Southern Wisconsin Open: Quick Hits

Yesterday, Sunday, Oct. 21, we hosted our final showcase of the year at STiKS Academy: the Southern Wisconsin Open. Approximately 60 prospects from the area came out to perform in front of our PBR staff in an effort to head into the offseason on a high note. The amount of underclass talent that came out and stole the show was certainly the headline to takeaway from this event.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of rapid reaction and notes covering yesterday’s showcase.

SOPHOMORE SLUGGERS

+ Andrew Chapman (Waterford, 2021) came into Sunday’s event as one of the higher profile athletes in attendance, and did not disappoint. Chapman ran a 6.87, threw it 83 mph across the diamond and posted a 94 mph exit velocity form the tee. Chapman took arguably the loudest round of BP, working gap to gap.

+ 2021 J.P. Gauthier (De Pere) was a follow on our list from our preseason events in February and is starting to fill those projections. He’s a 6-foot-2, 165-pound third base profile with loose hands and hard contact at the dish. He was one of the more impressive bats of the day and showed an arm that can easily carry (83 mph) from the left side of the diamond.

+ Grant Ross (Pewaukee, 2021) was one of the top performers of the day. The 2021 two-way player looked like a natural defender on the infield with above-average bat speed and hard contact in BP. His arm strength played well on the mound where he works from a ¾ slot across his body at 83-85 mph.

+ A big, high-follow bat belongs to the left-handed hitting Jared Everson (La Crosse Aquinas, 2021). Everson is a 1B/OF who swings a highly confident bat. He clearly has a presence in the box  – standing in at 6-foot-3, 185-pound – he’s got a lean, athletic frame with loose hands and makes loud gap-to-gap contact. His easy swing creates natural lift that already has above-average pop with plenty more in the tank when he fills out. The pedigree is certainly there with Everson as well, his dad Darin was a six-year minor leaguer and is currently the Colorado Rockies Hitting and Bunting Coordinator.

IMPACT FRESHMEN

+ 2022 James Reese (University School of Milwaukee) has a live arm that played 77 mph across the diamond and more impressively, 77-78 mph, topping out at 79 mph on the mound.

+ 2022 Emiliano Ramos (Arrowhead) is an aggressive right-handed hitter who swings with intent and confidence. He posted an 88 mph exit velocity, well-above average for his age, and also ran it up to 78 mph on the mound.

+ Jaicee Foster (Southwest) adds his name to a list of 2022s to follow. His defensive skillset is still raw, but more than makes up for it with the bat. Foster takes aggressive hacks with loose strong hands and pounded baseballs in BP. His best exit velocity recorded at 84 mph and shows right-handed power potential in his bat.

+ Adding to the theme of 2022s to follow, Caden Wilson (Menomonee Falls) is a raw quick-twitch athlete. His hands work quick and loose at the plate creating a short path with above average contact off the bat for his age.

+ Thomas Harper (Wauwatosa East, 2022) looks to be following in his older brother’s footsteps. You’ll see Phillip’s work from the event further down this post, but Thomas is built similarly, at 6-foot-2, 145 pounds with long levers and a 76-78 mph fastball at just a freshman.

RISING 2021s

+ Bay Port’s Carl Cano (2021) is a highly intriguing switch-hitting athlete. He’s a long limbed 6-foot-1, 165-pounds with a very projectable frame. Defensively, he plays with active feet on the infield that work athletically through the baseball.

+ RHP Wilson Zuck (Appleton North) came in as the No. 10 prospect in Wisconsin’s 2021 class. On the mound Zuck has above-average arm strength for his age, touching 85 mph with a four-seam fastball that finishes well through the zone. His breaking ball is sharp at times on 12/6 plane at 68-70 mph.

+ RHP Andrew Brockwell (Brodhead, 2021) continues to show upticks on the mound. At 6-foot-2, 160-pounds he’s a slender projectable frame with a live arm that reached 84 mph on Sunday.

+ RHP Isaiah Cerfus (Union Grove, 2021) showed big improvements since our last look at the 6-foot, 200-pound sophomore. Cerfus’ fastball gained six ticks since seeing him in February, now sitting 83-85 mph with hard, late action.

EYE-CATCHING JUNIORS

+ David Go (Heritage Christian) was one of the bigger revelations of the day. Unknown to our PBR staff, the 2020 LHP carries a large, athletic frame at 6-foot-3, 200-pounds and showed excellent repeatability and feel for three pitches. His fastball played 80-82 mph with arm-side run to go with a 1/7 curveball at 65-68 mph, and above-average changeup at 73-76 mph.

+ Left-handed hitting C Christian Brenner (Burlington, 2020) took an impressive round of BP, showing loose hands and hard contact to the middle of the field, posting an 88 mph exit velocity. His actions are quick out of the crouch and showed soft hands receiving the baseball.

+ 2020 Jacyk Uehling (South Milwaukee) posted the best 60 time of the day at 6.83. His athleticism translates well to the outfield where he takes aggressive and confident routes to the baseball paired with an above-average arm (86 mph). He’s a spray/line-drive type hitter from the right side which should complements his speed well.

+ 2020 Arthur Liebau (Homestead) has a strong arm and aggressive curveball that showed well on the mound. Working out of an over the top slot at 83-85 mph; his curveball plays 12/6 at 71-74 mph.

+ Phillip Harper (Wauwatosa East, 2020) is tough to miss in a uniform. The righty stands at 6-foot-5, 190-pounds with broad shoulders that can fill out even more. Harper gets on top of his four-seam fastball at 83-84 mph and creates tilt and finish through the zone to go along with a sharp 11/5 curveball.

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