The Wisconsin high school baseball season kicks off on March 29, opening day for regular season action under WIAA regulations. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2022 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, counting down through the official PBR Wisconsin Preseason Power 25 Rankings.

Perennially, we’ve submitted a Preseason Questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state. Their responses have been flooding in and we’re using the detailed insight they’ve provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis.

Our 2022 preseason coverage continues today.

Team: Kimberly
Preseason Rank: 4
2021 Record: 21-6
Conference: Fox Valley
WIAA Division: D1
Head Coach: Ryan McGinnis

ROSTER:

Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
Allen Leitner	WI	Kimberly	2022	RHP/3B	Madison
Colin Obermann	WI	Kimberly	2022	UTL	Madison
Brayden Mau	WI	Kimberly	2022	RHP/UTL
Josh Bailey	WI	Kimberly	2022	OF
Evan Johnson	WI	Kimberly	2022	1B/RHP
Brandon Carew	WI	Kimberly	2022	OF	Wisconsin-La Crosse
Wyatt Barker	WI	Kimberly	2022	1B
Brayden Deering	WI	Kimberly	2023	RHP/INF
Evan Olson	WI	Kimberly	2023	C
Carson Peeters	WI	Kimberly	2024	RHP
Ryan Csida	WI	Kimberly	2024	RHP
Brayden Pleau	WI	Kimberly	2024	INF
Kale Twombly	WI	Kimberly	2024	OF
Brady Koester	WI	Kimberly	2024	LHP
Alex VanderLoop	WI	Kimberly	2024	RHP/1B
Brennen Grams	WI	Kimberly	2024	RHP/UTL
Sawyer Deering	WI	Kimberly	2024	RHP

RETURNING:  35% innings returned, 75% at bats returned. 

IMPACT UNDERCLASSMAN

6-4, 180lb sophomore left hander, Brady Koester (2024, Uncommitted) should make an impact for the varsity team this season, as well as draw some statewide attention as a highly projectible arm. Koester offers a low spin mid-80’s fastball with a traditional three pitch mix for strikes. Koester shows the ability to shape his pitches, while still developing a sharp feel for his secondaries. When it all comes together for the youngster, he’ll be a high follow arm in Wisconsin.

X-FACTOR

Colin Obermann (Madison, 2022) is expected to be an impact contributor for the Papermakers in 2022. The explosive senior will pull weight as a table setter and on the base paths disrupting. The right handed infielder is committed to play at Madison college next fall, and should the Papermakers get a lot from him in 2022, they have a real chance to contend in the FVA, as well as make a playoff run. 

After popping up at the #MadisonID this winter, INF Colin Obermann (@thekimberlybase, 2022) has an intriguing skill-set worth a follow.

Strong 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame, 6.62 runner. Table setter type, hitting two-hole. Crushes this CB to LF. #PBRatTheRock | @GRBRays pic.twitter.com/L004FdmHJm

— PBR Wisconsin (@PBRWisconsin) July 24, 2021

OUTLOOK

In his 17th year as head coach, Ryan McGinnis leads the Kimberly Papermakers to contention in the 2022 season. While losing many of the team's innings in 2021 to graduation, the staff looks to fill in the gaps behind senior Allen Leitner (Madison, 2022). Leitner returned a 3-1 record, and pulled 3 saves for the Papermakers in 2021. He also produces a .350 batting average on offense to support the cause. Next on the pitching staff to make an impact is Brayden Deering (2023, Uncommitted). Deering is an athletic two-way player on the mound, pumping strikes and competing to win on a daily basis. Brennen Grams (2024, uncommitted) is another arm that’s very capable of producing quality innings. During our winter showcase circuit, Grams was one of the most explosive athletes we saw all offseason. Running a 6.7 60 yard dash, and hopping on the mound to produce an upper 80’s fastball with life and showing feel for spinning his secondary pitches. See “Impact Underclassmen” for more on the interesting LHP, Brady Koester (2024, Uncommitted). Starting and working through the lineup multiple times is right hander Ryan Csida (2023). Csida is a lean mid-80’s arm with a three pitch mix offering and plenty of upside to tap into. Should he tap into that upside sooner than later, the Papermakers stand to benefit greatly as they contend in a tough Fox Valley Association. Alex VanderLoop (2024) is another interesting sophomore with a physically advanced frame for his age. He works his fastball into the mid-80’s, a sweeping curveball, and a changeup to add. Carson Peeters, and Sawyer Deering are rising arms to pay attention to on this very deep Papermaker pitching staff.  

From a positional perspective, the Papermakers have plenty of offense returning, and enough production to make for a well rounded attack on both sides of the ball. Senior outfielder Brandon Carew produced a .475 batting average in 2021, and looks to pull a similar heavy load heading into this season. Junior backstop Evan Olson (2023, Uncommitted) has impressed this winter on the showcase circuit, and appears to be one of the more offensive catchers in the area’s junior class. In 2021, Olson posted a .425 average, and looked very good behind the dish during defensive work where he popped into the sub 2.00’s. Other contributors at the plate will include Brayden Deering on the infield when he’s not pitching, Al Leitner at third base when he’s not pitching, Colin Obermann (Madison, 2022; See X-Factor)), Brayden Mau (2022, UTL), Brayden Pleau (2023/OF), Josh Bailey (2022/OF), and Kale Twombly (2023/OF), and Evan Johnson (2022).

BOTTOM LINE

With an experienced leader in Ryan McGinnis, and a dynamic roster to compete with, the Papermakers look poised to win a lot of games in 2022, and have a real chance of contending at the end of the season. With plenty of options on the mound, including power and spin, and a lineup of dynamic runners this team will provide constant pressure to all opponents. 

Make sure to follow @PBRWisconsin on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2022 season.

Find more information on the 2022 Papermakers below:

+ Team Schedule
+ Team Twitter 

PRESEASON POWER 25 COUNTDOWN