Prep Baseball Report

Badger State Battle: Quick Hits, Day 1


Wisconsin Staff

Each year, the PBR Wisconsin staff hosts the Badger State Battle at the Woodside Complex sites in Mauston and the Dells as a way to celebrate the roots baseball has grown in the state of Wisconsin. The field is limited to programs that call our state home, pitting the top Wisconsin natives against one another. Following each gameday, we’ll go through the day’s highlights inside these Quick Hits posts.

Continue on below to view yesterday’s biggest takeaways.

DAY 1

+ GRB Rays 15u rolled to a commanding 8-0 win in six innings thanks to a stellar outing from 2024 RHP Nate Langbehn (DC Everest). Langbehn went the distance allowing just two hits and striking out 12 while pounding the zone with an 80-82 mph fastball all game. Wes Linde (Arrowhead, 2024) had a 3-for-3 day with a double to pace the offense.

+ Delta Sports Performance 15U took the win from Silver Sluggers Navy 3-0 to give them their first win of the weekend. LHP Tyler Andrews (Whitefish Bay, 2024) went six full shutout innings, striking out five and giving up only one hit. SS Johnny Guo (Whitefish Bay, 2023) had two RBIs to help pace Delta Sports Performance offensively. RHP Joseph Jewell (Nicolet, 2024) took over on the bump for Delta in the seventh, securing the save with a clean inning. 

+ RHP Thomas Burns (Hortonville, 2023) kicked our day off over at the Mauston Sports Complex with a quality outing for CBT Wolfpack 16U. One of the top-ranked uncommitted arms in the state, Burns boasts a projectab, high-waisted 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame that projects to fill out as he continues to physically mature. He attacked hitters with an 83-85 mph fastball that bumped up into the 86 mph range a handful of times, playing with natural arm-side action and occasional vertical carry. Burns also flipped in several low-70s breaking balls that occasionally showed tight-spinning action off an 11/5 plane and feel to land it for strikes. He finished with seven strikeouts and just one earned run across four innings of work. 

+ STiKS Red 17U and Brew State Baseball Academy squared off in a tight, competitive contest that ultimately resulted in a 6-5 win for Brew State. UTL Andy Justus (Greendale, 2022) led the way for the home team with a 3-for-3 day, scoring twice and driving in a run. Coming off a strong season for Pewaukee, OF Nick Doubek (2022) just continues to hit, slapping two singles out of the two-hole in this lineup. Despite the loss, 1B Keegan Norton (Greendale, 2022) smacked a home run in the fourth inning and INF Michael Kleinhans (West Bend West, 2022) drove a hanging breaking ball off the left-field fence for a two-run double. 

+ This morning at Chuck Hall Memorial Field in Sauk City, we were introduced to a new follow ‘24 prospect: RHP Kaden Russo (Elk Mound), of the Eau Claire A’s Blue. Russo is an athletic 6-foot-3, and he generates above-average velocity with it, measured at 80-83 mph, with slight, natural arm-side run. Though his offspeed was inconsistent, both the curve and change flashed potential as Russo earned more reps and continued to develop. The A’s C Carter Vieth (Elk Mound, 2024) is a prospect to know through the weekend. A wiry/strong athlete, Vieth swings a loose and fluid right-handed bat and showed mobility from the crouch.

+ GRB Rays Yellow defeated Edge Baseball 3-0 to kick start the 15U bracket at Edgewood College. SS/RHP Sam Vargas (Arrowhead, 2024) led the Rays with a strong outing on the mound, tossing five shutout innings to line himself up for the win. The Rays took the lead in the top of the third inning on a single from OF Leyton Mihlbauer (New Glarus, 2024), making the score 1-0 at the time. The Rays added on two more runs in the top of the seventh to add some insurance; Gabe Reyes singled on a line-drive to left-field to make the score 3-0. RHP Jack DeTienne (Verona Area, 2024) threw the final two innings of the game for the Rays to notch the save. DeTienne worked from a loose high ¾ arm slot, tall and fall type delivery, creating a tough downhill angle on hitters. The lanky right-hander impressed with a lively fastball that sat 78-80 mph, touching 81 mph. DeTienne flashed a breaking ball with 11/5 shape at 73 mph. 

+ Stars Baseball 16U won both of their games yesterday rather handidly, outscoring their opponents 26-2. They won their first game 16-0, backed by multiple strong offensive performances. INF Nathan Vela (Hortonville, 2023) doubled twice, including one to deep center field, and drove in six runs. Another Polar Bear, INF Brett Sommer, also doubled and finished the game with three total hits. OF Evan Mahan (Hortonville, 2023) brought two runners in on two knocks, too. The Stars won their second contest over at the Wisconsin Dells complex 10-2, led by a strong outing from RHP Carter Kriewaldt (Freedom, 2023). Kriewaldt tossed five scoreless innings, holding his opponents to just three total hits while striking out eight and walking none. He attacked hitters with a 78-80 mph fastball, touching 81 mph and consistently pounding the zone.

+ GRB Rays White defeated Thundercats 15U 6-5 in a close game that came down to the wire. The Rays would come away with the win in the bottom half of the seventh inning; scoring the winning run on a throwing error by the shortstop that allowed the runner on third to come across. SS Adam Suess (Madison East, 2024; Thundercats) had a strong showing; barreling up a double down the left-field line in the top of the third to give the Thundercats an early 2-0 lead. Suess also showcased quick/athletic footwork in the field, paired with a strong arm across the diamond. C/1B/RHP Broden Jackson (Milton, 2024; Rays White) tied the game at two in the bottom of the third with a two-RBI triple down the right-field line. Jackson also had an inning of work on the mound; featuring a clean high ¾ arm with a fastball that sat 79-82 mph showcasing life through the zone. 

+ Velocity Baseball 15u finishes their first day of games 1-0-1 after beating Delta Sports Performance 4-0. RHP Kyle Olson (Pulaski, 2024), threw a complete game shutout, only allowing five hits, five strikeouts and one walk. Velocity bats came through with the run support Olson needed. It started early in the game, when in the first inning CIF Milo Upton (Depere, 2024) hit a double to the wall scoring two.  

+ Silver Sluggers 17U spoiled a gem of an outing by JBA Clutch's LHP Noah Marschke (SPASH, 2024) with a walk-off winner in the bottom of the seventh by Yosef Baldon (Madison West, 2022). The Sluggers scored a pair in their final at bat to notch the come from behind win, capped by Baldon's RBI single to right. 

+ Silver Sluggers 16U Navy defeated GBR Rays Yellow 16u 11-1 in four innings. MIF Drew Mistele (Baraboo, 2023) had the hot bat of the game going 3-for-3 with three RBIs. RHP/SS Keegan Fleischman (Antigo, 2023) sat 78-79 mph with his fastball, topping 80 mph, and hurled four scoreless innings with as many strikeouts. He held the Rays to just one run on two hits. 

+ GRB Yellow 16u knocked off Edge Baseball 8-0 in five innings. The Rays pushed four runs across in the bottom of the fourth inning courtesy of RBI singles from OF Daelen Johnson (Beaver Dam, 2023), Jackson Hewitt (Monona Grove, 2023), OF Jackson Adams (Janesvill Craig, 2023) and OF Kegan Schlichting (Oshkosh North, 2023). SS Tiago Sanchez (Madison West, 2024) capped off a solid day at the plate with a two-run double in the bottom of the fourth; Sanchez also barreled an RBI single earlier in the game. The Rays were led on the mound by left-hander Carson Dupuis (Edgerton HS, 2023), who tossed four shutout innings; attacking the zone no-matter the count. Dupuis featured a loose over-the-top arm action with a drop and drive type delivery down the mound. Dupuis ran his fastball 80-82 mph for the duration of his time on the bump. He also featured a sharp 1/7 breaking ball that he could land both for strikes and to put hitters away. 

+ 15U Silver Sluggers Navy beat STiKS Academy Red in a game where STiKS almost pulled off a comeback after being down 11-3 going into the fifth. Sluggers hitters put together 12 hits throughout the game to give their pitching staff enough run support to take the win. Both Joseph Julie (Madison West, 2024) and Bennett Keller (Evansville, 2024) had multi-hit performances going 3-for-2 with Julie hitting a base clearing triple. STiKS hitters were able to scrape up five runs in the bottom of the fifth, however it was not enough to secure them the win. 

+ Milwaukee Baseball Academy defeated Prospect White 17U 6-2. OF Calvin Schwake (Wauwatosa, 2022) looks the part; athletic build with plenty of room for additional strength. Schwake showcased a confident/mature approach at the plate, lining a ball to the third-base side for an RBI to increase MBA’s lead to 4-2 at the time. INF Cole Rodriquez (Prospect, Oak Creek, 2022) has a strong/physical build as well as a compact swing at the plate that produced loud contact all game. 

+ Hitters Baseball 2024's cruised past Edge Baseball 15u 15-0 in five innings. LHP Tannis Lange prep (Waukesha South, 2024) went the distance striking out nine and allowing just one hit. Highly ranked left-handed hitting infielder Brock Lulewicz (Muskego, 2024) drove in three RBI on three hits including a triple. C Nathan Hanel (Oak Creek, 2024) was a perfect 3-for-3 with three singles and two RBI.

+ Midwest Halos 17U Red enjoyed a comfortable 12-4 win in their first game of the tournament. INF Cristiano Ramirez (Muskego, 2022) paced the Halos’ offensively with two doubles and three RBIs. OF Adam Balcerak (Muskego, 2022) and OF Eli Michaelis (Wauwatosa East, 2022) added two hits apiece, too. RHP Nolan Kahle (Brookfield Academy, 2022) went the distance for the Halos on the bump, striking out seven and allowing two earned runs. 

+ That same Halos 17U Red team won their second contest on Thursday 7-1. Three different starting pitchers combined to strike out 13 batters and hold their opponents to just one run total. Uncommitted RHP Logan LeTourneau (2021) worked the first two innings, pumping in an 83-85 mph fastball on the corners and striking out five batters. LHP Willard Peterson (Evansville, 2022) relieved LeTourneau in the third, hurling three scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Peterson’s stuff impressed tremendously; the 6-foot-3, 225-pound southpaw routinely pumped his fastball in at 84-87 mph at 2,300+ RPM and spun several sharp breaking balls in the low-70s that crossed the 2,700+ RPM mark. OF/RHP Adam Balcerak (Muskego, 2022) closed out the game with two scoreless innings, striking out four. Five different Halos’ bats had two hit games, including OF Ben Cook (Waukesha West, 2022) and INF Daniel Sherman (Slinger, 2022) who both drove two runs in. 

+ A riser in the 2022 class, Bradley commit RHP Brayden Marks (Elkhorn Area, 2022) showed every bit of why he is climbing the class rankings. Marks sat 87-88 mph, touching 89 mph, with his trademark high spin stuff. The slider was unhittable against ISA Stars Black as Marks struck out 10 over five innings tossing a no-hitter in a 10-0 GTS win. 

+ISA Stars Black 17U won their opening game against Halos 17U 13-5. ISA displayed the ability to hit the ball consistently all over the field as four players had extra base hits. RHP Evan Johnson (Kimberly, 2022) went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a walk leading the way for ISA. 

+ ISA Stars Royal’s 16U squad is rostering some of the state’s top uncommitted ‘23 talent, like INF Garrett Hietpas (Appleton North, 2023), who was 3-for-3 on Thursday in the team’s win over Delta Sports Performance in Sauk City. Hietpas has continued to show barrel feel from the right side, in an athletic build; he hung back well on a two-strike offspeed pitch to line a single up the middle. In his second at-bat, he grounded a ball hard through the right of the shortstop. And in his final at-bat of the day, he barreled a ball into the left-center gap for a double. Starter RHP Wyatt Brown (Menasha, 2023) pitched an efficient five innings, allowing two unearned runs with five Ks.

+ In STiKS Academy Black 17U’s first game of the weekend, RHP Gradin Taschner (Neenah, 2022) continues to cement himself as a high-end arm in the state’s incoming senior class. Built at an ultra-physical 6-foot-3, 215-pounds, Taschner attacked hitters all game long with an aggressive, heavy fastball that started at 89-91 mph, dialing down into the 86-88 mph range as his start went on. Taschner finished his outing in five innings, striking out 10 and helping his team to a 7-2 win. Offensively for STiKS, C Charlie Jarvis (Catholic Memorial, 2022) led the way with a triple and three RBIs, while Arrowhead’s CIF Emiliano Ramos (2022) continued his year-long hot streak, finishing this game with two hits. INF Peyton Frehner (Waukesha North, 2022) is trending upward inside the state’s incoming senior class, as an uncommitted bat that’s added some thump over the last calendar year. He showed that off in this game, crushing a ground-rule double into the left-center gap. 

+Silver Sluggers 17U came out hot against the Midwest Halos White team in an afternoon win. OF/RHP Tyler Schmitt (Madison Memorial, 2022) showed that he can do it all. He started for the Sluggers on the mound and threw four innings, allowing only two runs on one hit, while striking out six. Schmitts bat left its mark on this game as well, as he went 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs, showcasing fluid gap-to-gap power. 

+ In the night cap, RHP Ryan Roehl (West Bend West, 2022) continued to cement himself as an athletic follow on the bump for ISA Stars Academy Royal 2022. Built at 6-foot, 170-pounds, Roehl works with a comfortable rhythm on the bump, pumping in an 84-87 mph fastball from a loose, whippy arm. He progressively gained feel for the zone as his start went on and averaged 2,200+ RPM on his heater. 

+ LHP Andrew Milner (Eau Claire North, 2022) emerged as an uncommitted follow name in the Eau Claire region following his Thursday night start. The ace of the Huskies’ staff for a large majority of the spring season, Milner is a 6-foot-4, 165-pound athlete with thin levers that are plenty capable of filling out as he continues to physically mature. He consistently lived inside the zone, and on the corners, with a 78-81 mph fastball. The separator for Milner is his advanced feel to spin a true swing-and-miss breaking ball, landing it for strikes and burying it under barrels at 63-65 mph, averaging 2,400+ RPM. 

+ The middle of the order provided plenty of offense for Brew State 16U in a win over STiKS Red. Cleanup hitter C Jack Geniesse (West Bend West, 2023) tallied three knocks, including a double, drove in a pair, and scored three times. Following him in the order was the physical 1B Zach Wolfram (Menomonee Falls, 2023) who went 2-for-3, driving a double to the wall in center field and driving in a pair. 

+ Donatello Badalamenti (C/RHP, Pulaski, 2024) showed off his two-way potential in ISA Stars Royal 15U’s win over CBT Wolfpack Black. On the mound Badalamenti controlled the zone throughout his start, landing over 65% of his pitches for strikes. Fastball sat 81-82 mph early on before settling into a 78-80 mph range. He mixed in a lethal breaking ball at 70-73 mph with depth that caused a handful of sword swings. Finished with 11 K’s in 6.2 IP. Also a physical right handed hitter, batting third for a talented ISA club. At the dish he finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and a pair of runs scored.  

+ Neil Janssen (RHP, Delavan-Darien, 2024) hurled a gem for GTS 15U against PTA Cardinal. His fastball ran up to 80 mph in the first inning before settling into the 75-77 mph range. His short and athletic arm action definitely hides the ball well, and it was on display today. He mixed in a breaking ball at 67-69 mph with gradual action to help miss barrels. Final line: CG, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 H, 6 Ks. 

+ Rowan Andreas (Cedarburg, 2023) threw a complete game for PTA Cardinal 16U in their 8-3 victory over Thundercats. Andreas allowed three runs on nine hits, two walks and struck out one. Leo Berger (Rufus King, 2023) showed well in their game against Thundercats. The 5-foot-8, 145-pounds right handed hitter went 2-for-3 with a double and a RBI. Berger hits from a balance stance with a smooth load into a short stride. Berger started his day with a short level swing, hitting the ball to the right center gap for a one out double. 

+ Brew State 15u won their Thursday morning game against Midwest Halos Red 7-5. First baseman Aidan Perdreau (Mukwonago, 2024) went 2-for-3 in the game with two RBIs. Working with a tall stance, minimal pre-pitch load into the back leg, and a short stride. The 5-foot-10, 195-pounds has strong hands with a compact swing through the zone, a gap-to-gap approach, with a fluid rhythm. 

+ Joe Schneider (Rhinelander, 2022) uncommitted RHP, showed his dominant slider in a win against PTA Cardinal. Schneider tossed 5 2/3 innings of one run baseball, while striking out six. Schneider showcased his ability to command a firm 84 mph fastball, and dominate with a wipeout slider. His athletic ability, and strength ceiling make him a uncommitted arm to follow. 

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