Prep Baseball Report

Wisconsin's Recruiting Roundup: Week of 11/9


By Andy Sroka
Staff Writer

This edition of Recruiting Roundup is a special one, considering that the NCAA signing period is open, allowing prospects in the class of 2019 to sign verified National Letters of Intent (NLI) to officially mark their commitments to the programs of their choosing. This really marks the start of the offseason, having wrapped up all of our events and showcases in 2018, it’s time to take a look at the recruiting season and which prospects are headed where after a busy week of signings and verbal announcements.

Let’s get to it.

2019 COMMITS 

Anthony Beasley SS / 2B Somerset, WI / 2019

MINNESOTA-DULUTH

10/7/18 - Ranked No. 112 in Wisconsin’s 2019 Class. 5-foot-7, 150-pound, right-handed hitting infielder. 7.01 runner in the 60, laser-timed. Offensively, quiet, balanced setup, short stride and maintains balance through contact. Flashed quick twitch, bat speed and level bat path through the zone. 89 mph exit velocity from a tee. Defensively, natural ranging to his gloveside, maintains body control, quick release and ability to throw from multiple angles. Throws clocked at 80 mph across the diamond.

Kyle Elias RHP / Freedom, WI / 2019

MARIAN (WI)

2/17/18 - 6-foot-3, 180-pound, lanky two-way prospect, projectable frame on the mound. On the mound, loose, easy arm action, quick arm speed, high ¾ slot. Drop and drive delivery, easy effort, smooth rhythm, works on-line, finishes athletically. Fastball, heavy armside run, commanded, 79-81. Curveball, 12/6 shape, near fastball arm speed, feel for out of the stretch, 67-72. Changeup, sink and fade actions, better feel for out of the stretch, 71-73. Defensively, short arm action, over-the-top slot, 77 mph from the outfield. Offensively, open setup, drops hands on load, leg lift stride, long, uphill barrel path, 87 mph exit velocity off a tee. Ran a 7.87 laser-timed 60.

Nick Evert RHP / Franklin, WI / 2019

CARROLL

7/24/18 - 6-foot-4, 210-pound, right-handed pitcher, well-proportioned build, strong frame. Tall and fall delivery, heel lift balance point, toe lands open and heel first, works towards first base at finish, head jerks. Short arm action, slight wrap on back side, over the top slot. Fastball, worked straight, occasional cut, 77-79 mph. Curveball, 11/5 gradual break, 66-68 mph. 

DJ Hess RHP / Germantown, WI / 2019

COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY

2/25/18 - 6-foot-2, 175-pound right-handed pitcher, lean mature build. Slight drop and drive type delivery, works online, lands closed, heel rotation to first base side finish. Arm action is long and loose, high ¾ slot. Fastball works uphill, 80-82 mph, some effort. Throws two breaking balls, curveball has better action, 12/6 type, 70-71 mph. Slider ranges between 11/5 and 10/4, 70 mph. Above average changeup with action that sinks to arm side, 76-78 mph.

Riley Palmquist 2B / SS / Burlington, WI / 2019

MARIAN (WI)

9/23/18 - Ranked No. 111 in Wisconsin’s 2019 Class. 5-foot-10, 155-pound middle infielder with lanky frame. Right-handed hitter with good approach, tall, upright setup, closed toe. Bat wrap load, long stride, short level path creates some hard line drives; 74 mph exit velocity. Defensively, smooth actions, high ¾ throws with some carry. Soft hands, quick feet, plays through the ball with range; 76 mph throws to first. 7.75 runner in the 60.

Trevor Wanek SS / 2B / Fennimore, WI / 2019

PHOENIX JC

9/23/18 - 5-foot-10, 160-pound middle infield prospect with strong build. Right-handed hitter, balanced/wide setup. Leg kick load, shifts weight back, long stride. Loose hands, level path, worked the middle of the field, 84 mph exit velocity. Tallied two base hits in simulated play. On defense, long, high ¾ arm action, 76 mph across the infield. 7.15 runner in the 60. 

2020 COMMITS

Eric Erato INF / RHP / Sussex Hamilton , WI / 2020

NORTHERN ILLINOIS

6/19/18 - Ranked No. 16 in Wisconsin’s 2020 Class. Erato worked 84-85 with his fastball while exhibiting a short, quick arm, and creating a downward plane to the plate. He had a clean delivery, which he repeated with ease, and made some big pitches throughout his outing. HIs 70-71 slider took some shape, but was thrown with slower hand speed out front. The shape of the pitch varied between 11/5 and more of a sweeping slurve. Wide-shouldered at 5-foot-11, 170-pounds, Erato has lean, wiry-athleticism, and may have a chance to throw even harder in the future. The left-handed hitter was balanced at the plate on day 2 showing an easy load and flat path. He’s a player to follow given his athleticism and easy stroke, and with the potential of being a two-way player, he may become even more valuable to a program at the next level at some point in the future.

Ben Hampton LHP / West De Pere, WI / 2020

WEST VIRGINIA

8/22/17 - 6-foot-150-pound two-way player, lanky frame. On the mound works from a tall and fall delivery, regular effort, lower half can get more involved. Arm action is loose, high ¾ slot, drops to sidearm in the stretch. Fastball showed feel, flashed heavy cut, 75-76 mph topped 78 from high ¾ slot, 72-73 mph from sidearm slot. Curveball has 11/5 shape, 62-64 mph, controlled the zone. Slider at 60-61 mph, sweeps at times. Changeup showed feel 60-66 mph. Left-handed hitter, open stance, arm bar load. Occasional hard contact, timing can improve. 83 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm action is long, high ¾ slot, 76 mph from the outfield. 7.66 runner in the 60.

Will Semb RHP / INF DePere, WI / 2020

IOWA

8/9/18 - Ranked No. 28 in Wisconsin’s 2020 Class. 5-foot-11, 165-pound, right-handed hitting infielder, lanky, athletic frame. At the plate, balanced setup, smooth back load, leg kick trigger, rhythm in pre-pitch. Loose hands, smooth, uphill bat path, generates torque, line drive hitter with a gap to gap approach, ball comes off, effort involved. Present fast bat speed, exit velocity topped 92 mph from a tee. Juiced a double to the pull side gap in-game, plays hard. Defensively, fluid footwork, ranges well, fields in stride, plays through. Long to exchange, short arm action, over the top slot, winds up. Accurate throws carried 92 mph across the diamond, true ball. 7.26 runner in the 60.

2021 COMMITS

Joey Spence C / West Bend East, WI / 2021

NOTRE DAME

9/16/18 - Ranked No. 4 in Wisconsin’s 2021 Class; No. 245 nationally. 5-foot-9, 185-pound, compact, strong-bodied, left-handed hitter. DH’d in the second game on Saturday. Offensively, confident look in the box, ready to hit when he steps in. Simple, compact aggressive swing, hunts the fastball. Natural lift in swing, quick, strong hands and ball jumps off the bat at times. Hit a line-drive single to center field in his first at-bat and later scored. In his second at-bat, hit a sharp line-drive double into the right-center field gap, scoring two runs. One of the top 2021 hitters in the state of Wisconsin. 

JUCO COMMITS

Connor Kimple OF / Marquette University, WI / 2016

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE via SOUTH MOUNTAIN CC

4/26/15 - (HS, Marquette University) 6-foot-3, 215-pound, right-handed hitting outfielder with a strong, physical frame. Impresses at the plate and on the base paths. At the plate hits from a wide balanced with explosive hands generating bat speed (99 mph exit velocity from a tee). More lower half involvement this weekend than earlier in the spring. 4.44 runner down the line (6.76 runner in the 60). Speed plays in games getting big jumps on the bases. Currently ranked no. 13 in the Wisconsin Class of 2016 Rankings.

 

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