Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 9 Westosha Central
March 28, 2023
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: Westosha Central
Preseason Rank: No. 9
2022 Record: 21-5
Conference: Southern Lakes
WIAA Division: 1
Head Coach: Jacob Morman
ROSTER PREVIEW
| NAME | POS. | SCHOOL | CLASS | COMMITMENT |
| Nick Argersinger | OF | Westosha Central | 2023 | Wisconsin-Stevens Point |
| Seth Brankey | RHP/OF | Westosha Central | 2023 | Beloit College |
| Drew Eckhart | OF | Westosha Central | 2023 | - |
| Joseph Plfug | 3B/RHP | Westosha Central | 2023 | - |
| Scott Schulz | RHP | Westosha Central | 2023 | Wisconsin-La Crosse |
| Kade Scott | LHP/OF | Westosha Central | 2023 | - |
| Adam Switalski | RHP/OF | Westosha Central | 2023 | Lipscomb |
| Bryce Backus | RHP/INF | Westosha Central | 2024 | - |
| Jack Brenton | RHP | Westosha Central | 2024 | - |
| Mason Mitacek | C | Westosha Central | 2024 | - |
| Joseph Rodriguez | MIF | Westosha Central | 2024 | - |
| Joseph Suokko | 1B/LHP | Westosha Central | 2025 | - |
KEY PLAYERS LOST
+ MIF Jack Rose (2022; UW-Green Bay, basketball)
+ RHP/MIF Keegan Kearby (2022)
+ 1B Chase Kerkman (2022)
+ RHP Dakota Veium (2022)
X-FACTOR
Adam Switalski (9/25/22)
+ RHP/OF Adam Switalski (2023; Libscomb commit) will be a big part of how this team does as an offense along with his role as the team’s ace on the mound. A second team all-conference outfielder for the Southern Lakes Conference, Switalski has already proven that he has obvious two-way ability which will be key for the Falcons as he will be available to impact every game in some aspect. Switalski hit .387 in his junior spring and he was one of the team’s best arms, and he’s only continued to progress on the mound since. In the summer and especially the fall, Switalski showed enhanced overall stuff, which is something he flashed many times over the course of his prep career. In a late September start, Switalski sat 88-90 mph from a unique slot and he flipped in a breaking ball that he showed increased feel and spin for. All of this is to Westosha’s benefit, as Switalski can give the Falcons a genuine ace, one of several inside the Southern Lakes.
IMPACT UNDERCLASSMAN
+ The sophomore 1B/LHP Joseph Suokko (2025) is projected to fill in at first this spring, and the potential impact he can have offensively can bolster the team’s outlook, considering it’s Westosha’s depth of pitching that can be considered its greatest strength. Additionally, Suokko can bring some added depth to the team’s pitching staff, which will be helpful as one of the few left-handed arms on the roster. He’s a 6-foot-4, 210-pound southpaw with a unique delivery, and he was up to an 80.6 mph high earlier this month at the South MKE ID. His two-way capabilities should help Westosha fill in some of the since-graduated innings and at-bats lost in the season’s turnover.
OUTLOOK
The Falcons return a large group of players that were a part of their 21-win season from a year ago. Westosha Among those players are a group of three-year contributors at the varsity level, including the aforementioned Switalski as well as OF Nick Argersinger (2023; UW-Stevens Point), RHP Scott Schulz (2023; UW-La Crosse), and C Mason Mitacek (2024).
Argersinger just recently committed to UW-Stevens Point for both baseball and football, which underscores the level of athleticism he brings to the ballpark, occupying center field for the Falcons. He covers a ton of ground out there and has looked the part of an asset on defense at one of the game’s most important positions. Offensively, Argersinger is a competitive left-handed hitter who we’ve seen win battles against some of the high-end arms that have rolled through this talent-packed conference, and we expect him to take an even more significant step forward in his senior season.
Nick Argersinger (7/12/22)
On the mound the Falcons have an obvious ace in the aforementioned Switalski, and behind him are some quality arms in Schulz, RHP/OF Seth Brankey (2023; Beloit College), and RHP/OF Jack Brenton (2024).
Schulz has performed in game in front of our staff as well as showing well at last summer's Top Prospect MKE where he gave batters an uncomfortable look across his outing at the event. He’s a lanky 6-foot-4 righty who delivers the ball with some funk and in the low- to mid-80s, fortifying a staff that was arguably the biggest reason the team earned a trip to the Division 1 quarterfinals.
Other arms that will contribute on the mound for the Falcons are 3B/RHP Joey Pflug (2023; UW-Oshkosh), INF/RHP Bryce Backus (2024), and also the aforementioned Suokko and Argersinger. Keep an eye on 6-foot-5 sophomore RHP/OF Brody Schulte (2025), too, who might carve out a role to play on the mound.
Offensively, the Falcons return three all-conference players from last year's squad in Switalski (second), Argersinger (second), and Mitacek (honorable mention) and will be relied on to carry the load offensively this spring.
Mitacek returns as a three-year contributor on the varsity level and is fresh off of an honorable mention all-conference selection. Mitacek was recently at the Kenosha Preseason ID where he showed well at the event in front of our staff, here is what our staff had to say about his performance back in February:
“... is a 6-foot-2,170-pound athlete with some fill left in his frame. Mitacek gets into a strong hitting position and has a direct path through the ball barrelling multiple line drives through gaps which helped him register a max EV 89.7 mph. Behind the plate, he has a quick transfer and quick feet and had the second best pop time of the day at 2.01. He then showcased his versatility by showing well in the infield with soft hands and a strong and accurate arm maxing out at 85 mph across the infield.”
Mason Mitacek (2/4/23)
Other players that will contribute offensively this season are the aforementioned names above as well as MIF Joey Rodriguez (2024) and RHP/OF Carson Sieler (2025). Rodriguez, like Mitacek, was in attendance at the Kenosha ID where he looked like an instant follow. He’s a left-handed-hitting middle infielder with quick hands at the plate and natural up-the-middle actions on defense, equipped with above-average arm strength. Given the amount of turnover within the infield, Rodriguez could really help smooth over some of the early season question marks this unit has.
Joey Rodriguez (2/4/23)
BOTTOM LINE
The Falcons bring back an experienced group of players that got their first taste at winning last year and will look to repeat that success this upcoming season. With a group of multi-year varsity players the Falcons are poised to be a competitive team every time they step on the field and will compete for the top spot in the Southern Lakes Conference, energized by a sturdy group of upperclassmen who are now used to a standard of winning.
Make sure to follow @PBRWisconsin on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2023 season.
Find more information on the 2023 Falcons below:
PRESEASON POWER 25 COUNTDOWN