Wisconsin 2020 Rankings: Newcomers

Our coverage of the 2020 Wisconsin Rankings concludes today with a look at the players who made their debuts on this list within the most recent update. This list consists of prospects who are newcomers to the rankings entirely, whether they have made big gains or have yet to have been seen, here’s a fresh crop of new names to add to your recruiting research.

Four names were added inside the top 25, starting with RHP Connor Kurki (Iola-Scandinavia). The 6-foot-3, 165-pound, small-town product, came out of nowhere at the Madison Preseason I.D. this winter. His long, lean frame projects well and features a quick arm that already sits 83-84 mph and touched an 87. More impressive was his secondary feel and action. His curveball is thrown hard and aggressively and it may end up morphing into a slider down the road, along with a hard, sinking changeup.

Connor Kurki (3.11.18)

RHP Cooper Griffiths (Westosha Central), C Bryce Miller (Franklin) and RHP/SS Will Semb (De Pere) round out the top 25 additions. Griffiths already has a no-hitter under his belt this season and continues to look better and better on the mound, comfortably sitting 82-84 mph. Miller is a physical catcher with power potential in his right-handed bat coupled with a strong arm and he recorded sub-2.00 pop times in front of us this offseason. Will Semb was one of the bigger revelations on the mound this winter, showing a live-arm fastball that topped 86 mph with feel.

SS Tyler Swanson (Burlington Central Catholic) may be one of the best new bats added to the rankings. Swanson has a strong, compact stroke from the right side that plays with advanced bat speed and flashed pop to his pull side.

Tyler Swanson (1.27.18)

RHP Carter Endisch has been on our radar for over a year now, and had been a bubble prospect in the rankings until now. Endisch has tapped into his arm speed and showed a 5 mph gain since the summer. He’s also grown two inches and put on 15 pounds and could be well on his way to becoming the next high-end arm to come out of Arrowhead High.

Outfielder Will Ross (Waunakee) swings a comparable bat to Swanson’s; he’s a strong body swing with looseness and he flashes pop. He, along with LHP Jack Heiring (Christian Life), OF Spencer Bartel (Sun Prairie), LHP Connor Baumann (Hortonville) and LHP/OF Christopher Vandenheuvel (Xavier) cracked the top 40. Heiring has a highly projectable frame and he touches 80 mph from the left side and also looks the part in the box. The lefty Baumann is built in a similar mold with long, loose arm action that also shows a plus potential changeup. The outfielder Bartel may be one of the quicker prospects on this list to see his stock rise. He already carries some physicality to his game and possesses above-average tools that could make him a top-25 prospect.

More new additions to keep and eye on: