Prep Baseball Report

Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 17 Menomonee Falls


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: Menomonee Falls
Preseason Rank: No. 17
2022 Record: 21-8
Conference: Greater Metro
WIAA Division: 1
Head Coach: Tim Gotzler

ROSTER PREVIEW

NAME POS. SCHOOL CLASS COMMITMENT
Jack Anderson OF Menomonee Falls 2023 Saint Mary's (MN)
Derek Steinbrenner INF Menomonee Falls 2023 -
Keli Grennier MIF Menomonee Falls 2023 McHenry County JC
Grant Schultz RHP/INF Menomonee Falls 2023 Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Zach Wolfram RHP/1B Menomonee Falls 2023 -
Ty Cieslewicz RHP/INF Menomonee Falls 2024 -
Dylan Dux INF Menomonee Falls 2024 -
Jordan Hedrick OF/UTL Menomonee Falls 2024 -
Wilson Kershner C Menomonee Falls 2024 -


KEY PLAYERS LOST

+ C Evan Falkner (2022)
+ RHP Joey Spalding (2022)
+ OF Caden Wilson (2022)

X-FACTOR

+ RHP/1B Zach Wolfram (2023) was the workhorse of the Menomonee Falls’ pitching staff during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, and he will occupy the same crucial role again in 2023 as a senior this time. Wolfram, a former PBR Future Game participant for Team Wisconsin, showcased his dominance, especially in the playoffs during last season, and returns as the ace of the Phoenix in 2023. At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, in an imposing presence on the mound, from which he gets to mid- to upper-80s velocity on the mound, pounding the zone typically. In addition to that, Wolfram features a changeup, slider, and curveball, giving him a quality four-pitch mix. The righty demonstrated his ability to use all four pitches to get outs during the 2022 season, as he picked up clutch wins in his sectional and state appearance. The bat of Wolfram also had success last season, as he is a confident bat present in the middle of the Phoenix order.

OUTLOOK

An improbable Division 1 state run, underscored when they eliminated juggernaut Whitefish Bay in their Sectional final, summarizes another successful season for Menomonee Falls. The Phoenix picked up one win at the state tournament too before being eliminated in the semifinals. As they look to 2023, Menomonee Falls brings back the majority of the key pieces who made their formula of success possible in 2022, shaping them up to make another run in 2023 from within the competitive Greater Metro.

As Wolfram provides his two-way contributions to the team, he will have the help of multiple players who made state appearances last season. At the top of the lineup is the senior duo of OF Jack Anderson (2023; Saint Mary’s, MN commit) and MIF Keli Grennier (2023; McHenry County JC).

Both prospects bring speed and athleticism to the table for the Phoenix, Anderson from the left side of the plate, and Grennier from the right. Each hitter consistently gets on base, and are primed to be table-setters in this Menomonee Falls lineup throughout the year, as they’ve done in the past.

RHP/INF Grant Schultz (2023; Wisconsin-Oshkosh) will also have an important two-way role for the Phoenix, coming off of a season where he finished 3-0 on the mound. While pitching, Schultz’s length, standing at a wiry 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, guides him down the mound and extends, allowing him to get on top of the baseball, topping out at 87 mph with the fastball. Schultz was also a steady hitter in the Menomonee Falls lineup, solidly playing into his role.

Grant Schultz (7/12/22)

Among other contributors to the offense of the Phoenix is C Wilson Kershner (2024), INF Derek Steinbrenner (2023), and INF Dylan Dux (2024). While not known as power hitters, all three prospects continue to showcase the ability to make contact and reach base at the bottom of the order, giving Menomonee Falls depth and a difficult lineup for opposing pitchers to navigate through.

INF/RHP Ty Cieslewicz (2024) is a junior here that could take on a bigger role this season, earning more innings on the mound while contributing to the team’s offense. He was up to 83 mph in front of us in 2022, so we’re eager to see the strides he takes this year, to Falls’ benefit. OF/UTL Jordan Hedrick (2024) is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior that can find an everyday role on this team in some capacity as well.

BOTTOM LINE

A winning formula has been around for a while now at Menomonee Falls, as they’ve reached the Division 1 state tournament semifinals for two straight seasons coming into 2023. The Phoenix return multiple quality players with experience and a winning mindset.

Pitching depth is an area of improvement for Menomonee Falls as they begin their season, but there are candidates to take on larger roles on staff here. As prior seasons have shown, head coach Tim Gotzler and the Phoenix have figured out a way to be victorious, winning 20-plus games in each of his first two years at the helm.

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

Find more information on the 2023 Phoenix below:

+ Team Website
+ Team Schedule
+ Team Twitter

PRESEASON POWER 25 COUNTDOWN