Wisconsin Class of 2022 Rankings: Newcomers

+ An arrow-up name after the Kenosha Preseason I.D., C Joseph Lagina (Freedom Project Academy) jumped up to No. 72 overall in our state rankings after previously being unranked. He looked stronger there, now built at a sturdy 5-foot-11, 200-pound frame. He swings a strong right-handed bat with twitchy speed, and it helps craft some applicable in-game power potential long-term. His batted-ball metrics were arguably the day’s most impressive, too, as Lagina was responsible for both the farthest (363 feet) and hardest (98.0 mph) hit balls of the day. Defensively, he moves fluidly with above-average actions, and his throws to second were efficient and consistently on target.

+ Built at a lanky 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame that projects, RHP/INF Evan Iwinski (Franklin) makes his rankings’ debut after our recent update. Iwinski saw a noteworthy uptick in his arsenal on the mound at our Milwaukee Preseason I.D. When we saw him in October, Iwinski’s fastball velocity maxed out at 83 mph and that number jumped up five ticks to an 88 high at the MOSH Center, comfortably sitting at 86-87. He’s still harnessing feel for his secondary pitches, but the upside and athleticism on the mound are noteworthy. Iwinski also swings a loose righty bat that’s trending upward; he recorded a max exit speed of 91.4 mph, averaging 84.8, at the MOSH from a really smooth, fluid swing that peppered the middle of the field with line-drive contact. His athleticism works on the infield, and he reached an 85 mph high across the diamond from a loose, quick high ¾ slot. 

+ As a sturdy, broad-shouldered 5-foot-10, 192-pound athlete, RHP/INF James Vargas (Arrowhead) jumps into our rankings at No. 75 after multiple strong showings over the last calendar year. He’s an advanced athlete and moves better than expected, running a 6.92 in the 60-yard dash in March at the Madison Preseason I.D. That athleticism plays on the infield, as he ranges around with fluid/active feet at times while showing soft, sure hands and a strong arm that played at 87 mph across the diamond. With that being said, Vargas might be even better suited on the mound, where he pounds the zone with mid-80s velocity (85.8 mph max), with sinker-type action, and his slider and changeup are thrown with feel, too.

+ RHP Benjamin Kasten (Whitnall) is a physical 6-foot-3, 200-pound arm who showed tremendous strides at the Milwaukee I.D. this past March. Kasten bumped his max fastball velocity up six ticks from when we previously saw him in June, reaching back for an 87 mph high twice and attacking the zone for strikes at 84-86 mph. He’s still fully harnessing his secondary pitches, although his curveball did flash sharp spin and the potential to be his out-pitch when he worked on top of it. The best is yet to come for Kasten and he’s an intriguing uncommitted follow ranked No. 76 overall in the state’s junior class. 

+ From Waunakee, RHP Trevor Stevens slots into our updated rankings at No. 78 overall after an impressive performance on the mound this winter. As a 6-foot, 180-pound athlete, the separator for Stevens is his ability to spin a swing-and-miss curveball that is thrown with intent and features sharp downer action with advanced depth. The go-to offering topped at 75 mph and registered a max spin rate of 2,617 (averaged 2,391 rpm) at the Madison I.D. Stevens’ fastball was thrown for strikes at 82-85 mph as well.

+ Brookfield Central’s OF Luke Wenzel showed well at the Kenosha I.D. this past February and that performance inserted him into the No. 87 overall in our state’s rankings. It’s an upside 6-foot-2, 170-pound frame with room to fill out and lean levers that create some juice off the barrel. He was able to flash that upside strength from the left-handed batter’s box during his BP round, as his best batted ball travelled over 340 feet and left the barrel at 90.4 mph, and he created above-average bat and hand speed too, per the Blast Motion sensor. Wenzel also ranges around the outfield with fluid actions and a loose arm that reached an 83 mph high to home.