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Updated Class of 2022 Player Rankings (April)

2022 has given us a little bit more normalcy in life, and the high school baseball scene is no different. We crowned four state champions during the spring and enjoyed a full summer of summer ball with tournaments and showcases throughout the state. We have searched far and wide throughout the state to find the best prospects we can, to help them get to college and to help colleges find prospects that fit their culture.

Many names came off the board to some of the top programs around the nation, many new names came to the forefront of the recruiting scene, and many prospects improved their game.

That being said, we have had the pleasure of seeing a number of solid players this past year. Prospects are popping up left and right, making velocity jumps, improving 60-yard dash times and showing more power with the bat.

Below we will take a look at “What's New At The Top", The Risers”, "The Newcomers", "Some of the prospects still available", and some of the top uncommitted prospects by position.

To view the entire Class of 2022 rankings, please click here.

What's New At The Top

Landon Beidelschies LHP / 1B / Canfield, OH / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 5 / POS: 2 Report: A name that was already in the top 10, but a strong winter and early spring has him landing at No. 5 is Ohio State commit Landon Beidelschies (Canfield). The entire skill set screams weekend starter when he gets to Columbus. 6-foot-3, 215-pound physical dude with a delivery that doesn’t require much effort/a track record of going deep into starts. Fastball can peak at 94mph, while the majority of the time sitting in the 89-92mph range. Complementing the FB is an above average CH and one of the top sliders the state has to offer.

Joseph Dzierwa LHP / Otsego, OH / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 7 / POS: 3 Report: Another prospect who is rapidly ascending is  Michigan State commit, LHP Joseph Dzierwa (Otsego). The southpaw leaves little left to be desired physically. A 6-foot-7, good athlete (QB in football) with an effortless release and quality stuff. The majority of the time he will come at hitters with an upper 80s FB that will sneak into the low 90s at times. The breaking ball is a high spin/should continue to sharpen up and the changeup has quality fade to it. Not only is the secondary well above average he also has an impressive feel for it. Candidly, he could be higher on this list if we’ve seen him more often/has a chance to continue his ascension.

Maxwell Klare OF / 3B / St. Xavier, OH / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 8 / POS: 2 Report: Purdue commit, Maxwell Klare (St. Xavier) is as close to a created player on MLB the Show as the state of Ohio has to offer. A 6-foot-4, 225-pound beast of a human being that had 19 documented D1 offers to play TE, that also runs like a deer, plays CF (even SS when need be), and has top of the class power from the left side. In our most recent viewing of Klare he was 4-for-5 w/two triples allowing us to get an up close and personal look at the top strength/speed combo in the state. A name pro scouts know already. Although it appears football may be the route he is taking at the moment, I wouldn’t be shocked if the Purdue baseball staff is in the football office frequently asking if they can borrow him in the spring.

The Risers

Patrick Fultz SS / 3B / Springfield Shawnee, OH / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 15 / POS: 4 Report: There’s a legit argument to be made that the most college ready bat in the ‘22 class is Wright State commit, Patrick Fultz (Springfield Shawnee). Simply put the dude doesn’t miss barrels. We caught several workouts with him this winter, whether it was live ABs, velocity machine, or mixed BP. He is an absolute barrel machine. The Raiders lineup is loaded year after year but don’t be surprised if this is an early producer for them.

Jackson Phelps RHP / RHP / Walsh Jesuit, OH / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 85 / POS: 26 Report: Recent High Point commit, UTL Oliver Cush (New Albany) is another guy who made his way into the top 100. We got a chance to catch Cush in action over a 6 week span where some of the state’s top prospects got together for an advanced hitting league. This was when Cush cemented himself as the top uncommitted bat in the ‘22 class. He had taken advantage of the offseason, adding significant strength to frame which translated big time in the box. The offensive tools are off the charts, registering mid 80s bat speed, consistently triple digit exit velocities, and a max exit velocity of 105mph. He’s much more than just a BP show pony, as we’ve seen him consistently find barrels in game, including being one of the key contributors to New Albany’s state championship run.

Oliver Cush OF / SS / New Albany, OH / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 86 / POS: 10 Report: Recent High Point commit, UTL Oliver Cush (New Albany) is another guy who made his way into the top 100. We got a chance to catch Cush in action over a 6 week span where some of the state’s top prospects got together for an advanced hitting league. This was when Cush cemented himself as the top uncommitted bat in the ‘22 class. He had taken advantage of the offseason, adding significant strength to frame which translated big time in the box. The offensive tools are off the charts, registering mid 80s bat speed, consistently triple digit exit velocities, and a max exit velocity of 105mph. He’s much more than just a BP show pony, as we’ve seen him consistently find barrels in game, including being one of the key contributors to New Albany’s state championship run.

Still On The Board

Ryan Petro RHP / SS / Canfield, OH / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 91 / POS: 29 Report: Another top 100 prospect still looking for a home is RHP Ryan Petro (Canfield). This guy is fun to watch. A confident presence on the mound that flat out competes and fills up the zone every time we see him. The mid 80s velocity (T87) plays up due to his ability to run/cut the pitch, almost never giving it a true look for hitters. Slider is sharp/changeup plays well off the heater. We saw him go toe to toe with one of the state’s top lineups against Walsh Jesuit, giving them fits for the majority of the start. For our money he’s a scholarship level talent.

Josh Dezenzo SS / 2B / Marlington, OH / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 100 / POS: 21 Report: Moving onto one of the top position players left on the board, let’s talk about SS Josh Dezenzo (Marlington HS). The tools are all there: 6-foot-3/rangy defender who could play all three skill spots at the next level, 6.8 runner, run producer ceiling as he continues to add strength. Aside from the potential high end tools what makes him such a low risk/high reward guy is the baseball IQ. Grew up in a baseball family, knows the game/plays it the right way. High energy guy who knows where to be defensively and will work ABs in the box.

Andrew Brock LHP / OF / CHCA, OH / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 81 / POS: 17 Report: Speaking of uncommitted talent with bloodlines, we got a chance to catch LHP Andrew Brock (CHCA) at our Spring Classic last weekend and he didn’t disappoint. Albeit a short outing (1IP), Brock flashed electric stuff, running the fastball up to 89mph and dropping in a quality breaker in the mid 70s. It’s hard to imagine many southpaws with that stuff still left on the board. If you’re wondering if his velocity will continue to progress upwards… his brother is knocking on the door of 100mph for the Buckeyes.

Nick Rabin SS / 2B / Lakota East, OH / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 167 / POS: 28 Report: One of the top tools still available in the state is the glove of Lakota East shortstop, Nick Rabin. This man can flat out pick it up the middle of the infield. A type of prospect you need to see in game / measurables and video don’t do him justice. A true middle skill set - moves light on his feet/covers a ton of ground, mechanically sound/takes great angles and cuts down distance off the bat. If he gets his hands on it, it’s an out. The arm plays up due to the aforementioned ability to come get it off the bat, combined with the quick release.

Johnny Nixon RHP / 3B / Minster, OH / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 143 / POS: 44 Report: We will end it with a sleeper guy for ya, with RHP Johnny Nixon (Minster HS). We think he might has as much left on the table as any uncommitted arm in this class. You’re talking about not only a three sport athlete, but a guy who’s been all-league in all three sports. QB on the gridiron, guard on the court, and potential weekend guy at the right level in college on the bump. The 6-foot-4 RHP, has already flashed mid 80s w/more than serviceable secondary and it doesn’t take much of an imagination to see this as a 90mph/sky is the limit as he gets in the weight room and becomes a baseball only guy at the next level. Already has a no-hitter on his resume this spring.

TOP UNCOMMITTED PROSPECTS BY POSITION

Below we look to name the top 5 prospects in specific categories based on primary position in profile for the 2022 class. Beyond this group, there are numerous prospects that can help a collegiate program in some capacity.

+ Top Right-Handed Arms: Colin Kelly | Jackson Phelps | Ryan Petro | Skyler Kries | Benjamin McCallum

+ Top Left-Handed Arms: Andrew Brock | Jack Villarreal | Zane Lovelady | Seth Witt | Zachary Tizzano

+ Top Outfield Prospects: Michael Molnar | Zac Fuller | Jake Tschida | Caleb Kepler | Ryan Miklich

+ Top First Basemen Prospects: Dylan Thatcher | Benjamin Bochenek | Tyler Fernandez | Alex Sidloski | Adam Lippe

+ Top Second Basemen Prospects: Cody Schneider | Jack Metzger | Shane Rothlisberger | Blake Jodrey | Evan Conatser

+ Top Shortstop Prospects: Josh Dezenzo | Trey Lake | Nick Rabin | Blake Bradford | Griffin Widrig

+ Top Third Basemen Prospects: Austin Sizemore | Sam Patriarco | Gavin McCoy | Logan Franz | Logan Franz

+ Top Catching Prospects: Brayden Fraasman | Kasey Kish | Ross Carnes | Robert Verba | Gannon Wentz

***** To view the entire rankings, please click here.

PBR Ohio Class of 2022 Top 10

Rank		Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
1		Jacob Miller	OH	Liberty Union	2022	RHP	Louisville
2		Noah Samol	OH	Mason	2022	LHP	Georgia Tech
3		Devin Taylor	OH	LaSalle	2022	OF	Indiana
4		Gavin Jones	OH	North Royalton	2022	RHP	Alabama
5		Landon Beidelschies	OH	Canfield	2022	LHP	Ohio State
6		Matthew Wolfe	OH	Olentangy Orange	2022	SS	Vanderbilt
7		Joseph Dzierwa	OH	Otsego	2022	LHP	Michigan State
8		Maxwell Klare	OH	St. Xavier	2022	OF	Purdue
9		Evan Whiteaker	OH	Lakota East	2022	RHP	Indiana
10		Gabriel Nard	OH	St. Ignatius	2022	SS	Duke

***** To view the entire rankings, please click here.

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