The 2024 Wisconsin high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across the Badger State.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in their respective WIAA Division State Championship, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams with this initial Preseason Power 25 release which will take us right up to first pitch.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across Wisconsin. Each week we will be releasing our Power 25, Players of the Week, Diamond Notes, Scout Blog and much more.

Our 2024 preseason coverage continues today.                   

High School: Notre Dame Academy Tritons
Preseason Rank: 19
Head Coach: Jared Barker
WIAA Division: 2
Conference: Fox River Classic
2023 Record (Finish): 18-11 (Lost to Denmark in Sectional Semi-Finals)
Key Players Lost: Landen Lozier (Michigan State) & Deuce Musial II (Arkansas State).

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ROSTER PREVIEW

Team Strengths: Senior led, experience
No. of Returning Starters: 8
No. of Returning Pitchers: 7

NAME	STATE	CLASS	POS	COMMITMENT
Avery Duncan	WI	2024	RHP	Dallas Baptist
Brady LaViolette	WI	2024	C	Ohio
Donatello Badalamenti	WI	2024	UTL	-
Bryson Koehne	WI	2024	INF/RHP	Carthage College
Aaron Heyroth	WI	2024	INF/RHP	Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Noah Smits	WI	2024	INF/RHP	Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Carson Glosny	WI	2024	OF	Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Micah Marzec	WI	2024	OF/RHP	Michigan Tech
Zach LeMieux	WI	2024	INF/LHP	-
Emmett Hunter	WI	2024	OF	-
Drew Siudzinski	WI	2025	3B	-
Christian Collins	WI	2025	INF/OF	-
Adam Guyette	WI	2025	RHP/OF	-
Jack Collins	WI	2025	OF/LHP	-
Sawyer Klien	WI	2025	INF/LHP	-
Gavin Gretzinger	WI	2025	INF	-
Cael Nelson	WI	2025	C	-
Jack Frelich	WI	2025	OF/LHP	-
Tommy Ott	WI	2025	INF	-

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X-FACTOR

+ RHP Avery Duncan (2024; Dallas Baptist commit) will lead the Tritons on the mound in his Senior season after seeing a meteoric rise in his prospect status across the last year. Duncan returns as a 2nd Team All-Conference selection from last year and will look to continue his production heading into his final prep year. We saw Duncan earlier this winter when he earned an invite to the annual Super 60 Showcase which features a number of prep MLB Draft prospects from around the country. Duncan was able to catch the attention of Prep Baseball’s Vice President, Scouting Shooter Hunt who wrote:

"A smooth mover with impressive uncoiling, Duncan’s whippy right arm and premium frame were inherently exciting walking away from the Super 60. Up to 94.7 mph per Trackman, the fastball exhibited some hope from a lower release height and high ¾ slot with pristine posture down the mound as the delivery exuded athleticism and the arm quickness promised even more velocity to come. Firmly thrown at 84-86 (2598 rpm max), the slider took a shorter, late tilt with tunneling attributes, and though there were some inconsistencies in this look, the foundational properties of a potential out-pitch are there, especially when considering the low in-game mileage. Also featuring a firm changeup at 88-90, he killed spin (1596 rpm avg.) on the pitch as it ran to the arm side (13.6 HM avg.) with slight sinking action. A clear third offering, it demonstrated clear upside. Built like an ox, especially in the lower-half, it was surprising to see that the right-hander officially measured in at just over 6-foot-2, 184-pounds as his presence on the mound appeared much larger. This lends well to the fact that there might still be considerable physical development on the way, and with it a likely jump across the board in pitch grades. Somewhat less heralded coming into the event, Duncan’s performance reaffirmed his sleeper draft status and likely woke many in the industry."

Duncan will look to build of his performance heading into the spring as a true helium prospect where he will look to cap off his prep career.

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NEWCOMERS TO WATCH

+ While this team will be predominantly senior led, a pair of ‘27s could find there way on varsity this upcoming season, INF Ty Bumgardner, Joey Massey

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TEAM OUTLOOK

The Tritons return the majority of the innings from last years squad, Duncan will lock down the top of the rotation with Donatello Badalamenti (2024) serving as the teams No. 2 starter and is returning a 2-1 record with a 3.58 ERA. Aaron Heyroth (2024; Wisconsin-Eau Claire commit) and Noah Smits (2024; Wisconsin-Stevens Point commit) will also be leaned on as both starters and relievers this season.

The Tritons will have several options out of the bullpen. Outside of the aforementioned Heyroth and Smiths, Bryson Koehne (2024; Carthage commit) is a veteran arm that has seen some success as he pitched to a 2.47 ERA and will be one of the key relievers this season. Other names like Zach LeMieux (2024), Adam Guyette (2025), Jack Frelich (2025), and Jack Collins (2025) will see some time in relief roles as well.

Offensively, the Tritons have experience throughout the lineup headlined by Brady LaViolette (2024; Ohio commit) who is a 4-year starter on varsity and a two-time First-Team All-Conference player. LaViolette returns as a middle-of-the-order bat that led the team in extra-base hits (14) and RBIs (32) and will provide a steady presence behind the plate that will benefit the pitching staff.

A pair of juniors OF Christian Collins (2025) and INF Drew Siudzinski (2025) will be heavily relied on after impressing last year as sophomores hitting .338 and .325 respectively. Other notable returners in the lineup include the aforementioned Smits who was a .400 hitter last year in limited action and Koehne, Badalamenti who make up a deep lineup for the Tritons. Rounding off the lineup are seniors Micah Marzec (2024; Michigan Tech commit), Emmett Hunter (2024), and Heyroth.

 CHRISTIAN COLLINS (7/16/23)

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BOTTOM LINE

+ A senior-led team, the Tritons have the experience and talent on both sides of the ball. In 2024 they will look to improve on the 18-11 record set last year and while also competing with the top teams in the always comepetitive Fox River Classic.

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Find more information on the 2024 Notre Dame Academy program below:

• Follow the Triton on X: @NDATritonBASE

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