Winter Breakout Candidates

The PBR Wisconsin winter showcase circuit is set to kick off on Saturday, Jan. 25, in Kenosha on a tour that will take us across the state until the WIAA Opening Day. Today, we’re going to spend some time previewing the upcoming showcases by shaking off the rust from the offseason to outline a handful of names we’re excited to see at events this winter and in high school action this spring.

2020 WINTER SHOWCASE SCHEDULE

SENIOR BREAKOUT CANDIDATES

• RHP Charlie Campbell (South Milwaukee): We heard rumblings of a productive offseason that would boost Campbell’s velocity, something that had been a long time coming. Finally, when he made the trip to the Chicagoland area earlier this month to pitch at the Unsigned Senior Showcase, we saw it first hand. At the event, Campbell was arguably the top pitcher in attendance. He sat in the mid-80s and was up to 87 mph with some solid-average offspeed. He still has a spindly 6-foot-6 frame with muscle to add, so there’s still some more upside to unlock throughout the rest of this year.

Charlie Campbell (1/12/20)

JUNIOR BREAKOUT CANDIDATES

• LHP Dylan Lapic (La Crosse Central): While Lapic has never been to a PBR event, we’ve seen him pitch at The Rock this summer at the PBR Championships and in some camp settings the year prior. Good enough performances in live looks have helped him earn a top-100 ranking on the state’s 2021 board. We’ve always been high on his ceiling, and this winter could be his coming out party, we will see what he brings when he takes the mound at the Kenosha Preseason I.D. on Jan. 25.

• RHP Mason Ruh (Wisconsin Lutheran): For some time, Ruh was among the top prep arms in the state’s junior class. Things backed up his sophomore year, but it wouldn’t be surprising in the least to see Ruh recoup his status as one of the top right-handers in the state’s junior class. He’s a big righty with a live arm, a dedicated offseason could help him get back on track, so we’ll see for ourselves at the South Milwaukee Preseason I.D. on March 1.

• INF/OF/RHP Austin Bestul (Elkhorn): Bestul was identified early on in his high school career as one of the top athletes in the state’s 2021 class. While some of his peers surpassed him in 2019, that might only be temporary. At a fall camp, we were on hand to see Bestul pepper hard, quality contact off the barrel, taking one of the best rounds of BP on the day. His athleticism fits up the middle on the dirt right now and he’s also a low-80s arm on the mound. A big offseason could provide big returns for Bestul at the Madison Preseason I.D. on March 15.

Austin Bestul (7/2/19)

• RHP Owen Anderson (Hudson): We identified Hudson as a program to watch in spring 2020 after a few of their players put themselves on the prospect map last summer, Anderson among them. He’s an athletic 6-foot-1 righty with a quick arm that was 80-82 mph at an event last July, but we’re looking forward to what he looks like six months later at the West Milwaukee Preseason I.D. on Feb. 16.

SOPHOMORE BREAKOUT CANDIDATES

• LHP/1B Luke Ross (Waunakee): Sure, Ross is already a top-10 player in a loaded 2022 class, but after a tremendous performance at a fall camp, where he sat a polished 81-82 mph, touching 83, with excellent breaking ball feel, there could be an even greater break through for Ross ahead. Not to mention, he swings a loud left-handed bat, too. Ross is registered for the Fox Cities Preseason I.D., on March 8, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see him tick up on the mound and vault himself into a nationally known name.

• 1B/OF James Duncan (Arrowhead): Duncan might have already broken out after a couple strong performances in the late summer and fall at PBR Tournaments, like the Midwest Fall Championships. However, he was rehabbing a leg injury for much of 2019 that prevented us from seeing him in a showcase setting or game play, so his upcoming performance at the South Milwaukee Preseason I.D. is something we’re excited for. He swings an athletic left-handed bat with natural lift that’s enhanced when you factor in his advanced pitch recognition traits. Duncan’s athleticism helps him profile as an excellent first base defender, or as a capable left fielder.

• RHP Ryan Karst (Brookfield East): Karst is yet another example of just how deep the talent goes in the state’s 2022 class. He’s a large, athletic 6-foot-3, 195-pound prospect who was up to 83 mph back in the summer. With long and loose arm action, and easy effort, it’s easy to forecast a velo jump in Karst’s future and it could come as soon as Feb. 16 at the West Milwaukee Preseason I.D.

• INF/RHP Theo Zeidler (Bay Port): Zeidler closed out 2019 at our last showcase of the year on a high note. He’s an athletic and highly projectable 6-foot-1 who moves especially well on defense with a fluid and rhythmic right-handed bat. His loose and live arm certainly fits on the left side of the infield, but it works just as well on the mound. Zeidler sat 79-81 mph back in October with a tight slider. We’ll see what we’re in store for at the Madison Preseason I.D. on March 15.

Theo Zeidler (10/19/19)

• 3B/RHP Nick West (Verona Area): In the same camp setting where Luke Ross wowed us, West was similarly impressive in his own way. A lean 6-foot with strength in his long levers, West swings an easy, fast switch-hit bat. From the left side, he brings a little extra juice, too. He started for the Wildcats as a freshman, and should be one of their best players in 2020. On the mound, he’s been up to 83 mph with sink, so it’s worth watching how he progresses on the mound, as well. We’ll see him at the Madison Preseason I.D., too.

• OF Addison Ostrenga (Sun Prairie): Ostrenga has been a high ceiling bat on our list for a while now. He showed well in a loaded Underglass Games event this past summer and likely got overshadowed by the masses of talent in attendance. Ostrenga is a long levered twitchy athlete that we would not be surprised to see make a huge jump this winter. 

FRESHMAN BREAKOUT CANDIDATES

• RHP/OF Dylan Questad (Waterford): Like many of the other freshmen we’ve pegged as breakout candidates, Questad spent the end of his summer as a member of Team Wisconsin’s Junior Future Games squad in Georgia. There, Questad turned some heads when he topped 84 mph on the mound, with a power breaking ball. At a strong 5-foot-11, Questad’s athleticism is already some of the best we’ve seen in this 2023 class, and he has some legit two-way potential we’ll see for ourselves at the Madison Preseason I.D.

• C Thomas Curry (Arrowhead): Curry was teammates with Questad in Georgia where he was one of the team’s best bats over the week. From the right side of the dish, Curry swings a physical bat that produces some advanced jump from the barrel. He produced some of the loudest contact on the state’s JFG team at LakePoint, too. Curry also looks and plays the part of a high-level backstop. We’ll see him next at the West Milwaukee Preseason I.D.

Thomas Curry (7/31/19)

• RHP/SS Adam Switalski (Westosha Central): Already committed to Indiana, Switalski has stirred some national attention before stepping on a varsity diamond. One of the top prospects on Wisconsin’s JFG squad, a diligent offseason could elevate Switalski’s game to a whole new level. He was already an 80-83 mph arm with live athleticism, so we’re looking forward to checking back in with the Westosha Central freshman at the South Milwaukee Preseason I.D.

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