Wisconsin Class of 2021 Rankings: Risers
September 4, 2020
On Thursday, the PBR Wisconsin staff updated its Class of 2021 Rankings and we’re spending today breaking down the newly expanded board further, by assessing the prospects who climbed the board the most.
At this stage in the process, it’s especially difficult for players to rise in the rankings. For most of these players, we’ve strived to see them at events or in person so their initial rank is typically in the range of their final one. In other words, you won’t see too many big jumps inside this latest update. Players rising or sliding is usually a result of a new player breaking into the rankings for the first time. For example, 12 players in this update debuted in the top-200, and that will naturally push players ‘down’ even though their performances this summer may have earned some praise from our staff.
Without further ado, here are notes on some of the most substantial Risers in the state’s 2021 class.
ON THE RISE
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Luke Nowak OF / Menomonee Falls, WI / 2021EAST CAROLINA COMMIT A huge summer with the bat launched Nowak seven sizable spots up the ‘21 board in this update. He added some strength to his build that enhanced his overall profile as a left-handed-hitting center fielder. Nowak is a competitive at-bat and that helps him project as a pest atop any lineup. His confident approach allows him to fend off tough two-strike pitches, earning walks or spraying hard-hit contact to all fields. He has some of the best speed in the class, too, and it seamlessly translates to the basepaths and out in center field. The new No. 14-ranked prospect in the state is a East Carolina commit and is garnering some under-the-radar pro attention. |
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Grant Ross RHP / INF / Pewaukee, WI / 2021VALPARAISO COMMIT With a bulldog mentality, Ross already looks the part of a go-to, high-leverage arm at the next level – the kind you’d want to hand the ball to protect the slimmest of leads. The velocity ticked up this summer, too, as he was up to 90 mph at the Badger State Battle and he touched 91 at a PBR tourney at LakePoint. Built at a compact, strong 5-foot-10, Ross does everything with an aggressive edge and he’ll bring some two-way capabilities with him to Valpo next year. His newfound velo pushed him up the rankings to No. 18 overall. |
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Eli Hoyt RHP / Waukesha South, WI / 2021UNCOMMITTED A prominent athlete who’s become one of the top pitchers in this class, Hoyt had a tremendous summer that helped him the top-ranked uncommitted righty in the state. His ease of operation is what sticks out, as he gets to effortless mid-80s velocity – and it climbed to 90 mph at times this summer. He can really spin the breaking ball, too, a tight slider that he used as his go-to out-pitch. There’s still room to grow and muscle to add here, suggesting Hoyt’s upside is among the state’s highest, at this point. |
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Kaden Kosobucki C / West De Pere, WI / 2021NORTHERN ILLINOIS COMMIT A simple, repeatable swing allows Kosobucki to connect for constant contact from the right-handed box. Kosobucki has risen 10 spots on the 2021 board because he also seemed to grow into some power, too. He gets the utmost out of his strong, compact build, as he swings a timely barrel. A smart approach allows him to pick and choose when to take aggressive hacks or redirect a ball the other way. Kosobucki remains an efficient backstop, too, and should be able to stick behind the plate at Northern Illinois. |
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Brady Counsell SS / 2B / Whitefish Bay, WI / 2021MINNESOTA COMMIT Counsell is coming to his own, filling out his lean, thin 6-foot frame with some strength that’s trending his right-handed bat way up. He was productive at the plate this summer and he showed it multiple times in front of PBR staff. With actions on defense fit for the middle of the infield, Counsell capped his summer on the highest of notes when he announced his commitment to Minnesota. |
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Trett Joles C / Boyceville, WI / 2021INDIANA STATE COMMIT One of the strongest members of this ‘21 class, Joles’ right-handed bat strength is arguably the best in state. We saw it first hand this summer at The Rock when he slugged a couple of homers to both center and right field – on balls he didn’t entirely square up, either. Joles isn’t just brute force; he’s an exceptional high school wrestler and that athleticism is evident from behind the plate, too. His easy pop and improving defense make the latest Indiana State commit a potential middle-of-the-order bat at the next level. |
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Jacob Hartlaub RHP / Martin Luther, WI / 2021BALL STATE COMMIT Hartlaub had always been on the prospect radar for his high-ceiling frame and athleticism that always showed best on defense at shortstop. But, in February, he totally broke out on the mound with an athletic, clean arm action that was up to 87 mph in a bullpen. While still possessing some two-way upside, Hartlaub kept getting better on the mound in the summer where he was up to 88 mph in-game with a sharp, upside slider that he throws with confidence. Now, he’s looking more and more like a pitcher-only at the next level and he’ll look to sharpen his exciting profile at Ball State in 2021. |
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Anthony Gross OF / Catholic Memorial , WI / 2021UNCOMMITTED One of the most productive top-of-the-order hitters in the state’s 2021 class, Gross just hits, simply put. He’s a compact 5-foot-9 athlete who can do a little bit of everything – run, hit, defend. He’s a sub-6.90 runner with twitchy tools, including a right-handed bat with some sneaky strength that meets the ball consistently on-plane. He’s an energetic, uptempo prospect who’s turned into the top uncommitted position player in the state’s incoming senior class. |
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Andrew Brockwell RHP / Brodhead, WI / 2021WESTERN KENTUCKY COMMIT Brockwell has long been a ‘live arm’ who had spent some time refining the rest of his skillset. This summer, at long last, Brockwell seemed to put it all together. Listed a strong 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, Brockwell showed that he has harnessed his superior arm strength, now sitting in the upper-80s, touching 90 with frequency. The eye-catching summer he had caught the attention of Western Kentucky, where he’s now committed. |
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Spencer Buskager RHP / Oregon, WI / 2021MADISON JC COMMIT PBR Illinois and Wisconsin Scouting Supervisor, Steve Nielsen, called Buskager’s outing at the 17U tourney at The Rock one of his favorite outings of the summer. He took the ball against a quality RakeCity squad and shoved for six-plus innings, working with high pitchability. He adds and subtracts from his mid-80s fastball effectively (up to 87 mph) and features a couple different offspeed offerings that both play well-above-average. His composure and conviction on the mound help his stuff play up, too. He recently committed to Madison JC and is now the No. 46-ranked prospect in the state’s senior class.
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Brigs Richartz C / Menomonie, WI / 2021UNCOMMITTED Richartz is one of the youngest members of the ‘21 class, and he’s also one of the most productive left-handed bats in it. He was white hot this summer at the plate, demonstrating an innate feel to hit, spraying balls into both gaps while flashing some serious power potential. He swings a fast bat that earns high marks via Blast Motion and TrackMan technologies, and he’s also a very capable defender who’s quick out of the crouch. A high-follow uncommitted prospect who’s trending way up.
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Dylan Lapic LHP / La Crosse Central, WI / 2021UNCOMMITTED Broad, square shoulders in a 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame, Lapic has some obvious upside to unlock at the next level. He was one of the ‘winners’ at July’s Top Prospect MKE event where the ball was jumping from his hand, topping 86 mph with some natural run/sink. He’s still working on the out-pitch, but Lapic has a few traits that should make him a commodity on the market regardless. |
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Nicklas Williams INF / C / Union Grove, WI / 2021UNCOMMITTED Williams just capped the summer with the day’s top overall performance at the Eastern Wisconsin Open, after a season in which he was all over the barrel. Listed at 6-foot, 180 pounds, Williams brings a muscular build to the right-handed box. He has a natural and advanced feel to hit, too, working from an up-the-middle approach that helps him spray hard-hit liners to all fields. And despite his brawny size, Williams moves around really fluidly (6.97 runner) – at that aforementioned event, he took some quality, quick reps behind the plate, though we’re more accustomed to seeing him at second or third base. |
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Bennett Spaeth OF / De Pere, WI / 2021UNCOMMITTED Over the past two summers of viewings, Spaeth has earned a reputation as a clutch hitter. What he might lack in ‘wow’ tools, Spaeth makes up for in a simple, timely right-handed swing. He’s a lean athlete in a 5-foot-11 build who connects for contact to all fields with an athletic barrel that stays on plane well. |
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Thomas Ellisen RHP / Kimberly, WI / 2021UNCOMMITTED He debuted inside the top-80 at the start of the spring after an impressive bullpen in Appleton, and we were able to catch him a couple of times this summer where he was all the way up to 89 mph – though more often in the mid-80s. From a straight over-the-top slot, Ellisen’s fastball has some steepness to it that makes it tough to square up. There might be some two-way potential here as well, considering he’s a sub-7.00 runner who can hit the ball hard. His athleticism and 6-foot-3 frame might be too good to pass up from the rubber, however. |
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Ryan Blanchard SS / Kettle Moraine, WI / 2021QUINCY COMMIT Blanchard is a gamer type who plays with a high motor and infectious energy – and real tools to go along with it. He stands out for his ability to patrol shortstop. He has all of the actions necessary; soft hands, above-average range, enough arm for the left side. But Blanchard is rising in the class because he unlocked some bat strength in 2020, allowing him to connect on louder and farther contact with some consistency. Up to No. 60 overall in the class, Blanchard ended the summer with a commitment to Division-II Quincy. |
MORE RISERS
+ Owen Rice, LHP, East Troy (uncommitted): Rice is back on the bump and we got to see him at GPA Games in early August where he was up to 85 mph from the left side. His raw stuff and highly projectable 6-foot-4 size make him a prospect to keep a close eye over the offseason.
+ Leo Falletti, OF, Wilmot (uncommitted): Back into the top-75, Falletti has an intriguing array of tools to follow. He’s fleet of foot in wiry strong 5-foot-10 frame, and he has good barrel feel that produces some loud line-drives to all fields.
+ Kellan Short, RHP, Catholic Memorial (Madison JC): There’s nothing flashy about Short’s stuff – he’s a low- to mid-80s strike-thrower who just gets the job done. Short pitches with the conviction and competitiveness of a staff ace, which helps him get the most out of his arsenal. A strong, barrel-chested 5-foot-8 with a hammer 12/6 breaking ball who just recently committed to Madison JC.
+ Gage Smith, RHP, Appleton North (uncommitted): A lanky 6-foot-3 pop-up follow from the winter whose stuff ticked up this summer. At our Top Prospect MKE event, Smith was up to 86 mph with a low-spin fastball and two above-average breaking balls.
+ Cade Neuber, 3B, Slinger (uncommitted): Neuber’s calling card is his right-handed bat, which supplies some surprising pop, especially for his size. He swings a loose bat with some bat speed off an uphill plane that connects for some real, playable power potential.
+ Boone Mathison, OF, Tomah (uncommitted): A twitchy, tools-y prospect who showed well this summer as a top-of-the-order type with a fast bat that connects for some surprisingly loud contact. Mathison is a good runner, which translates well to the outfield, and his righty bat just works in-game.
+ Mason Kirchberg, 3B, DeForest (uncommitted): One of the more notable Risers in this update, Kirchberg swung a hot bat all summer. A right-handed swing that’s loose, fast with barrel feel and he brings some defensive versatility with him to the ballpark, too.
+ Jacob Thoresen, RHP, Oak Creek (uncommitted): Thoresen’s arm strength is certainly worth mentioning, as he was regularly up to 86 mph. He was very effective this summer, and his size suggests there’s more fuel in the tank. He’s an arm strength type worth following, which pushed him up 10 spots to No. 100 overall.
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