Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

2024 Minnesota High School Scout Blog

April 24, 2024
Prep Baseball MN Staff
Prep Baseball Minnesota

The Minnesota Scout Blog provides insider information and scouting notes from the Prep Baseball Scouting Staff during the 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, velocities, pop times, home to first times, and more. Simply put, the Minnesota Scout Blog is loaded with information.

**2024 Team Rankings**

Interested In Attending A Prep Baseball Minnesota Event? Click Here
Interested In Subscribing to Prep Baseball? Click Here

Follow our:
✖️: @PrepBaseballMN
📸: @pbrminnesota
🎧: Ducks On The Pond

HOPKINS AT WACONIA | APRIL 22, 2024 

Hopkins 9
#9 Waconia 12

A perfect night of baseball unfolded on Monday evening in Waconia at Lion’s Field. The Wildcats jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and eventually saw only three zeros on the evening. Guy Ladwig and Maddux Schrupp (2024, Butler Community College commit) led the Waconia offense with two hits each. Schrupp, who went 2-4 on the game, made a key 2-RBI single in the bottom half of the first, giving Waconia the lead they held onto for the rest of the game. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/WacHSBaseball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WacHSBaseball</a> Wildcats cause some havoc on the bases early and then Maddux Schrupp strikes with a 2-out 2-RBI single to right<br><br>3-0 Wildcats 🔼2️⃣ <a href="https://t.co/HKeTW0scZM">pic.twitter.com/HKeTW0scZM</a></p>&mdash; Prep Baseball Minnesota (@PrepBaseballMN) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepBaseballMN/status/1782573500756021307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Hopkins continued to chip away at an early Waconia 8-3 lead and scored in innings two through six. The closest Hopkins could get was an 8-6 Wildcat advantage in the top half of the fourth. The Royal offense saw hits from eight of their nine starters, with Dylan Lindstrom (2027), Max Lerner (2027), and Noah Goldman (2024) leading with two hits each. Lindstrom went 2-3 with an RBI and a walk, Lerner was 2-4 with two runs scored, and Goldman drove in 5 Royals.  

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Plenty of runs happening early. <a href="https://twitter.com/HopkinsBaseball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HopkinsBaseball</a> catcher ‘27 Dylan Lindstrom rolls one through the hole to chip into the 8-4 Wildcats lead<br><br>Prep Baseball Jr Futures Alum <a href="https://t.co/WZ1HBGDMa6">pic.twitter.com/WZ1HBGDMa6</a></p>&mdash; Prep Baseball Minnesota (@PrepBaseballMN) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepBaseballMN/status/1782582470078050705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Hopkins moved to 1-5 on the season, while the 9th-ranked Wildcats are now 3-1.

📝: Andy Judkins

CHASKA AT CHANHASSEN | APRIL 18, 2024 

Chaska 2
Chanhassen 5

On a chilly 45-degree and windy evening, the atmosphere at Chanhassen High School was electric as crosstown rivals Chaska and Chanhassen faced off. Chaska wasted no time, scoring two runs at the top of the first, with left fielder Tate Miller’s smooth left-handed swing sending a home run to right center and giving the Hawks an early 2-0 lead. 

Despite the early setback, Chanhassen starter Mason Brokl (2025) demonstrated resilience, finding his rhythm and keeping the Chaska hitters off balance. His repertoire, including an over-the-top FB (78-79mph), slider (68mph), and changeup (70mph) with some nice sink, proved to be a challenge for the Hawks. He finished with 83 pitches over four innings, allowing one earned run with 7 Ks. 

Chaska’s starter, Parker Killian (2026), sometimes showed signs of dominance. His fastball was 84-85mph (T86) with some arm-side run and a hard slider (77-78mph). Other times, he tended to work deep into counts but showed good poise working out of a couple of jams. His final line was 61 pitches, 2.2 IP, 1 ER, and 2Ks..

The Storm took the lead for good in the bottom of the 5th and added two in the 6th to come out on top 5-2. Storm third baseman Brander Lovig had a solid day at the plate, going 3-4, including a triple in the 5th to push across the go-ahead run.

📝: Tony Livorsi

WATERTOWN-MAYER AT ROCKFORD | APRIL 15, 2024 

Watertown-Mayer 5
Rockford 6

+ Jaren Vogt | 2025 | RHP | Watertown-Mayer

The uncommitted RHP was solid through his first five innings of work. Vogt, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound two-way player for Watertown-Mayer, was strong and held his velocity for most of his outing. The no. 47th ranked player in Minnesota's 2025 had a 3-pitch mix but mainly relied on a fastball, breaking ball combo. We haven’t seen this type of fastball velocity from Vogt before; he consistently sat 85-87 mph and touched multiple 88s and 89s early in his outing. He is an athletic presence on the mound and through his delivery. Vogt’s final line was 5.2 innings pitched, allowing just 2 hits, 0 earned runs, walking 4, and striking out 8 Rocket bats.

Max Edwards | 2025 | RHP/C | Rockford

Edwards went toe to toe with Vogt in the evening matchup, going all seven innings, allowing seven hits, 0 earned runs, and striking out 6 Royals. It was a show of four pitches that played off two different breaking balls that he used in any sequence to any part of the order. The fastball lived at 78-80 mph while topping 81 mph, and a combination of the slider at 72-74 mph and curveball at 66-69 mph also showed a changeup at times. Edwards was one of the main reasons Rockford came away with the victory.

+ Rockford Bats

Two big doubles came off the bats of both Will Hass (Tennessee) and Aiden Smith (Iowa Central). Smith tied the game with an RBI double to right center in the fourth, and Haas broke the lead, opening the bottom half of the 6th with a bases-clearing double to left center. Smith eventually ended the game in walk-off fashion with a 1-out single to center.

Rockford moved to 2-1 on the season, while Watertown-Mayer fell to 1-2.

📝: Andy Judkins

MANKATO WEST AT ROCHESTER MAYO | APRIL 13, 2024 

Mankato West 3
Rochester Mayo 0

+ Wilson Magers | 2025 | RHP | Mankato West

The Creighton commit was every bit as impressive as he had been in recent showcase settings. He showed a clean, quick arm that worked well out front and pounded the zone with multiple pitches. 

Magers began his outing with a fastball that was 87-88 but quickly found another effortless gear and dotted 90-92. He held that velocity well into the fifth inning, unleashing several 92 MPHs in pitch # 65-to-75. It took an inning to hone his curveball, but once he had the feel, he implemented it to land strike one and chase pitch. Against lefties, he featured a burrowing changeup that saw splitterish actions. 

His final stat line in his second start of the season was six innings, no runs, two hits, two walks, and 10 strikeouts. He is now at 12 innings with a 20-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio. 

+ Ethan Labrash | 2024 | RHP/1B | Rochester Mayo

The Spartans sent the uncommitted right-hander Labrash out to match Magers and the Scarlets. Labrash was a competitor on the mound. Not overpowering, he showed a 78-81 MPH fastball (topping out at 82) that the Rochester Mayo starter would move around the zone and use to set up his big breaking ball that he would freeze hitters and miss bats. He dropped down sidearm to give hitters another look at the curve. 

Labrash worked five innings on the day, allowing four hits, two earned, two walks, and six strikeouts. 

Labrash was also one of the few Spartans to not strike out facing Magers, drawing a pair of walks to boot. He's hitting over .400 at the plate and has an 8-to-2 walk-to-strikeout ratio. His decent frame suggests he could add more velocity or power in the right college program. 

+ Jayden Knutson | 2025 | OF/LHP | Mankato West

Knutson drew attention based on his athleticism—particularly his speed. He had a 6.5 sixty-time at the recent Preseason All-State, and it was on display on Saturday: The Scarlets' right fielder reached on an infield single and stole two bases. 

📝: Parker Hageman

ROSEMOUNT AT PRIOR LAKE | APRIL 11, 2024 

Rosemount 7
Prior Lake 9

+ Mason Golberg | 2027 | LHP/1B | Prior Lake

Prior Lake's freshman starter showed good rhythm and tempo on the mound against the Rosemount Irish lineup. His fastball showed late life in the zone at 79-80, which he matched with a changeup at 70-71 that featured good fade. He also had a curveball that he added and subtracted with (63-69). Golberg had a good cadence and was quick to the plate when he had early traffic on the bases. 

It was a solid first varsity start for the young lefty, who went four innings, allowing five hits, two earned, while striking out four and walking none. Golberg should be an interesting follow in the class. 

+ Jaeger Solis | 2025 | C | Prior Lake

Solis has a muscular build and athletic actions in the box from the left side, possessing a smooth, quick swing that produces line drive to all parts of the field, diving this pitch to center for a single. 

At the recent All-State event, he maxed out at 92 MPH and was 78 with a 2.05 pop time from behind the dish. 

+ Tyler Japel | 2024 | RHP/1B | Rosemount

The uncommitted 2024 hit cleanup in the Irish lineup and delivered three of Rosemount's seven runs. In the fifth, he singled in Ty Hansen on a liner to left and, later, followed that up with a two-run home run in the seventh to bring the Irish within three of the Lakers. 

+ Dylan Kulper | 2025 | RHP | Prior Lake

Kulper worked in two innings of relief and came out of the bullpen throwing upper 80s heat. He touched 88 multiple times in his first inning of work and was sitting 83-87. Kupler has a projectable build on the mound and moves well; his next step will be to remain consistent with all pitches and hold velocity—a projectable, uncommitted arm. 

 

📝: Parker Hageman

PROVIDENCE ACADEMY AT HOLY FAMILY | APRIL 10, 2024 

Providence Academy 5
Holy Family 2

This early season matchup between two Catholic school rivals provided plenty of action and momentum swings. Although Holy Family led from start to finish, the game was not decided until the final out. Ryan Poppitz (’25, Century College commit) started for Holy Family and went five innings, mixing a 77mph FB and upper 60’s CB, pitching out of several jams and striking out six in the process.

Providence countered with Caleb Cisewski (’27), who used his low ¾ delivery, mixing his FB (80-81 mph) and slider (73-74) to give the Lions 4 solid innings.

Holy Family struck first, scoring three in the bottom of the second, taking advantage of some Providence miscues. Providence came right back in the top of the third to cut the deficit to 3-2 off of a hard single up the middle by Nick Nathe (’25), scoring the two runs.

In the bottom of the 4th, Jameson Quinn (Southwest Minnesota State commit, ’24) extended Holy Family’s lead with a bases-clearing double to RF as part of the four-run inning.

Providence, however, came right back with two in the top of the 5th and another in the 6th to close the gap to 7-6. Both rallies were started by leadoff doubles: one by Nathe and another by Jacob Cisewski (’24, DCTC commit).

The offensive fireworks continued into the final innings. Holy Family seemingly put the game away in the bottom of the 6th, with Andrew Athmann (’24, UW-River Falls) executing a textbook suicide squeeze, and Cameron Dean (2025, Uncommitted) added a three-run HR to left, extending the lead to 12-6.

Providence, however, fought to the end, scoring four runs with two outs in the 7th, highlighted by a dramatic 3-run HR by Jacob Cisewski. After the HR, Providence had two more singles, and Holy Family brought in Quinn to get the final out to secure the 12-10 win.

📝: Tony Livorsi

BURNSVILLE AT SHAKOPEE | APRIL 9, 2024 

Burnsville 5
Shakopee 2

+ Jack Morris | 2024 | RHP | Shakopee

Sabres’ first-year head coach Eric Schmitz ran out Clemson commit, 6-foot-2 right-hander Jack Morris, to open the season against the Blaze. Morris, a Future Games and Midwest Procase alum, leaned heavily on his fastball the first time through the Burnsville order, and he came out hot, topping at 89 miles per hour while sitting 86-88 in the first inning. As the game progressed, Morris turned to his high spin slider/curveball combination (both have over 2,500 RPM) to land strikes and miss bats. 

Morris finished the day with 93 pitches over five innings, five hits allowed, an earned run, eight strikeouts, and one walk. He is currently ranked 11th in the state’s class of 2024.

+ Connor McGee | 2024 | 1B | Shakopee

The uncommitted senior first baseman provided the Sabres’ lone offensive production, driving in two runs on a double to left field.

+ Nick Discher | 2024 | RHP | Burnsville

The Blaze also featured a new head coach for the 2024 season, Justin Bannitt, who sent Nick Discher to the mound to face Shakopee. Discher, an Iowa Central commit, has some funky to his delivery with a clean arm action that creates tons of movement on all his pitches. He has a heavy fastball with hard sink action to the arm side, a pitch that he got up to 87 but sat 84-86 for most of the night. His changeup might have been his most impressive offering, showing lots of fade with good arm speed that follows the same shape as his fastball but dies as it approaches the zone. He was also generous with his use of his breaking balls – a slider and curveball pairing with two distinct movement patterns: the slider cut across the zone while the curveball had more vertical depth. 

Discher worked fast, attacked the zone, and kept Sabre hitters off-balanced. Overall, the right-hander had a high level of pitchability. His final line was six innings, two hits, two earned, four walks, and nine strikeouts. 

+ Jacob Neutz | 2024 | C/1B | Burnsville

Catcher Jacob Neutz (NIACC commit) sparked Burnsville’s offense with a double in the first inning off an 86 MPH fastball and another to lead off the fifth on a two-strike riding fastball. Neutz has in-game pull-side juice and is capable of turning on fastballs. 

+ Collin Heckman | 2025 | RHP | Burnsville

A member of Team Midwest at the 2023 Future Games and participant at the Midwest Procase, Collin Heckman (Uncommitted), was asked to get the final three outs. The long and lean right-hander needed just nine pitches (throwing seven for strikes) in his economical inning of work. His fastball was 88-89 MPH in this outing, but his slider at 77 MPH was a highly effective pitch. 

Heckman is ranked 7th in Minnesota's class of 2025 and 424th nationally. 

📝: Parker Hageman