Winter Watchlist: Uncommitted 2022 Middle Infielders
February 5, 2021
The PBR Wisconsin winter showcase circuit is set to kick off on Feb. 14 in Kenosha on a tour that will take us across the state, leading up to the spring. Today, we’re going to spend some time previewing the upcoming showcases by shaking off the rust from the offseason to outline a handful of names we’re excited to see at events this winter and in high school action this spring.
This week, we’re going to highlight the state’s uncommitted Class of 2022 prospects who are preparing for an important year in their recruiting process, beginning this winter following the offseason. We’ve already shed some light on some of the state’s top uncommitted junior catchers, outfielders, and corner infielders. Today, we’ll dive into a talented crop of middle infielders still on the market.
2022 MIDDLE INFIELDERS
 |
Kolton Schaller 2B / SS / Mount Horeb, WI / 2022Represented Team Midwest Select at the PBR Future Games this past August. Schaller’s a wiry athlete, listed at 6-foot-1, 165 pounds. But, with that being said, he impacts the ball more firmly from the left-handed batter’s box than you might expect, leading to the added belief that his batted-ball profile will be even more substantial as he matures and develops, physically. At the Future Games last August, he averaged an exit speed of 86.7 mph, with a 93.5 mph high, complete with above-average bat and hand speed marks – and he made his live at-bats count, too. Defensively, Schaller totally looks the part of an up-the-middle glove, with sound, steady actions that project best at second base, long-term. Overall, his lean frame and athleticism offer further upside to consider as one of the state’s top uncommitted infielders.
|
 |
Theo Zeidler INF / RHP / Bay Port, WI / 2022Zeidler has long contained two-way potential, given his lean and athletic 6-foot-2, 190-pound physique and loose, quick arm. That athleticism has always translated well to the infield, where he looks the part of a shortstop. He ranges laterally fluidly and that arm strength fits the left side of the diamond perfectly. Zeidler’s bat has continued to progress since we first saw him as a freshman, which has allowed him to maintain some position player upside on top of his work from the mound. He’s a real candidate to earn status a ‘winter winner’ with a tick up in velocity, because we’ve already seen him up to 84 mph with above-average offspeed, including a feel changeup and a curve.
|
 |
Camdin Jansen SS / 2B / Racine Lutheran, WI / 2022Represented Team Wisconsin at the PBR Future Games; scouting report from multiple events in 2020: Positional Profile: SS/2B; One of the class' top defenders at short.
|
 |
N.J. Elias 2B / OF / Verona Area, WI / 2022An intriguing athlete whose versatility allows him to play both the outfield and infield at an above-average level; scouting report a mix between the Madison Preseason I.D. (3/15/20) and All-State Games (6/30/20): Positional Profile: 2B/OF
|
 |
Jenkin Alexander SS / 2B / Sun Prairie, WI / 2022Scouting report from the Badger State Battle (7/2/20): 5-foot-10, 175-pound left-handed hitting middle infielder, solid build, athletic. Disciplined approach, above-average pitch recognition and plate awareness. Showed patience and aptitude to select a pitch to drive. Defensively, showed reliable hands and smooth actions that play through the baseball. Profiles as a two-hole type second baseman at the next level. All All-State Games, averaged an exit speed of 87.7 mph in BP, with a 93.3 mph high. Generates noteworthy bat speed, too, at 71.3 mph on average.
|
 |
Anthony Lausten SS / 2B / Hartford, WI / 2022Scouting report from the Badger State Battle (7/2/20): 5-foot-10, 150-pound left-handed-hitting shortstop. Quick-twitch athlete with room to add muscle. Hit leadoff and locked down shortstop for Midwest Halos all weekend. One of the high-follow 2022 prospects in attendance this weekend and one of the top 2022 shortstops in the state, as he’s already shown our staff a couple times this summer. Easy hand speed, line-drive contact, all-fields spray approach. Above-average speed that busts out of the batter’s box quick. Savvy defender at a premium position. Uber athletic actions throughout, quick first step, soft hands that cradle the baseball. One of the strongest infield arms in the state.
|
 |
Caleb Guden SS / 2B / Medford, WI / 2022Scouting report from a Creekside Tournament this fall (9/13/20): Another ‘22 middle infielder from Wisconsin having a strong summer. Switch-hitter with a little more natural feel to hit from the right side, but athletic enough to continue developing from the left side. Loose hands/wrists help generate notable whip in barrel from both sides of the plate. He’s been improving defensively, too, and looks the part of a shortstop. Per the PBR Wisconsin staff, he should be making gains up the class’ ‘22 board in the next update.
|
MORE UNCOMMITTED NAMES-TO-KNOW
+ T.J. Williams (Racine Horlick): Williams is a live-wired, energetic middle infielder who plays at a hasty, competitive pace – on both sides of the ball. Listed at 5-foot-5, 125 pounds, the Horlick middle infielder has some of the best hands, feet, and overall actions in the class on defense, a combination that can help him provide big value at second base long-term, or maybe even shortstop. Williams’ knack for the game, confidence on defense, and competitive nature make it easy to root for him, too. Offensively, he’s a table-setter type with bat-to-ball skills in the lefty box, and he’s a twitchy runner which helps him move down the line quickly.
T.J. Williams (6/30/20)
+ Josh DeGroot (Union Grove): Union Grove’s DeGroot is simply a well-rounded middle infield who can do a little bit of everything. He swings a simple, repeatable right-handed bat that makes square line-drive contact consistently, and he’s also a sub-7.00 runner with above-average middle infield actions, including big arm strength that reached an 88 mph high along the showcase circuit in 2020.
+ Jake Petasek (Green Bay Preble): The Preble junior has been a staple on the squad since his freshman year, in which he produced one of the best batting averages within a loaded lineup. He’ll be relied on as the offense’s main cog this year, but he’s clearly capable of taking on that role, as he’s only continued to improve in the time since. Petasek takes a simple, fluid left-handed swing that clearly allows him to utilize the whole field efficiently. At All-State Games, he averaged an exit speed of 83.1 mph with a 93.2 high, and he’s an improving defender up the middle. We saw him in the fall where he looked more natural and comfortable at shortstop, and his feel for the game should allow him to bloom late there, positioning him to break out further in his junior spring.
+ Aiden Haney (Catholic Memorial): Back to full health, look for Haney to make a loud return to the diamond in 2021. Haney might have been a ranked member of this class by this point, as we witnessed him set the table effectively for his travel club throughout 2019. He exhibits sound bat-to-ball skills, with the feel to use the entire field, while also providing excellent coverage, defensively, at second base. His competitiveness is instantly notable, and it’s one of Haney’s best skills.
+ Max Stocco (Marquette University): Scouting report from the winter Class of 2022 rankings update: In several live looks in 2020, Stocco demonstrated consistent barrel feel from the left-handed batter’s box. Stocco swings an easy, fluid lefty bat that is geared for a contact-oriented profile, coupled with the ability to spray the ball around the field efficiently. Defensively, he profiles best as a second baseman, but his hands, feet, and actions are all above-average. Stocco is a well-rounded prospect making his debut on the 2022 board here.
+ Bjorn Pressler (Eau Claire Memorial): A solid athlete, Pressler is a bat-first second base type with sound hands and overall actions. We’ve seen him make his mark offensively in-game, where his twitchy hands from the right side make for consistent quality contact. Built at a strong 6-foot, 180 pounds, Pressler’s in a position to come out of the gates strong as we prepare to exit the offseason.
+ Grant Meulemans (Freedom): Scouting report from the Badger State Battle (7/2/20): 5-foot-11, 155 pounds; lean build with athleticism. Meulemans showed as one of the weekend’s hottest hitters and he showed a barrel-feel right-handed bat that sprayed hard-hit contact all over the diamond. He showed some favoritism to the opposite-field, having launched a deep fly ball to the right field wall that actually allowed him to circle the bases for an inside-the-park homer. Short, simple, level bat path that meets the ball on plane. Led off for Stars Black, has the kind of footspeed to profile at that spot in the order (6.90 runner in March). Fluid defender with all of the necessary actions at shortstop, including throws that carry.
RELATED CONTENT