allowing the first three batters to reach via a single and two walks, but limited the damage by allowing only one run in the first. After that, he settled in and retired 13 of the next 14 hitters between the latter part of the first through the fifth inning.

+ Smith featured a fastball that consistently sat 85-86 mph, a 77-78 mph change-up with some arm side run, and a 70-72 mph curve with some 10/4 break. After those first three hitters, he showed plus command with the fastball and curveball, coming from his ¾ delivery and generating a lot of swing and miss. His final stat line was 5.1 innings, eight strikeouts, two walks, four hits, and two earned runs. 

+ For Rosemount, lefthanded Concordia commit Liam Bystol was even more effective. Although not overpowering, his 77-78 mph fastball, 64-65 mph curveball, and 68-69 mph change-up kept the Prior Lake hitters off balance all night and generated a lot of soft contact. He came from a ¾-to-low ¾ arm slot and located his curveball well. Although he scattered nine hits, he showed excellent poise pitching out of traffic in several innings. At one point in the bottom of the sixth, he gave up a leadoff single and then picked the runner off, and the very next batter gave up a double and then picked that runner off with a deceptive inside move to second. 

 

+ Bystol was helped by some excellent defense, highlighted by an outfield assist from LF Will Harder, who threw out a runner at home attempting to score in the bottom of the 3rd. The drama ended in the final out as Bystol had to pitch out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the 7th. All this assisted with his complete game shutout gem—Bystol's stat line: 7 innings, nine hits, three strikeouts, and one walk. 

+ On the offensive side, the hitting star of the night was DCTC commit Jun Moeller for Rosemount. The senior second baseman had two singles, scored a run, and drove in a run, providing the margin of difference for the Irish.

 

May 22nd

Rogers – 2 vs. Stillwater – 7

4:30pm @ Stillwater Area High School

+ Last year’s 4AAAA champions hosted the Rogers Royals in a non-conference game Monday evening. It was early for the Ponies, who then pulled away by scoring in the third and every inning after. What looked to be a bullpen game on the mound, Stillwater sent out five arms with Luther College recruit Andrew Harris starting, 2025 Alexander Oehlke going the next two, Karson Foster followed with two innings with 2025 AJ Levy and Mac Wolden finishing the game in the 7th. Harris was 80-83 mph with the fastball in his two innings, allowing one hit and striking out four.

+ The Stillwater offense was led by ’25 Blake Vanek, who went 2-for-3 with a home run, two rbi, and two runs scored. ’25 Joe Fredkove also had a pair of hits, and Creighton University recruit ’23 Mason McCurdy went 2-for-4 with two rbi.

 

+ Similar game on the mound for Rogers with four arms throwing between 2023 Nathan Garding and 2024 Riane Ritter (St. Thomas) going two innings a piece, followed by two 2023s Joey Koch and Jack Berry (DCTC) finishing the game. Ritter sat 85-87 mph in his innings of work.

 

+ The Royals offense tallied just three hits between ’23 Noah Gordon (NDSU), Joey Koch, and Nolan Geerdes, who had a double.

 

May 18th

Maple Grove – 2 vs. Minneapolis Southwest - 1

4:30pm @ Maple Grove HS

+ This late-season non-conference matchup featured a pitching duel with some outstanding defense in a game completed in roughly 90 minutes. Minneapolis Southwest threw Louis Walker (2024), and Maple Grove threw 2026 right-hander Evan O’Dwyer. Walker, a 6-4 lanky lefty with a very projectable body, features a low ¾ delivery and consistently sat 81-82 (T83) with his fastball, 74-75 with his changeup, and 69-70 with his curve. He gave up one run in the first two innings but settled in nicely through the next four innings, commanding the strike zone and maintaining his velocity throughout his outing. He pitched six strong innings, striking out 5, walking three, and yielding five hits (all singles, one of which was an infield hit). Maple Grove ran on him early in the game, with three stolen bases in the first two innings, but Walker adjusted nicely by varying his looks and picking off two baserunners with a deceptive pick-off move. Throughout his outing, he induced a lot of soft contact and worked uptempo.

 

+ O’Dwyer for Maple Grove also went six innings, mixing a 78 mph fastball with a 65 mph curve and 68 mph slider. Although he didn’t generate a lot of swing-and-miss, there was not a lot of hard contact either. He helped his cause by driving in the decisive run with a hard single to RF in the second inning. His final line was six innings, six hits (all singles), one run, three strikeouts, and one walk.

+ On the defensive side, both shortstops showed they could flash some leather. Maple Grove’s Sam Kliber (2023 UMD Commit) took away a sure single ranging to his glove side up the middle and almost took away another with an outstanding backhand play in the hole, showing his arm strength and just missing throwing out the runner at first.

 

+ For Minneapolis Southwest, in the bottom of the sixth, 2024 Will Johnson made three consecutive difficult plays coming in hard on slow rollers, having to throw off-balance from different arm slots. Also, for Minneapolis Southwest, 2023 catcher Andrew Fazio showed good mobility and plus-receiving skills behind the plate, delivering two critical punchouts, and throwing out would-be base stealers at 2B with 2.1-2.15 in-game pop times.

 

 

May 16th

Southwest Christian – 18 vs. Holy Family – 7

4:30pm @ Victoria Lions Park

+ A Wright County East matchup from Tuesday evening saw the Holy Family Fire host the Southwest Christian Stars. Plenty of offense in this one, with the game having a combined 25 hits and 25 runs. Max Weigert led the way offensively for the Stars going 4-for-4 with three runs scored and five rbi. Weigert had eight total bases, including a double and a home run. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound RHP/OF also started on the mound and saw the fastball play at 79-81 mph with a breaking ball at 67-68 mph.

+ The Stars also had hits from seven other players where Eli Hoffman (2024), AJ Newell (2024), and Zach Trettin (2025) all had multi hits games, with Hoffman collecting three hits, one of which was a double.

+ 2024 grad Jameson Quinn led the Fire offense. Quinn, currently ranked 80th in Minnesota’s 2024 class, went 3-for-4 at the plate. Two hits went for doubles, and he scored two runs and an RBI. Quinn also started for Holy Family on the mound, where his fastball worked 80-83 mph and worked both a curveball at 67-58 mph and slider at 70-71 mph.

+ Holy Family’s offense had hits from six other players, with 2024 Troy Poppitz going 2-for-3 with a walk, run scored, and RBI.

+ These two teams met for the second time this season, with Southwest Christian winning both games. Holy Family currently sits at 10-5 on the year and in third place in the conference, while 5-6 Southwest Christian sits in fourth place.

May 15th

Prior Lake – 0 vs. Shakopee – 7

7pm @ Joe Schleper Stadium

+ On a gorgeous night for baseball, The Prior Lake Lakers traveled to Shakopee to face the Sabers in a South Suburban Conference match-up. Uncommitted 2024 grad Hudson Johnson got the start for Prior Lake. The Laker’s lefty worked smoothly down the mound and has a strong frame with a clean arm action from a low ¾ slot. Johnson worked with a fastball at 84-86 T87 and a change-up at 80-82 all night. He also flashed two breaking balls, a curveball at 70-72 and a tight slider at 75-76. The lefty struggled with command but got out of trouble with the fastball and change-up primarily. The 6’2, 206-pound arm is currently ranked 18th in the 2024 class.

+ 2024 grad Ryan Vosper had a night for the Sabers, driving the ball to all fields. The strong-bodied third baseman featured a short compact swing with plenty of juice in the bat.The uncommitted third baseman tallied two hits and loud contact.

+ Two 2024 grads for the Lakers had great at-bats. Outfielder Hayden Anthony showed strength at the plate, driving a double to deep left and a couple of hard outs. Linus Fleek also put up great at-bats, demonstrating the ability to drive balls to all fields. The catcher worked hard defensively with great movements to block and had an in-game pop time of 2.25.

+ St. Cloud State commit Alex Duncan (2023) showed lots of pop for the Sabers, smashing a double off the top of the wall in right field for a bases-clearing double, giving Shakopee the 7-0 lead for good. Duncan generated lots of bat speed and pop on all swings.

May 11th

 

#7 Chanhassen - 4 vs. Chaska – 5

7pm @ Chaska Athletic Ballpark

+ A beautiful night for rivalry baseball as the #7 ranked Chanhassen Storm made the short driveto Athletic Park to face the Chaska Hawks. Chaska trusted in senior Maddox Foss to take theball. Foss with a compact build worked quickly from a high ¾ slot. The Augustana commit worked primarily with his fastball at 86-88 T89 mph and a big sweeping slider at 78-80 mph. He mixed in a change-up at 80-82 mph as well as a curveball at 72-75 mph to drop in for strikes keeping the Storm hitters off balance all night.

+ Uncommitted 2023 RHP Everett Foudray toed the rubber for the Storm in the matchup. Foudray features an athletic build with room for more velocity throwing from a ¾ slot. The Chanhassen senior sat 82-85 T86  mph with sink and settled into 80-84 mph in the late innings. He flashed a tight slider at 77-78 mph and a change-up at 76-78 mph.

+ The scoring would start when Foss helped his own cause when drove in a run on an RBI infield single. He would add a double down the line as well and went 2-4 on the day. 2024 OF Sam Macy would double to deep center field to drive in a run for Chanhassen. The Storm would follow up with Mason Lang who pummeled a 2-run homerun to right field giving the Storm a 4-2 lead. The SDSU commit showed good movements behind the plate, popping a 2.16 in between innings. Chaska would respond with 2 runs on a wild pitch and the game would be sent to extras.

+ Out of the bullpen for Chaska came 2026 grad Parker Killian. The young righty came up big for the Hawks picking up two strikeouts in his inning of work. He sat 83-85 T86 mph with the fastball and worked 74-77 mph with the slider. Tons of room for strength in the freshman and a strong follow in Minnesota's 2026 class.The Hawks would get a rally started in the bottom of the 8th when 2025 Jacob Welter drove a double down the right field line. Followed up by Karsen Atteberry drawing a walk off single through the right side giving Chaska a 5-4 win. Chaska moves to 4-3 in the Metro West Conference while #7 Chanhassen moves to 6-1 in the conference.

 

May 10th

Minneapolis South – 10 vs. Minneapolis Washburn – 9

6pm @ Parade Stadium

+ A back and forth battle Wednesday evening took place at the scenic Parade Stadium that saw most of the scoring come later in the game. South looked to 2025 lefty Oliver Lindstrom who started on the mound. Lindstrom has a long and lanky profile at 6’2, 180-pounds. The uncommitted arm had his fastball working between 82-86 mph with run and mixed in a slider at 74-75 mph and change-up at 76-77 mph. Lindstrom threw well, going 6 innings, allowing 6 hits, and striking out 12. Currently ranked 23^rd in the 2025 rankings, the young arm looks promising for the next few years and should be an arm to keep eyes on.

 

+ AJ Menth led the way offensively for Minneapolis South. Menth who will be heading to Southeastern in the fall had a 3-hit night, drove in 3 runs, one being the game winner and also picked up the win on the mound.

+ Washburn saw hit from 8 of their 9 starters and collecting 11 hits total in the game. Ryan Coffman who is ranked 47^th in the 2024 class rankings went 2 for 4 with two runs scored. The right fielder barrel both of his hits for singles and also stole two bags. The uncommitted bat is having a nice year so far leading the team in hitting with a .441 average.

+ Tommy Lyman and Riley Jensen each went 2 for 4, Lyman scored two runs and drove in a run while Jensen scored one run and drove in a pair.

 

May 9th

Hill-Murray – 1 vs. Mahtomedi – 10

4:20pm @ Mahtomedi High School

+ On a cloudy spring day, the Hill-Murray Pioneers traveled to Mahtomedi for a Metro East Conference Matchup. Mahtomedi gave the ball to sophomore left-hander Ethan Felling. The southpaw moved aggressively down the mound and attacked the Hill-Murray hitters all game. He cruised at 86-87 mph throughout his six innings of work. Felling mixed a sweeping slider at 72-75 mph and a changeup at 78-79 mph with fade to keep batters honest. The Pioneers jumped on the Zephyrs early with an RBI single from David Rozek (2025), making it 1-0 Hill-Murray. Rozek's hit was the only hard contact of the day against the live arm.

+ Mahtomedi started their scoring off with help from Future Games alum Josh Donna with an RBI single. Donna would collect three hits during his day with plenty of loud contact, and defensively, the Zephyrs shortstop showed great range while flashing his arm strength on plays in the hole. Mahtomedi would take the lead for good when St. John's (MN) commit Sam Garry smashed a 2-run home run to left center to give the Zephyrs a 5-1 lead. The catcher showed maturity behind the dish catching a higher-velocity pitcher. He showed smooth movements blocking and receiving, and an above-average arm.

+ The Zephyrs and Pioneers will square off again tomorrow night to conclude their head-to-head regular season meetings. Mahtomedi looks strong, and in contention for a deep playoff run and a team nobody in 3A will want to run into coming playoff time. Both teams move to 8-3 in the Metro East.

 

May 8th

Game 1: Chanhassen – 4 vs. Waconia – 1

4:00pm @ Waconia Lions Field

+ In game one of the doubleheader Wildcats sent Landon Majerus (2025); Majerus is currently Minnesota’s number 2 ranked right-handed in the class of 2025 to the mound. Listed at 6-foot-5, the big-framed, uncommitted right-hander worked downhill with his fastball early, overpowering the Storm lineup the first time through the order. The power-armed Majerus worked in and out of traffic, leaving runners in scoring position for two consecutive innings. Majerus’ final line was four innings with only two hits allowed and five strikeouts, walking six Storm batters as well. 

+ Ryan Schutter, a senior commit to Gustavus, was effective in relief for Chanhassen. The right-hander has a short-arm action with a low-80s fastball, changeup, and a short-break curve. He limited the Wildcats to two hits with five strikeouts over five innings to earn the win.

+ Chanhassen‘s lineup was led by senior center fielder Carson Pollman who went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. The wiry-framed outfielder showed a whippy barrel through the zone and sprayed the ball to all fields, driving a single to left and hitting his double to right. 

+ Waconia’s lone run resulted from a Jacob Weir (2024) walk in the first inning. The Wildcats’ shortstop drew a leadoff walk and came home on a Reed Klatt ground out. Weir, PBR Minnesota’s number 12 ranked shortstop in the class of 2024, finished game one going 1-for-3, and the run scored. 

Game 2: Chanhassen – 8 vs. Waconia – 3

7:00pm @ Waconia Lions Field

+ In game two of the doubleheader, Chanhassen rolled out Southern Miss commit Josh Och. The right-handed Och throws from a low three-quarter slot with a fastball that can reach 90 miles an hour with elite life up in the zone. The number 3 ranked right-handed pitcher in the class of 2023 mixed his fastball with a combination of a curve, slider, and changeup. In his second inning of work, the right-hander faltered command-wise allowing five consecutive Wildcat hitters to reach, but limited the damage to two runs. The two-time Future Game alum worked four innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out seven (five of which were looking).

 

+ Maddux Schrupp (2024) led Waconia‘s offense by going 2-for-2, including a double off of Och in the second inning, and scored one of the Wildcats’ three runs. Schrupp also started game 2 for Waconia and lasted two innings. On the mound, Schrupp worked downhill with his fastball but did not locate a secondary pitch. 

+ In game two of the doubleheader, Chanhassen’s offense was again led by Carson Pollman. Pollman went 2-for-3 with two runs driven in and scored another himself. He also showed off his sub-7.0 speed by stealing a base.

May 6th

Duluth Marshall – 10 vs. Breck – 1

10:00am @ Breck High School

+ Making the long trek down from Duluth, The Hilltoppers travled to take on Breck in a Saturday morning battle. 2025 south paw Owen Marsolek took the ball and was impressive to say the least. Confident on the mound, attacked aggressively in the zone and attacked hitters early and working a head. His fastball was heavy at 84-86 mph and had arm side run. The breaking ball worked with a 1/7 break between 69-70 mph and showed good depth, shape and occasionally late break, and mixed in a change-up at 74-76 with fade and sink. Marsolek located to both sides of the plate going 8 innings, striking out 16 and allowing just 3 hits. He also helped himself by going 3 for 5, with 3 doubles and driving in one run. A simple quiet load and has a gap to gap approach with feel for the barrel. Marsolek is a Jr. Future Games alum.

 

+ Marsolek’s partner was 2025 catcher Max Berrisford. Another Junior Future Games Alumi, who looks to be filling out his 6-foot-3 frame. Solid glove work behind the plate, keeps everything in front of him, calls and controls the good. Berrisford has a strong arm with accuracy and popped 2:14-2:16s between innings. At the plate showed some juice in the barrel to the pull side. 

 

+ The Hilltopper offense saw hits from nine different players with multiple hit games from 2026 Charlie Hayden, 2027 Maxtin Linn and 2024 Owen Hayden

+ For Breck 2025 Colin Mitchell has been outstanding so far for the Mustangs. The 1B/LHP hits from the left side and shows confidence in the box. Strength present and a controlled repeatable swing and works to the mid/pull side with his approach. Mitchell finished the game going 1 for 3 and is hitting .500 so far half way through the spring season.

 

May 4th 

Eagan – 2 at #6 Eastview- 7

4:30pm @ Eastview High School

+ On a gorgeous early May afternoon, Eagan traveled to Eastview for a mid-season South Suburban Conference matchup. Eagan took an early lead in the top of the first on an RBI triple from third baseman Will Husemann (2023, Concordia). However, the lead didn't last long, as Eastview answered back with two of their own in the bottom of the first on a single by shortstop Kevin Woehler and then, a couple of batters later, on a bases-loaded walk. The back and forth continued when Eagan added another run in the top of the second on a bases-loaded walk of their own to tie the game at 2.

+ Big RHP Connor Strop (2024) came in to pitch for Eagan in the bottom of the second and mixed in his FB sitting at 83 with some good arm side run and a 71mph CB to hold Eastview scoreless for the next two innings and temporarily settle things down. However, in the bottom of the fourth, Eastview broke the game open, sending nine men to the plate and scoring five runs, highlighted by a 2-RBI triple from left fielder Charlie Riedl (2024), making the score 7-2 Eastview. Meanwhile, Eastview starting pitcher Cooper DeSutter (2024) settled in, keeping the Eagan hitters off balance, mixing in a 76 mph FB with a 73mph slider and 68mph CH. Overall he pitched five solid innings, allowing only four hits and two runs while striking out 4.

+ Other notable individual performances in this game included Eastview first basemen Ezra Formaneck (2023, St Thomas), who went 2-3 with a walk and an RBI, and Eagan's Griffin Fenske (2023, Iowa Central), who pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the 6th, locating an 85mph fastball coupled with a hard, late-breaking 77mph slider.

 

May 3rd

Hastings – 14 vs. North St. Paul – 5

7pm @ North St. Paul High School

+ On a beautiful evening for a game under the lights, Hasting traveled to North St. Paul in a Metro East Conference game. The Raiders' offense scored runs in five of the seven innings, all of which were at least multi-run innings. Evan Nelson (2024) and Mitch Illiff (2023, Sioux Falls) lead the charge, each having three hits. Nelson, a 5-10, 180-pound right-handed infielder for the Raiders, went 3 for 5 with 3 RBI and two runs scored. The uncommitted junior shows good balance with rhythm at the plate and hands that adjust to the pitch and shows pop in the barrel. The future Cougar Iliff went 3-for-3 at the plate with two doubles, an RBI, and three runs scored. The left-handed hitting first baseman stands at 6-1 200-pounds, simple load and stride with mature plate discipline.

+ Hastings tallied 11 hits, eight walks, 11 RBIs, and only three strikeouts. Alex Hendrickson, Johnny Teigland, and Connor Zgoda all had hits, and Blake Vandehoef had a multi-hit game.

+ The Polars' offense scored in the 4th and 5th innings, which center fielder Will Coborn led. The uncommitted 2023 grad had three hits in the game. Coborn had consistent contact in every plate appearance and helped produce runs for North St. Paul.

 

May 2nd

Coon Rapids – 7 vs Totino-Grace – 6

4:30pm @ Totino-Grace High School

+ Coon Rapids shot out of the gate with homers in the first by 2024 Jerid Fearing and 2026 Danny Scheller jumping out to a 5-0 lead. Fearing, who plays outfield for the Cardinals, has a sizeable athletic frame at 6-foot-1, 210-pounds. In the box stands with a tall open stance from the right side. He takes aggressive swings and continues to do so throughout the game. He moved well in the outfield, got behind the baseball, and made some tough plays look easy on a windy day. The Junior Future Games alum Scheller, also an outfielder, has a 5-11 180-pound athletic build. He moves well in the field and gets good jumps on the base paths. That aggressive swing hit a towering deep home run to left field.

+ 2024 RHP Jayden Kopp came in relief late in the game. Kopp a 5-foot-9, 170-pound build, also caught part of the game. On the mound, he works quickly with a 3-pitch mix. Fastball sat 81-83 mph, small and sharp breaking ball at 68-69 mph, and feel for a change-up at 73-75 mph. He also showed a good glove behind the plate and at the plate had a good feel for the barrel.

+ Both 2025 Joaquin Majano and 2024 Matthew Galatzer pitched for Totino-Grace. Majano started and went the first four innings. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound two-way player for the Eagles saw his fastball sit between 81-83 mph while also flashing a 68-71 mph slider. The righty also went 1-for-3 at the plate. 6-foot-2, 255-pound Galatzer came into relief for the last three innings. The right-hander threw from multiple arm angles and saw his fastball up to 82 mph. He allowed just two hits and struck out five. In the box, Galatzer is confident to go along with present strength with a middle-of-the-field approach and showed barrel feel, finishing the day going 1-for-4 with 2 RBIs.

+ The Eagle offense saw hits from 3 other players, with 2023 left fielder Jay Krieger leading the way, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs.

 

May 1st

Delano – 7 vs Benilde-St. Margaret’s – 10

4:30pm @ Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School

+ The common theme for this spring has been cold, wind, or a combination of both. Monday’s night games between the Tigers and Red Knights had plenty of wind that played to be a factor. Delano (3-3) looked to Washington State commit AJ Rasmussen to start the week off. Rasmussen struggled early but settled in and was more comfortable in the middle innings. The Tiger ace was 85-87 mph with the fastball, 74-77 mph with the breaking ball, and at times used a firm 83-84 mph changeup. The future Cougar went 4 and 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and striking out 7.

+ The Tiger offense was led by 2024 third baseman Jackson Hinkle and 2023 designated hitter Will Brown. Hinkle led the way, going 2-for-4 and driving in two runs, while Brown was 2-for-4, driving in a run of his own. The rest of the offense saw hits from 5 different players.

+ The Red Knights handed the ball to 2024 grad Caleb Koskie (Indiana) in the matchup. Koskie has a 3-pitch arsenal that saw the fastball at 83-85 mph, topping at 86 mph, the curveball was 74-76 mph, and the occasional changeup at 76-79 mph. Like Rasmussen, the lefty was good at times and struggled in certain spots. The #5th ranked prospect in Minnesota’s 2024 class was also 1-for-2 at the plate with a run scored, RBI, and two walks—the Benilde-St. Margaret’s offense also saw production from 2024 3B Connor Armand, 1-for-2 with two RBI, 2023 CF Elliot Huether, 1-for-3 with two RBI, and 2023 left fielder Peter Giertsen who was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

 

 

April 26th

Edina – 8 vs. Hopkins – 4

6:30pm @ Hopkins High School

+ Another April chilly high school baseball game saw the Hopkins Royals (3-3) host the Edina Hornets (5-2). The Royals jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when ’23 Chase Johnson single in the bottom half of the first. Edina answered back in the 3rd with a run and two in the 4th with a Jack McCoy (2024) 2-run single to left. The Hornet offense scored again in the 5th and broke the game open in the 7th when scoring 4, capitalizing on the Hopkins defense.

 

+ Edina went with ’23 south paw Soren Epple who went five innings, allowing six hits, two earned runs, three walks, and eight strikeouts. Epple mostly worked away throughout the game with a steady fastball and breaking ball mix. Uncommitted 2023 Luke Vitt came in to pitch the 6th without allowing a run and then handed the ball off to 2024 Kade Chrysler pitched the 7th inning. The Hornet offense saw hits from 7 players, drawing six walks and scoring eight runs.

 

+ The Royal offense saw most of its production from the top of the order, with Louis DeGiulio (2023) and Butler recruit Drew Charney leading the way, each with a pair of hits. Chase Johnson went 1-for-3 with an RBI, and starting pitcher Marcus Champagne (Upper Iowa commit) went 1-for-4 at the plate. Champagne went six innings on the mound, allowing five hits, three earned runs, three walks, and striking out five Hornets. The righty worked at times on both sides of the plate, mainly with the fastball and curveball, while also showing a feel for the change-up.

April 25th

#6- Chanhassen- 7  vs #9- Wayzata- 8  (12 innings)  

6:30pm @ Wayzata High School

+ On a chilly night in late April, the #9 Wayzata Trojans hosted the #6 Chanhassen Storm.   This was a tale of two games.  After a scoreless first, Chan got on the board in the second inning with a solo home run by catcher Ryan Schutter (Gustavus).  They plated another run in the third on a bases loaded walk and then added two more in the 4^th on a two run blast by Johnny Checheris (Sioux Falls), his third of the season, making it 4-0.  In the 5^th the Storm added three more from a two run single by Josh Och (Southern Miss) and a solo HR from Mason Lang (South Dakota State).  Meanwhile, on the mound Chan’s Sam Marek (Iowa Western) was dominant through the first 4 innings, commanding his fastball well while consistently sitting 85-86mph, and mixing in both a low 70’s curve and slider.  He threw all three pitches for called strikes and generated lots of swings and misses as well.  In addition, Och showed plus range at SS to both glove side and back hand, making some difficult plays on well struck balls.

+ In the fifth, the Wayzata bats started to come alive.  Marek exited with one out in the 5^th (final line 4.1 IP, 8K’s, 4 hits- three of which were given up in that 5^th  inning).  Wayzata proceeded to push across 6 runs in the fifth, highlighted by an opposite field run scoring double from Gaard Swenson and, a few batters later, a bases clearing double from Zak Brown.  In the bottom of the 6^th, Wayzata continued to put the pressure on and tied the game at 7, coming from a Brady Lash double followed by a Viet Nguyen single to score him. 

+ From the seventh until the twelfth inning, both teams had scoring opportunities but neither team could push a run across until the bottom of the twelfth when Wayzata’s Nguyen led off the inning with a double (his 3^rd hit of the night) and ultimately scored the winning run on a bases loaded walk-off squeeze executed by Riley Leatherman (North Carolina).  Lefty Gaard Swenson picked up the win with 6 scoreless innings of relief, mixing in a fastball sitting 80-81 with a 69mph CB and 71mph slider.  He made some big pitches in some very high leverage spots and showed a very deceptive pickoff move as well.

 

April 24th

Eden Prairie – 5 vs. Centennial – 7

4:30pm @ Centennial High School

+ The Centennial Cougars (4-1) hosted the Eden Prairie Eagles in a non-conference game. The Cougars looked to Aiden Lieser (2024, Nebraska) to get them back on track after dropping one to conference foe Coon Rapids. Lieser struggled with command early and was done after 2 1/3 innings. The future Husker saw the fastball sit 84-86 mph with a breaking ball at 76-78 mph, showing a change-up at 80-81 mph.

 

+ Centennial replaced Lieser with Jack Dagostino (2025), who finished the game going 4 2/3 innings, allowing five hits, striking out 2 Eagles, and allowing just one run. Dagostino also led the way offensively, going 2-for-2 at the plate, driving in a pair, and scoring one run for the Cougar offense. The young sophomore has been a bring spot in the offense early in the season.

+ The Eagles' offense tallied hits from 7 different hitters in the lineup. Senior Seth Tierney leads the way going 1-for-4 with a home run and driving in 3. Nick Thompson went 1-for-2 with an RBI and run-scored, Joey Flom was 1-for-3 with a walk, and Lonnie Lassman was 1-for-1 with a walk.

 

April 18th

Spring Lake Park – 0 vs. Champlin Park – 4

7:00pm @ Champlin Park HS

+ A Tuesday evening Northwest Suburban conference game that saw two quality arms go head-to-head in Spring Lake Park’s Isaac Morton (Texas A&M commit) against Champlin Park’s Andrew Rakow (Crieghton) and a lower-scoring game as expected. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound righty did what he could to keep his team in it. Morton’s fastball topped at 94 mph while sitting 88-92 mph throughout his outing. He also paired a small biting slider at 82-83 mph and flashed an 82-84 mph change-up. Morton has a fluid arm action with easy effort where the ball jumps out of his hand. The final line for the future Aggie was six innings, five hits, four earned runs, walking three, and striking out 10.

 

+ The future Blue Jay Andrew Rakow got the win on the mound for the Rebels. Rakow, a southpaw profiles at 6-foot-1, 210-pounds, worked through his start showing three pitches for strikes. The fastball sat mainly between 85-87 mph with run, a 72-74 mph slider with good depth, and worked in a change-up at times with little movement. Rakow went three innings, allowing three hits, walking one, and striking out four, and also chipped in with a pair of hits and driving in 2.

 

+ Justin Brooks had a nice evening at the plate and on the mound. Brooks hit leadoff and started at second base, had a pair of hits to help lead the offense, and later came in relief for Rakow, going three innings, allowing two hits, and striking out 5 Panthers. The two-way player will be heading to St. John’s in the fall.

 

April 13th

#4 Cretin-Derham Hall – 19 vs. #1 East Ridge – 8

4:30pm @ East Ridge High School

+ An early season battle between two top ten teams saw the #4 ranked Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders (2-0) take down #1 East Ridge Raptors (1-1) in a game that was not short on offense. The Raider offense tallied 19 runs on 15 hits, 9 of which went for extra bases and 4 of those being home runs and every player in the lineup recorded a hit. Offensively leading the way was senior and Gopher signee Jack Taxdahl, who was 3 for 5 with a double and 2 rbis. Colin Scanlan also tallied 3 hits, 2 of which went for extra bases with a double and a home run.

+ Both 2024 grads Jake Quinn (Minnesota) and PJ Jones (Maryland) each had a pair of hits as well as home runs. Quinn finished going 2 for 5 with a home run, 2 rbis and 2 runs scored. Jones went 2 for 4, with 3 rbis and 3 runs scored.

 

 

+ 2025 grad Brady Stoeklen also hammered a homer, adding 4 rbis to the Raider offense.

+ The East Ridge offense saw hits from six different players, 3 of which had multiple hit games in Riley Schwellenbach (2023), Alex Mezzetti (2024) and Luke Ryerse (2025). Both Mezzetti and Ryerse left the yard, with Mezzetti’s going for a grand slam to the opposite field. The Raptors finished the day with 8 runs on 9 hits.

 

April 12th

St. Michael-Albertville – 0 vs. Wayzata – 5

7:00pm @ Wayzata HS

+ It was all Wayzata, and it was all John Skoro in the Wednesday night Lake Conference game. The tall and lanky righty who will be headed to North Iowa Area Community College in the fall was dominate in his first outing. Skoro went 5 innings, striking out 10, walking 2, and allowing just 1 hit. The future Trojan had his fastball working to both sides of the plate at 85-88 mph while touching an 89 mph and 90 mph on a swing, showing heavy run and sink.

+ Viet Nguyen (Uncommitted 2024) came on in relief going the final 2 innings, striking out 5 and not allowing a hit. Nguyen had a steady mix of a fastball at 78-80 mph, along with feel for both a slider and curveball as well as mixing in a change-up.

+ The Trojan offense was led by leadoff hitter and starting shortstop Jake Berkland. He broke the game open in the 2^nd inning with a 2-rbi single up the middle. The Minnesota State-Mankato commit finished the game going 3 for 4 with a run scored.

 

April 10th 

Elk River – 4 vs. Minnetonka – 13

6:30pm @ Veterans Field Minnetonka HS

+ Sam Stockman (2024, LHP) was the opening day starter for Elk River. The University of Utah commit showed athleticism with a repeatable delivery. Stockman throws from a 3/4 arm slot and will drop down occasionally. The fastball was 82-84 mph -- topping at 85 mph -- with good arm-side run, which proved challenging for left-handed hitters. His sweeping slider sat at 72-74 mph with a change-up at 73-74 mph. Both pitches were used effectively against right-handed hitters. The command was spotty at times, but he competed and showed poise on the mound. Stockman also helped provide some offense with a two-run home run to right field.

+ Jack Kochevar (2024, RHP) started for the Skippers. The NIACC commit has a tall, wiry frame with long levers, effortless delivery, a low 3/4 arm slot, and a funky release out of hand. The fastball was 81-82 mph with some natural sink and movement. Kochevar doesn’t let the hitter get comfortable and shows plus ability to locate on the inside part of the plate. The right-hander also mixed in a 71-73 mph slider with plenty of lateral depth.

+ Minnetonka catcher Max Pederson (2023) had a strong showing. With a 2.00-2.05 pop time between innings, the catcher had plus accuracy, clean exchanges, and was very efficient with feet and arm action on throws. Good physical build, soft hands receiving, good low target working up, works from a traditional stance, and has good feet behind the plate. The Winona State commit moves well laterally to block and bring energy to the defense. Offensively, Pederson has a short, compact swing and stays in his legs well with good plate discipline. Gap-to-gap approach and demonstrates an ability to barrel balls to all fields.

+ One of the more athletic players around the state is Minnetonka's Milos Spasojevic (2024). The Skippers' third baseman is 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, and plays quarterback on the football team. He has a very projectable frame and runs well for his size, with average feet at third. He made two difficult plays on slow rollers and showed good glove-side range. Offensively, he has a solid athletic swing with power. One to follow as the season progresses.

 

Forest Lake - 4 vs. Woodbury - 9

6:30pm  @ First National Bank of River Falls

In a spring where it look like the season would never come, we have seen spotty games played in the southern part of the state. In this case, it took a short drive to River Falls, Wisconsin to play and early season Suburban East Conference matchup.

+ Forest Lake had a couple of standouts on the evening. St. Scholastica commit Marcos Gallegos went 3 for 4 with a couple of singles and a double. Consistently barreled the ball and used the middle of the field well.

+ 2024 grad Owen Waldoch also had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI in the contest. The 6-foot-5, 175-pound right-handed hitting infielder, long wiry frame, also worked the middle of the field with both of his hits.

+ Woodbury brought the offense from a handful of underclass bats. Led by University of St. Thomas commit Lucas McNellis. The 20th ranked played in MN 2024 class went to work with a double and single. Strength to his frame and hands that adjusting well throughout at bats.

 

+ Both 2025s Ben Giliuson and Evan Crandall look like a reliable duo up the middle for the Royals for the next few years. Both impressed defensively by turning a couple of double plays and look to have chemistry early in the season.