Wisconsin Class of 2025 Rankings: Update
May 17, 2023
Today, as part of Prep Baseball Report’s rankings week, our PBR Wisconsin staff is unveiling this substantial update to the state’s sophomore class rankings, which have been expanded to a top-75 overall.
In the piece below, we’ve broken down how the top-10 is shaped following this past Preseason ID showcase spanning the winter, and our takeaways from the WIAA season so far. We’ve also highlighted players who’ve made the most significant movement up the board, climbing into the top-15 overall. Throughout the rest of this week, we’ll continue to break down this rankings update, spotlighting juniors rising on the board, as well as those making their debuts altogether.
AT THE TOP
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Carter Kutz 3B / RHP / Hartford Union, WI / 2025Kutz is staying atop our ‘25 board in this update, the place he has been at since the inception of these rankings. Listed at a long 6-foot-2, 175-pounds, Kutz offers some high upside on both sides of the ball. From the right-handed box, he swings an aggressive, but controlled bat that has produced multiple low-to-mid 90 mph EVs in front of our staff before, and it certainly plays in game as we have seen him consistently launch hard-hit balls to all parts of the field. While it is unclear exactly where his home will be positionally at the next level, the bat seems like it’ll play, although his arm talent on the mound may just be where his future is brightest. While he’s still somewhat new to pitching, Kutz is an athletic mover on the bump, and he’s been up to 89 mph in our looks on a lively fastball with vertical action. As for his offspeeds, he features a short 11/5 breaking ball, and a straight changeup in the low-80s, both of which project as out-pitches, too. While Kutz is still a work-in-progress talent, he has a skill set that’s both hard to come by with some traits that you simply can’t teach. For those reasons, among others, he remains our top-ranked sophomore in the state.
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Peter Kussow RHP / Arrowhead, WI / 2025Boasting some of the highest on-mound upside in the state, Kussow finds himself up to the No. 2 spot in this update. Listed at 6-foot-5, 195 pounds, and with extra long levers, Kussow makes his one-spot jump after yet another impressive performance at the West Milwaukee Preseason ID. There, he ran his firm, heavy fastball all the way up to 89.5 mph from a higher ¾ slot. While this pitch is impressive in its own right, it’s the aggressive, 2,700 rpm slider, 79-80 mph, that he demonstrates conviction and confidence in that has him separating himself from his peers. The slider is one of the best breaking balls in the state, regardless of class, and he’s shown the ability to throw it for strikes consistently, with biting, late action aided by how hard he throws it, often in the upper-70s or even low-80s. To round out his three-pitch mix, Kussow kills spin on a firm changeup with fading action that gives him a weapon to feature opposite left-handed hitters, making him a more complete starter-type prospect. Kussow has been on the rise since bursting onto the scene throughout the course of last year's summer circuit, and after showing an even more advanced arsenal this winter, he sits at the coveted No. 2 spot.
Peter Kussow (2/18/23) |
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Trevor Vande Hey OF / Wrightstown, WI / 2025Rankings StateRank: 3 / POS: 1
Vande Hey possesses some of, if not the, loudest toolsets in the state, regardless of class. Listed at a physical 6-foot, 195 pounds, Vande Hey is a high-end athlete, as a 6.76 runner, with powerful strength that shows itself both inside the batter’s box and in the outfield. The athleticism is on full display on defense, as he is able to range from side-to-side with ease, pairing it with an arm that has topped at 91 mph on throws home in front of our staff. Vande Hey really steals the show while in the right-handed box. His physicality is apparent instantly, and he generates elite bat speed and rotational acceleration measurements which, when paired with his innate strength, result in exit speeds recorded as high as 103.1 mph. At the Green Bay Preseason ID, his furthest batted ball traveled an estimated 391 feet, and we’ve seen the hit tool play well in-game too, away from the showcase setting. The tools that he possesses are separators and not just from fellow Wisconsin sophomores, and we’re excited that Vande Hey will represent the state at the summer’s PBR Future Games. Trevor Vande Hey (2/25/23) |
TOP-10 RISERS
+ One of the biggest winners from the winter circuit is RHP/MIF/OF Ethan Bauerschmidt (Tremper; uncommitted), who now rises up to the No. 4 spot in this update. Back in March, Bauerschmidt, who’s listed at a wiry/strong 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, made it out to the South Milwaukee Preseason ID where he started his day by standing out positionally. He’s an athletic infielder with arm strength, equipped with 7.03 speed and he was measured at a 19.9 mph top speed during the 60-yard dash. His athleticism will help him find a valuable defensive home long-term, whether that’s up the middle of the infield or even out in the outfield – though his athletic twitch and strength on the mound might just overshadow his promise positionally. As a pitching prospect, Bauerschmidt opened eyes at our South MKE event where he reached a 90.1 mph high with the fastball, spinning at 2,265 rpm on average, and the four-seamer reached a 19.2-inch max IVB – each of which are elite marks for a sophomore. And his arsenal isn’t fastball-only, he wields a high-spin slider, 73-75 mph, with sharp horizontal action that he’s still finessing feel for, though exhibits swing-and-miss traits. And he also has a firm low-80s changeup that uniquely carries and runs through the zone. He’s a real two-way talent right now and we’re interested to see how he progresses this summer, where he’ll ultimately join Vande Hey on Team Wisconsin at the ‘23 PBR Future Games in late July.
Ethan Bauerschmidt (3/5/23)
+ RHP/INF Jaxon Clayton (Brookfield Central; uncommitted) is another prospect inside the top-10 that features some high potential on both sides of the ball. Starting on the mound, Clayton is an athletic, clean mover that produced a hard-running fastball up to 88 mph earlier this spring. As for his offspeeds, he features both a slider and a curveball that each project as out-pitches at the next level. His slider plays with short 10/4 action and he has consistently shown the ability to spot it up in the zone and also throw it for swings and misses. His curveball features more traditional 11/5 action with depth and has averaged over 2,200 rpm in front of our staff. To round out his repertoire, he deploys a heavy sinker in the mid-80s with over a foot of horizontal movement on average. With the bat, he features an athletic right-handed swing with some bat and hand speed; and he’s similarly athletic and fluid on defense, where he’s been up to 88 mph across.
Jaxon Clayton (4/21/23)
ELSEWHERE IN THE TOP-15
+ The No. 5-ranked prospect in this class, RHP/OF Sawyer Deering (Kimberly; uncommitted), is still one of the most competitive pitchers in the Midwest, and he got even better over the offseason. At March’s Madison Preseason ID, the athletic/strong 5-foot-11, 180-pound right-hander twirled one of the more impressive put together ‘pens at the talent-packed event. Out of a simple, athletic delivery, the righty touched highs of 88.1 mph that averaged nearly 16 inches of IVB, and we have seen him up to 89 during this spring season. One of the more impressive things of his ‘pen during the winter was the advanced feel he had for a sharp, late-breaking curveball that averaged over 2,800 rpm, and it certainly has all the capabilities of being a deadly out-pitch at the next level. He also possesses a low-80s changeup with more than 14 inches of horizontal movement on average, and it’s more than just a useful third pitch. Not only is Deering one of the top arms in the state’s sophomore class, he also is a threat at the plate, another trait we’ve seen first-hand this spring. In a key April conference contest, Deering came up huge for his talented Kimberly squad, when he homered and drove in three of the four runs for the Papermakers in the victory.
Sawyer Deering (3/12/23)
+ INF/RHP Greyson Zach (Pewaukee; uncommitted) is an intriguing two-way prospect that slots into the No. 6 spot here. Zach has a professional-type 6-foot-3, 205-pound build, and yet he’s an excellent athlete for his size, with sub-7.00 speed and a 19.7 mph top speed. He ranges around shortstop fluidly, with an athletic arm action that plays well on the move, packed with strength for the left side. Given his stature, he has real bat strength from the right-handed box, though he doesn’t create much lift naturally – even still he recorded a 95.7 mph max exit velocity at February’s West MKE ID. At that same event, while on the mound, he was up to 89.8 mph with low effort, paired with a short 68-70 mph curveball and a 74-77 mph straight change. His size, athleticism, and strength grant him another one of the state’s highest ceilings.
Greyson Zach (2/18/23)
+ MIF Preston Yaucher (Edgewood; uncommitted) is an athletic middle-infield prospect that slots in at No. 8 in this most recent update. Standing at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, with budding strength throughout, Yaucher’s a polished player with a well-rounded skill set. His stand-out tool is a reliable glove fit for the middle of the diamond, and his athleticism plays offensively where his added strength has raised his ceiling at the plate. Yaucher has a controlled, low-effort swing that is able to generate easy jump off of the barrel, paired with hand/eye skills that equip him with barrel control. It’s an easy-to-like profile and his reliability defensively will help him remain a high-follow prospect along the imminent summer season.
Preston Yaucher (3/12/23)
+ C/OF Peter Visconti (Kenosha St. Joseph; uncommitted) remains the top-ranked backstop on our board. Listed at a compact and muscular 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Visconti’s an athlete with a right-handed bat that profiles as a run-producer. He’s starting to heat up offensively this spring, having recently homered in consecutive games, four over his last nine, including a walk-off bomb against Wilmot in the bottom of the ninth inning on Monday. Visconti’s versatile defensively, with an improving skill set at catcher, armed with above-average arm strength and a quick-twitch lower half that has helped him produce pop times in the 1.99-2.03 range. We’ve seen him roam around the outfield capably, too, though it’s clear the bat is going to be his calling card. It’s a short, efficient, compact swing with bat speed that works off a natural lofted plane, making use of bat strength that’s been recorded as high as 97.3 mph.
Peter Visconti (2/25/23)
+ RHP/INF Adam Urban (Wauwatosa West; uncommitted) is a name who has steadily been climbing up this board over the past couple of updates, and he made some substantial gains over this most recent offseason, especially from the mound. Standing at a projectable 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Urban is an impressive, athletic mover downhill with a loose, whippy arm. He has produced fastballs up to 88.8 mph with some ride/carry through the zone, recording over a foot of IVB on average, and spinning at an average of 2,214 rpm. His slider plays well off of the fastball and it plays with sharp, short, downer action that spins at over 2,400 rpm on average. He rounds out his three-pitch mix with a true splitter with late bite that he effectively reduces the spin on. Urban’s size and athleticism complement each other, giving him an intriguing skill set to follow on the mound, though he also offers two-way abilities much like some others on this list. He’s a left-handed hitter with bat strength measured at 93.7 mph max at the most recent South MKE ID in March, and he creates high bat and hand speed at the plate, too.
Adam Urban (3/18/23)
+ LHP Ryan Brennecke (Oconomowoc; uncommitted) is a name who has been inside this rankings board since it was first unveiled, and after a standout performance this spring, he makes another big jump up to No. 11 overall. For his Oconomowoc squad in April, the southpaw came out firing from the bullpen, running his fastball up to 87 mph out of an easy, repeatable delivery. He also showed the utmost confidence for a sharp 1/7 breaking ball, and a fading changeup, which both earned awkward swings-and-misses. Brennecke has establish a true feel for pitching, even as just a sophomore, and his 6-foot-2, 190-pound stature is a prototypical pitcher’s physique. He’s made velocity gains in a short period of time in 2023, and it projects to have him hitting his stride at the perfect time come this summer.
Ryan Brennecke (4/10/23)
+ RHP/3B Eli Bryant (Beaver Dam; uncommitted) is listed at a long, athletic, and projectable 6-foot-2, 180 pounds and you can count him as yet another two-way follow in the state’s sophomore class. This past February, Bryant impressed our staff at the plate with a simple, repeatable right-handed swing, driving balls to all fields from an inclined bat path. On defense, Bryant showed quality left-side-of-the-infield traits with soft hands and plenty of arm strength. And he might even be more interesting a prospect on the mound, where he moves downhill exceptionally well and athletically, reaching 86-87 mph highs with low effort. His knuckle-grip curveball has above-average depth and action, 69-70 mph, and he also has a shorter slider, 72-74, that does move more horizontally. Bryant’s four-pitch mix is completed with a deceptive changeup that moves effectively arm-side, thrown at arm speed and for strikes.
Eli Bryant (2/18/23)
+ There might not have been someone who burst onto the scene quite like CIF Cameron St. John (Altoona; Pepperdine commit) did during the winter circuit. At the Green Bay Preseason ID, St. John took not only the loudest round of BP of the day but the loudest round of BP our staff saw during the entire winter circuit. At the plate, St. John uses his large 6-foot-4, 220-pound stature to create some off the chart Blast Motion metrics, an average hand speed of 27 mph, an average bat speed of 81.7 mph, and an average rotational acceleration of 28.9 mph. Those metrics are just the start of how impressive St. John is with the bat in his hands as he has recorded max EVs as high as 105 mph and an average of 97.1 mph from a violent right handed swing. Despite his large frame, St. John is an athletic mover while on the infield dirt that suggests he has the ability to stick at the hot corner in the future.
Cameron St. John (3/12/23)
+ RHP Loren Georger (Appleton West; uncommitted) is a 6-foot-2, 170-pound prospect with a high waist and some high-end pitch metrics that boost his overall prospect profile. The fastball is a true four-seamer with backspin that contributes to prominent vertical action, averaging over 16 inches of IVB at the Green Bay ID in March. He pairs the four-seamer with an end-over-end breaking ball that effectively matches the fastball’s profile, as the curve spins at over 2,300 rpm efficiently, featuring hard, late vertical break. Georger’s changeup, 78-79 mph, also carries and runs to give him a third offering to his mix, and he’s another high-end pitching prospect to follow in the state’s sophomore class.
Loren Georger (2/25/23)
+ And you can count RHP/MIF Jack Poellot (Lake Country Lutheran; uncommitted) as one more two-way talent on our state’s sophomore list of top prospects. He’s an athletic, 5-foot-11, 175-pound prospect who ranges around well up the middle of the infield. Poellot is smooth defensively, equipped with 87 mph arm strength that also plays on the mound. At the plate, his right-handed swing has bat and hand speed, and he’s been creating more and more impactful contact in our looks, and it’s made for a productive spring. At the Madison ID, he recorded a 91.6 mph max EV and a max batted distance of 340 feet. On the mound, he’s a competitive pitcher who was up to 85 mph last year, though we’ve not yet seen him pitch this spring.
Jack Poellot (3/12/23)
+ Click here to view Wisconsin's Class of 2025 rankings in full.
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