Prep Baseball Report

PBR at The Rock Fall Championships: All-Underclass Teams


By Wisconsin Staff

Last weekend, the PBR Wisconsin staff hosted its final tournament at The Rock in 2020, featuring prospects ranging from the 2024 through 2021 classes. We produced day-after content following each gameday, which you can find at the following links: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3.

Throughout the rest of this week, we’ll be breaking down all that we saw in Franklin, starting today with the tourney’s First and Second All-Underclass Division teams.

FIRST TEAM

CATCHERS

RYAN BAKESC / HUNTLEY, IL / 2023

He's a barrel-chested 5-foot-9, 180-pound catcher with advanced actions and strength back there, and he gets to some easy power from the right-handed box. He homered three times at a PBR Wisconsin-hosted tournament over the weekend, two of which were absolutely no-doubters off the barrel. It's simple, explosive swing that has Bakes on the national radar, up to No. 217 overall in the most recent update, and he's still uncommitted.

FIRST BASEMAN

DAYTON FRANKE1B / ROBBINSDALE ARMSTRONG, MN / 2024

Physical 6-foot-1, 215-pound, left/left two-way player, strong lower half. Hitterish in the left-handed batter's box, athletic setup, on time with athletic hands. Swing plays short to the baseball, worked competitive at bats with ability to extend the at-bat. Flashed natural power with a hard double to deep center in his team's first game of last weekend's tournament in Milwaukee. Above-average athlete for age and size, showed well around the bag. On the mound fastball played 73-76 mph with a 65 mph curveball.

MIDDLE INFIELDERS

RYAN JEFFERSONSS / 2B / PROVIDENCE CATHOLIC, IL / 2023

Illinois commit. Wiry, athletic frame with room to add more muscle as he matures. Left-handed hitting shortstop, 5-foot-10, 145-pound frame. Comfortable and relaxed in the box, balanced setup, smooth load, controlled high leg kick trigger, strides to even. Loose fast hands, short and uphill bat path, all-fields approach at the dish, elite bat-to-ball skills for age. Showed comfort and capability to go the other way all weekend; goes with the pitch and doesn’t try to do too much. Developing power will fully come around as he continues to physically mature. One of the best all-around defenders in the Midwest. Silky-smooth up-the-middle actions, will stick there long-term. Polished prospect with legitimate upside on both sides of the ball.

GARRETT HIETPASSS / 2B / APPLETON NORTH, WI / 2023

5-foot-10, 160 pounds; Hietpas is an athletic right/right prospect who continues to show well inside Wisconsin's '23 class. He spent just about all weekend at shortstop for ISA Stars' 16U squad and he was spraying hard-hit contact around the diamond, and landed some hard-luck outs as well. Regardless, Hietpas' loose and fast swing is aggressive and projectable. His athleticism shines through on defense, as he looks like a versatile infielder who can handle himself at any of third, short, or second effectively. He was smooth all weekend at shortstop, handling all the necessary plays with confidence. His high-energy style of play is also infectious, and it's an intangible asset to his game that seemingly helps motivate his teammates.

THIRD BASEMAN

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