Wisconsin 2019 Signing Period: D-II & D-III Commits

It says a lot about the state of the region's Division-II baseball scene that there are some seriously talented players on this list headed to prominent D-II programs like Illinois-Springfield, Winona State, and St. Cloud State, among many others.

There are 18 prospects in the state headed for D-II competition and 16 of those prospects are ranked on our top-150 board this offseason. Of those ranked 16, four are on the state’s top 50, the highest of whom is ranked No. 34 in Wisconsin’s Class of 2019 Rankings. We’ll do our best to shine a spotlight on some of the most interesting notes within this group.

• The NSIC is traditionally the regional conference accustomed to wrangling up the most local talent in the area and it’s the same story this year. Thirteen of the state’s 2019 recruits will be stepping on NSIC diamonds next fall.

• The NSIC’s Winona State has something to look forward to in its 2019 class. In the 2017-18 season, the Warriors’ team ERA of 5.88 was the sixth-highest in the conference – but help is on the way. Righties Bailey Banaszynski (Brookfield East) and Nathan Platter (Oconomowoc) should be able to eat innings almost immediately in Winona. Banaszynski, specifically, is the highest-ranked prospect within this post. He’s been on the rise this summer and was up to 88 mph in July, with feel for his offspeed. Platter – ranked No. 63 in the state – has a fastball that runs and sinks through the zone in the mid 80s and he pairs it with a changeup that has plus potential.

• Minnesota-Duluth is coming off a down season in which they finished 12-21 in the NSIC, but they picked up three recruits in this class, and two are on the state’s top 150. The top-ranked among them is C Trevor Gustafson (Webster). He was an integral reason why Webster clinched its first state title in program history this summer. The backstop is the No. 64-ranked prospect in the class for his athleticism and power potential.

• Ranked just two spots under Banaszynski is the talented two-way prospect from Appleton East, Andrew Sweetalla. He’s headed six hours south to Springfield, Ill., to makes his mark on the Prairie Stars’ powerhouse D-II program. Sweetalla sits in the mid 80s on the mound, but has actually touched 90 mph in front of our staff in the past. He’s also a lefty in the box with bat speed and pull-side power potential and has the athleticism to stick around on the left side of the infield.

• Joining Sweetalla in Springfield will be RHP Austin Glidden (Westosha Central). Glidden, a former PBR Future Gamer, has a loose, wiry frame that works well on the mound. He has feel for his three-pitch arsenal and lives in the mid 80s with his fastball and couples it with a swing-and-miss curveball. He’s ranked in the top 40 for this state’s class.

DIVISION-III & NAIA COMMITS

And, naturally, there are plenty of in-state recruits opting to stay close to home all while playing competitive baseball at the collegiate level. The WIAC hosts eight of the state’s top Division-III programs at Eau Claire, La Crosse, Oshkosh, Platteville, River Falls, Stevens Point, Stout, and Whitewater. The NACC pops up on the list above often, seeing as there are five prospects bound to Marian alone and another four headed elsewhere within the conference.

Of the prospects listed, 17 appear on the state’s Class of 2019 Rankings, the highest of whom is the Adrian College-bound Alexander Huissen (Indian Trail), who is a former PBR Future Gamer himself. He’s a two-way talent who’s been up to 85 mph on the mound and plays on the attack in the outfield and has demonstrated some bat strength and speed in the right-handed box.

Check out additional notes on the D-III- and NAIA-committed prospects from the state below.

• The Pointers put together a bustling class of 2019 recruits. Seven of the prospects listed above will be making their way to Stevens Point next fall. Ranked highest among them is the local SPASH product J.D. Schultz. Schultz, ranked No. 77 in the state, is a 6-foot righty who was up to 88 mph on the mound at our event in Sheboygan this summer. He more regularly sits in the 82-86 mph range, but it’s evident that he has the stuff to help mold the Pointers into a winner for the first time since they won the WIAC tourney in 2015. Joining Schultz on campus will be fellow ranked prospects 1B Quin Henwood (Appleton North), a big and strong first baseman with power potential, and OF/RHP Luke Blaha (Mukwonago), a two-way prospect who is capable of contributing early on both sides of the ball.

• Stevens Point had plenty of in-state competition when it came to recruiting. La Crosse snagged six of the state’s prospects of their own, including the ranked C/RHP Sam Rogers (New Lisbon) and RHP Jack Perinovic (Menomonee Falls). Rogers is 5-foot-10 righty who can run it up into the mid 80s on the mound with arm-side action, paired with a similarly effective changeup. He’s also shown the quick and clean footwork and exchanges to become a next-level backstop and utilizes a gap-to-gap approach at the plate. Perinovic is a pitcher-only who repeats well and has topped 87 mph in front of our staff in the past – but more frequently lives in the low 80s.

• Back in the NACC, the aforementioned Marian signed five recruits, while Wisconsin Lutheran, Edgewood, Concordia, and Aurora will each bring on one prospect of their own from the Wisconsin.

• And in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), Carroll notched four of its home state’s recruits, including ranked Wilmot backstop Evan Henry. He’s a lean, left-handed-hitting catcher who’s a natural receiver behind the dish, capable of progressing in the batter’s box as he continues to mature and fill out. Athletic righties Nick Evert (Franklin) and Bryce Spaulding (Case) can become fixtures in the Pioneers rotation, too.

• And finally, seven prospects in the 2019 class will be getting opportunities to play NAIA ball in the spring of 2020: 3B Simon Dembiec (Lake Country Lutheran; Cincinnati Christian), SS/2B Riley Garczynski (Marquette University; Indiana-Kokomo), 1B/3B Joe Georger (Appleton West; Washington), C Remington Lockwood (Middleton; Mount Mercy), OF Daniel Peterson (Burlington; Cincinnati Christian), and INF Bret Whiffen (Chippewa Falls; William Penn). Garczynski is ranked highest among them at No. 74. He’s a well-rounded prospect who can make a strong impression on both the mound and in the middle of the infield next fall.

Check back tomorrow when we evaluate the JUCO destinations on the remaining committed prospects in the state’s 2019 class, containing arguably the deepest in-state program recruiting class, byway of Madison JC. For a look back at the D-I committed talent in the state, posted on Tuesday, click here.

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