Prep Baseball Report

Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 7 Franklin


By Maddox Durst
PBR Wisconsin Staff

The Wisconsin high school baseball season kicks off on March 28, opening day for regular season action under WIAA regulations. Over the next week, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2023 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. We also utilized some of the information published inside the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association's 2023 Yearbook, which is available for purchase here.

Our 2023 preseason coverage continues today.

Team: Franklin
Preseason Rank: No. 7
2022 Record: 23-5
Conference: Southeast
WIAA Division: 1
Head Coach: Steve Drobot

ROSTER PREVIEW

NAME POS. SCHOOL CLASS COMMITMENT
Dylan Cunningham C Franklin 2023 Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Lucas Farin OF/RHP Franklin 2023 Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Boston Halloran SS/3B Franklin 2023 Oakland
Cael Lynch C/INF Franklin 2023 -
Maxamillion Martin 1B Franklin 2023 Kaskaskia JC
Alex Mierow OF Franklin 2023 -
Noah Musolf RHP Franklin 2023 Madison JC
Grayson Flugaur RHP Franklin 2024 -
Joseph Herrick LHP/UTL Franklin 2024 -
Cooper Kamlay RHP/MIF Franklin 2024 -
Ben Hefter UTL/RHP Franklin 2025 -
Mitchell Semancik OF Franklin 2025 -
Ben Verges LHP/1B Franklin 2025 -


KEY PLAYERS LOST

+ RHP Jaxson Easterlin (2022; Oakland)
+ INF Carson Flugaur (2022; Parkland JC)
+ INF/RHP Evan Iwinski (2022; Madison JC)
+ OF Charlie Marion (2022; Madison JC)
+ RHP Max Martin (2022; Des Moines Area CC)
+ OF Dylan Mass (2022; Saint Leo)
+ INF Carson Reinhardt (2022; Keiser)
+ OF Max Semancik (2022; Rock Valley JC)

X-FACTOR

+ INF/RHP Boston Halloran (2023; Oakland commit) enters the 2023 season as a senior who didn’t have the same success at the plate as a junior as he did when he was a sophomore. A year older, we’re expecting Halloran to bounce back in a big way, and Franklin’s going to need it given all of the offense they graduated since. Standing at a solid 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Halloran’s bat presents a quick whip, and his flat bat path allows him to drive the baseball. His quiet and controlled presence in the box will be important, as Halloran projects as a middle-of-the-order bat for Franklin in 2023. The righty will also be taking over the shortstop position for the Sabers, most likely, an arm that got up to 88 mph from across the infield at an event last year.

IMPACT UNDERCLASSMeN

+ There are a number of underclassmen capable of walking in and contributing to this team’s chances in 2023 – and that’s saying something given the amount of talent already etched into to team’s daily lineup and rotation. Sophomores INF/C/RHP Ben Hefter (2025) and LHP/1B Ben Verges (2025) come to mind instantly.

Hefter brings some versatility, defensively, to the team, as well as arm strength that came impact the rotation soon enough. He’s listed at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, and has advanced strength for his age bringing a kind of physicality to the Sabers’ roster. Hefter, who will be asked to play infield and relieve for Franklin, will be entering his first season on the varsity team for the Sabers. On the hill, Hefter features a fastball and curveball combination that kept hitters off balance in the summer when he crossed our radar. The right-hander reached 82 mph on the fastbal and mixed in a solid breaking ball in our looks.

Meanwhile, Verges broke out the Milwaukee ID on March 18 where he showed big arm strength from the left side. Verges is another physical sophomore on this team, listed at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, with obvious strength that plays on a fastball that reached an 86.4 mph high at that event. He’s a multi-sport standout who can impact both sides of the baseball in Franklin this season, covering some of the gaps made by last year’s graduation.

OUTLOOK

Franklin lost a deep and productive senior class in 2022, a group that led them to a 23-5 record and a Southeast Conference championship after sharing the title with Tremper in 2021. The Sabers were a game away from earning a bid to the WIAA Division 1 State Tournament, losing to Westosha Central in a thriller that ended in heartbreak. Now, in 2023, with multiple returning pieces, head coach Steve Drobot and the Sabers are still one of the deepest programs in the state that’s used to refilling the turnover it experienced on its roster annually.

The pitching staff immediately stands out for Franklin, as they return three starters who had success in their innings thrown last year. 

First, RHP Noah Musolf (2023; Madison JC) went 3-0 for the Sabers in 2022, featuring a three-pitch mix, including a fastball that can be rushed into the upper-80s, with spin rates in the 2,300 rpm range. Similarly, RHP/MIF Cooper Kamlay, who recently threw at the Milwaukee Preseason ID, was another piece to the Franklin pitching staff in 2022, and will be back as one of the starters for the Sabers. Kamlay, at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, reached 85 mph on the mound just a couple of weeks ago. He’s a highly competitive arm and he’s also an athlete who will be able to reliably cover ground up the middle of the infield.

In addition to those two arms, RHP Grayson Flugaur (2024) impressed our staff in multiple looks throughout the 2022 summer circuit, as he enters this season as one of top uncommitted arms in the Wisconsin 2024 class. Flugaur consistently demonstrated the ability to throw strikes, a similar theme to all three of these arms for Franklin, and carve through lineups, maintaining a low pitch count throughout. He’s become a go-to type arm to know in the state, and he’ll make Franklin an especially tough out over the span of the Southeast’s three-game series once conference play begins.

Grayson Flugaur (9/25/22)

With those three pitchers at Drobot’s side, the question will be how the offense produces. Along with Halloran, who was mentioned previously, 1B Maxamillion Martin (2023; Kaskaskia JC) is coming off of the best offensive year for the Sabers. Martin hit .382 last season, and will have a huge presence at the center of the Franklin lineup during the spring.

Maxamillion Martin (3/13/22)

Kamlay, when he’s not pitching, will man the second base position and hit near the top of the order for the Sabers, paired with OF Alex Mierow (2023), who will be one of the outfield replacements from last year’s squad. 

OF Lucas Farin (2023; Wisconsin-Oshkosh) and C Dylan Cunningham (2023; Wisconsin-Stevens Point) are two seniors who will be asked to step up in their roles for Franklin in 2023. Farin hit .375 from the right side of the plate last season, featuring a short, compact swing that will look to produce for Franklin this season. The same could be said for Cunningham offensively. On the defensive side, Cunningham will man the catcher position, a key piece with a strong Saber pitching staff returning. 

Dylan Cunningham (10/12/22)

A couple more underclass newcomers who might just earn some playing time this season are OF Mitchell Semancik (2025) and INF/RHP Bennett Schueller (2026). Semancik has speed and could make an impact on defense, much like his brother Max (2022; Rock Valley JC) did in center field. Schueller is another competitive two-way player on the roster and he can contribute as a freshman from the mound, potentially.

BOTTOM LINE

Franklin, coming off of a successful 2022, enters the 2023 season with the pieces to create something special when it’s all said and done. A strong starting pitching staff, plus some young, electric arms elsewhere on the staff set up the Sabers well to compete for a third consecutive share of the Southeast.

The conference will be a gauntlet for this Franklin team, as Oak Creek, Kenosha Tremper, and Kenosha Indian Trail, namely, look the part to compete for the title. Replacing the offensive production of the 2022 class will be a key factor in whether the Sabers take the crown again, on the trail for a trip to Appleton afterwards.

Make sure to follow @PBRWisconsin on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2023 season.

Find more information on the 2023 Sabers below:

+ Team Website
+ Team Schedule
+ Team Twitter

PRESEASON POWER 25 COUNTDOWN