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Southern Wisconsin Open: Preview

October 15, 2020
By Andy Sroka & Diego Solares
Wisconsin Staff

On Saturday, Oct. 17, the PBR Wisconsin crew will return once again to the STiKS Academy in Waukesha to host our annual Southern Wisconsin Open. Our final scheduled showcase of the fall season, this event is open to all high school classes and provides these prospects an opportunity to get in front of our scouts’ eyes prior to the offseason commencing.

ROSTER

A few notable class of 2021 prospects attended this event last year, including Notre Dame commit SS Benjamin Loyd (Tremper) and recent University of St. Thomas recruits RHP Carl Cano (Bay Port) and RHP Colin Dailey (Cedarburg).

Sophomore RHP Jonah Conradt (Hortonville, 2023) is headed to the event on Saturday and bringing with him some heightened interest after a stellar outing at LakePoint last weekend for the PBR Underclass World Series. There, Conradt showed added velocity, sitting 84-87 mph, and he mixed in an exceptional breaking ball. The curve spun at 2,700-plus rpm off a 12/6 plane with late, sharp action. Conradt has a quick, live arm and we’re looking forward to an updated look at the Hortonville sophomore since we last saw him at The Rock earlier in the summer.

There’s a couple uncommitted senior right-handers to know ahead of time (and several more making their PBR event debuts on Saturday): Logan Paplham (Denmark, 2021) and Joe Giricz (Catholic Memorial, 2021). Paplham pitched well in front of our staff at the PBR Midwest Fall Championships a few weeks ago, sitting at a lively 81-83 mph and comfortably throwing an advanced changeup with natural fade that earned some ugly swings-and-misses. Giricz was often effective in our multiple live looks this summer, sitting in the low-80s with a short, over-the-top arm action and a feel to spin a breaking ball.

There’s numerous uncommitted juniors worth paying attention to on Saturday, led by OF Dylan Mass (Franklin, 2022). He’s a lean, wiry athlete with a fluid left-handed bat who swings with loose hands, and he’s a good runner, using that footspeed in the outfield well. Keep an eye on his Franklin teammate Charlie Marion (2022) another left-handed-hitting outfielder who swung a hot bat this summer. OF Logan Libby (Waukesha North, 2022) has a lead-off type profile from the right-handed batter’s box, with barrel feel and on-plane accuracy to go along with above-average speed. RHP Jaxson Easterlin (Franklin, 2022) is a follow 6-foot-4, 180-pound righty with a solid three-pitch mix who was up to 83 mph back in early March. And keep an eye on Wauwatosa East junior Eli Michaelis (2022), he topped 83 mph a few weeks back at The Rock while showing above-average spin rates – and it was at this same event last year that he landed on the radar.

Dylan Mass (3/1/20)

And it’ll be nice to get some added looks at Wisconsin’s up-and-coming freshman talent. In particular, we’re looking forward to seeing C Brady Johnson (St. Thomas More, 2024), who will be making his event debut, after a tremendous offensive performance way back at out 13/14U tourney at The Rock in May.

Brady Johnson (5/31/20)

Fellow backstop Cal Casper (Pulaski, 2024) is a competitive prospect that swings a loose right-handed bat and has a future as a top-of-the-order bat, while also showing above-average actions for his age and size behind the plate. His high school teammate RHP/C Donatello Badalamenti (Pulaski, 2024) ran his fastball up to 78 mph at The Rock this summer and has some bat strength attached to his right-handed stroke. OF R.J. Thomae (Hartford Union, 2024) and 1B Jackson Brewer (Homestead, 2024) are a pair of attending freshmen who stood out at The Rock this summer in live games, too.

ITINERARY

Important information to note ahead of the event: It is required to wear a mask upon entering the facility. In an effort to limit the number of people inside of the facility at one time, parents will NOT be allowed to enter the building. A check-in table will be located just inside the lobby, and it’s encouraged that players be spread six feet apart during this process. At check-in, players will be assigned their jersey color and number, and their PBR t-shirts will be laid out within the facility for them to wear during the showcase.

CHECK-IN TIMES

  • Check-in for Position Players: 8:20 to 8:40 a.m.

    • Offensive Evaluations will feature TrackMan- and Blast Motion-integrated technologies.

    • Defensive Evaluations will feature position-by-position reps in front of PBR scouts.

  • Check-in for Pitchers-only: 11:45 a.m. to noon

    • Bullpen Sessions will contain an approximate 15-pitch evaluation while under the scope of our TrackMan unit and PBR scouts.

    • Catchers will also be evaluated during this time for their work as receivers/blockers.

  • Catchers will stay for both sessions.

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