Wisconsin Class of 2027 Rankings: First Look
December 18, 2023
The Wisconsin Class of 2027 has made quite an impression on our staff, and at a much earlier point than is typical for a cold-weather state like ours. As a matter of fact, you can expect to see more Wisconsin freshmen on the national ‘27 board come Wednesday’s release than have ever debuted this early before.
While it appears to have an obvious choice at the top of its state board, thus far, the strength of Wisconsin’s freshman group lives in its depth. In this top-15 overall, there’s reasonable outcomes that could see more than just a handful of these players leap into the top-five – or higher. More specifically, it’s hard to recall a class with this many seriously gifted catchers, and each with varied skill sets among them. Additionally, 11 of this top-15 were in attendance of the Prep Baseball Junior Future Games – though one made the trip a year ahead of schedule and another represented Team Minnesota at the time.
Below, we’ve provided analysis on each of the players on our top-15. Later this week, we’ll highlight some of the players who fell short of this initial top-15, yet still deserve attention as prospects moving forward.
AT THE TOP OF THE CLASS
+ C Maddux Lessard (Muskego) headlines the Badger State’s talented freshman class and looks to have all the makings of being the next high-level name out of Muskego. As just a seventh grader, Lessard joined Team Wisconsin at the 2022 Prep Baseball Junior Future Games, so he operated as the team’s first choice at backstop while playing alongside Class of 2026 teammates. Despite being one of the youngest prospects in attendance, Lessard shined and since then, he has continued to generate even more buzz for himself.
(Prep Baseball Junior Future Games; 7/26/22)
Listed at an athletic 6-foot, 165 pounds, Lessard swings an aggressive right-handed bat and is constantly looking to do damage – and more often than not, he succeeds. His skillset behind the plate is also well above his years. He is a natural mover with quick feet and a true feel to control the game, something not often seen at this age. In addition to his advanced talents, Lessard has earned a reputation as a tireless worker who’s uber competitive on the diamond, which only help him make full use of the baseball skills he’s honed to this point.
+ The only committed player in the state’s freshman class, 3B/RHP Cooper Schaefgen (Oconomowoc; Louisville commit), comes in at No. 2 in these initial rankings. Built at a lean and athletic 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Schaefgen delivers the barrel with controlled aggression and consistently drives the ball with authority to all parts of the field, resulting in all-fields extra-base hits. We saw this first-hand at June’s PBT 14U at The Rock Summer Championships where he was a sparkplug in the heart of his club team’s lineup. At the hot corner, Schaefgen has an advanced glove and pairs it with a strong arm that is certainly capable of sticking there in the long run. On the mound, we have seen him run his fastball up to 80.5 mph from a controlled delivery. He also possesses a 11/5 breaking ball and a fading changeup to round out his mix, both of which flash out-pitch potential.
(PBRT The Rock Summer Championships; 6/9/23)
+ Standing at a hulking 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, RHP/1B Carter Gordon (Germantown) isn’t just physically advanced for his age, Gordon moves well on the mound and with surprising athleticism. Those traits make it easier to envision a future in which Gordon is continuing to add to premium velocity that’s already reached an 88.1 mph high, going back to an April bullpen. We saw him across multiple outings throughout the summer, in which he sat in the mid-80s regularly, throwing strikes, while also proving the 88 mph high was no fluke, reaching that mark in live game action too. Gordon further pushes himself past peers with his advanced spin feel and control on a sweeping breaking, 72-75 mph, that projects as an out-pitch.
(Super Select; 5/6/23)
And while his future is brightest on the mound, naturally, his right-handed bat isn’t just an all-or-nothing power threat – though it does offer skyscraping power potential too, as you might expect. He has produced exit velocities upwards of 98.7 mph already, another advanced metric, especially for a player his age. His loud bat has produced a number of hard hit contact in-game, routinely sending the ball over the fence while also producing hard-hit line drives.
So, yes, Gordon is a physically advanced prospect, but he also owns a refined skill set and he’s well ahead of his years. He is just one of the many exciting young prospects in the Badger State’s freshman class.
PREMIUM BACKSTOPS
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Grady Cheever C / RHP / Germantown, WI / 2027
Rankings StateRank: 4 / POS: 2
A club and high school teammate of the aforementioned Gordon, Cheever comes in at No. 4 in our initial rankings of this class. Cheever, who represented the state at the 2023 Junior Future Games, may offer one of the most intriguing profiles in the class. First off, he is a legitimate switch-hitting prospect, which was on display throughout this year, in both showcase settings and live looks. From both sides of the plate, Cheever stays controlled, taking smooth hacks at the ball and has the ability to shoot line-drives all over the field – though his left-handed barrel might offer more run production. Cheever produced over the summer across a couple of looks, and we have already seen him flash some power potential despite his young age. Behind the plate, he has consistently shown advanced traits, already recording pop times as low as 2.04 from a quick and clean exchange, and has a willingness to keep the ball in front of him on pitches in the dirt, armed with big arm strength that’s quick and accurate to the bag. Cheever’s also an advanced middle infielder on defense, and given the arm strength, there’s a future on the bump, should that be his chosen route down the road. He’s a long, lean 6-foot, 148-pound athlete who we could see continuing to climb even higher up this list. (Prep Baseball Junior Future Games; 7/25/23) |
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Jack Spielmann C / OF / Milton, WI / 2027
Rankings, PBR Wisconsin: No. 5
Spielmann is another one of our staff’s favorites, as he was one of the most dependable prospects on Team Wisconsin last July, as a lockdown catcher with a very mature approach from the left-handed batter’s box. At an athletic and projectable 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, he creates some easy whip with the barrel from a smooth left-handed swing, and he has consistently shown the ability to shoot line-drives to all parts of the field. As he continues to add strength to his lean frame, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more and more power shortly follow either. Behind the plate, Spielmann has recorded pop-time lows of 2.19, utilizing quick feet and a clean exchange. In the outfield, his innate athleticism is also very apparent, as he effortlessly glides from side-to-side and pairs it with a strong and accurate arm. It is also worth mentioning that Spielmann has been up to 82 mph on the mound from an athletic and easy delivery. The tools that Spielmann currently possesses are certainly impressive and it is safe to say that he is just scratching the surface of what his ultimate ceiling could possibly be. (Prep Baseball Junior Future Games; 7/25/23) |
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Logan Hagman C / OF / Hudson , WI / 2027
Rankings, PBR Wisconsin: No. 9
Hagman is a powerful, athletic catcher in this class with more of a bat-first profile as compared to the backstops higher on this list who might offer a bit more of a fundamental skill set on defense. With that said, Hagman trades that for one of the fiercest offensive profiles on this list. Standing at an athletic 6-foot, 175 pounds, he already has advanced speed for his age, running a 7.04 laser-timed 60-yard dash (1.65s 10-yard split). At the plate, Hagman swings an aggressive and strong right-handed bat capable of lifting the baseball and driving it to the pull side for power. He recorded multiple 90-plus EVs at events in the summer, reaching a 95.5 mph max EV along the way. Behind the plate Hagman’s athleticism shows, along with a strong arm that was up to 76 mph out of the crouch. He also plays an athletic outfield where his strong arm plays even better coming in at 80 mph on his hardest bullets home. The combination of athleticism and power that Hagman possesses makes him an intriguing prospect in the Badger State, as well as a follow prospect as he starts his prep career. (Prep Baseball Junior Future Games; 7/25/23) |
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Levi Boivin C / OF / Neenah, WI / 2027
Rankings, PBR Wisconsin: No. 14
Boivin already has clear strength in his broad 6-foot, 185-pound, athletic physique, and he debuts at No. 14 on this list. Boivin put together a loud summer, which carried into the PBT at The Rock Fall Championships where he was consistently ripping deep line-drives all over the field with many of them going for extra bases. His innate bat strength is ultra intriguing given his young age, and it could certainly continue to be his carrying trait as he develops and matures as a prospect. Behind the plate, Boivin is a strong blocker and has the ability to corral what would be wild pitches. Despite his physicality, Boivin is an exceptional athlete (7.24 runner) and it is apparent in the outfield. There, he is an easy mover who can cover ground, profiling as a quality corner outfield option in the long run. He’s also begun to earn a reputation on the gridiron as a tight end prospect, underscoring his physicality. |
IMPACT TWO-WAY TALENT
+ After recently impressing during the brief, but important, fall circuit, RHP/CIF Eli Bauler (Monona Grove) debuts at No. 6 on this list. Already built with some strength in his 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame, Bauler looks the part while in the left-handed box. His quick hands create some easy bat speed and he pairs it with bat-to-ball skills that have shown the ability to drive the ball with authority to all fields. And yet, his upside on the mound might be even more noteworthy. From a clean and loose delivery, Bauler features an effortless low-80s fastball with life out of his hand. His curveball is also a weapon, as it plays with 11/5 action and has earned whiffs in our looks. Now heading into his first year at the prep level, Bauler looks to have all the makings of a high-end prospect inside of the state’s talented 2027 class, and he could be bound for an even higher place on this list as the years roll on.
+ INF/RHP Kyle Rogosienski (Muskego) is just one of several Muskego prospects on this list, coming in at No. 7 in these initial rankings. Built at a wiry and athletic 5-foot-10, 130 pounds, the upside on both sides of the ball is tremendous. He’s already marked 60 times as low as 7.09 in front of our staff, an advanced number especially for someone his age and with long levers like he boasts. This athleticism is apparent on the infield, as he easily moves from side-to-side and pairs it with a live arm that was up to 80 mph across while on Team Wisconsin in late July.
(Prep Baseball Junior Future Games; 7/25/23)
Offensively, Rogosienski’s loose and athletic left-handed swing was impressive across the summer circuit to say the least and he also flashed some power upside, as he blasted a couple of home runs back in June. Rogosienski has also shown some high upside on the bump, too. Out of an easy and athletic delivery, Rogosienski features a low-80s fastball with life through the zone. His mid-to-upper-60s breaking ball with 11/5 action and it plays exceptionally well off of his fastball. It remains to be seen where Rogosienski profiles best long-term, but that’s only a good thing for the Muskego two-way talent.
+ Muskego has yet another highly talented two-way freshman in its ranks in OF/LHP Joey Shaw (Muskego). He’s a highly athletic left/left prospect with raised ceilings on both sides of the ball. Shaw spent most of the summer playing up an age level and he showed he could hold his own against older competition. At the plate, Shaw swings a smooth left-handed bat and showed feel for the barrel and the ability to drive the ball in the air across multiple looks. Defensively, in the outfield, Shaw takes aggressive routes through the baseball and has well-above-average arm strength for his age, coming in at 86 mph on his firmest throws home.
(PBRT The Rock Summer Championships; 6/8/23)
Shaw’s aforementioned athleticism and arm strength also translates to the mound, where his future may be brightest, somehow. Out of an efficient, low-effort delivery Shaw is able to routinely sit in the low-80s on his fastball, with reports of even more blossoming already over this offseason. He also showed feel for two sharp breaking balls, and both have the potential to develop into out pitches in the future. Shaw has also shown a running changeup in the past that he throws with intent. As one of the most athletic prospects on this list, Shaw is certainly a candidate to burst even higher up this board in the ensuing updates.
+RHP/INF Eli Dreier is an advanced two-way prospect to know inside of the state’s current freshman class, and he debuts at No. 10 today. This fall, Dreier walked away from the Southern Wisconsin Open as one of its biggest winners where he put together one of the event’s top ‘pens. Working out of an athletic and upside delivery, Dreier has already run his fastball up to 85.5 mph which plays with over 17” of vertical break, too. He has also shown the ability to spin in both a 11/5 curveball with late depth and a sweeping slider in the low-70s. While he is still fully harnessing a changeup, it has flashed upside before, playing with late fade to his arm side. Dreier is also a capable bat, already marking exit velocities upwards of 92 mph and he has collected a number of extra-base hits in-game in front of our staff. Defensively, he has clean actions with bounce to his first, pairing it with his aforementioned arm strength which points to him sticking on the left-side of the infield.
(Southern Wisconsin Open; 10/14/23)
+RHP/OF Ira Hilbelink (Cedar Grove-Belgium) is a compact, strong right/right pitching prospect in the state. Standing at a strong 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Hilbelink has impressed across multiple looks throughout the year and also represented Team Wisconsin at the Junior Future Games. At the plate, Hilbelink swings a loose and rhythmic bat that is able to naturally drive the ball in the air through the middle and pull-side. Defensively, he is a versatile defender who is a quality option both in the outfield and on the infield, playing both of those positions at an advanced level for his age. He pairs his versatile defense with a strong, clean arm at both positions coming in at 81 mph at both the outfield and the infield. On the mound, Hilbelink offers considerable upside, as an athletic mover with a loose, clean, repeatable arm action that reaches low-80s velo with relative ease. There’s also feel for both of his offspeed pitches, a late-breaking curveball and a fading mid-70s changeup.
(Prep Baseball Junior Future Games; 7/25/23)
MORE FORMER JUNIOR FUTURE GAMERS
+ RHP Dylan Schreiber (Waukesha West) is an advanced right-handed-pitching prospect listed at an upside 6-foot-5, 170 pounds. Given his lanky levers, you might expect Schreiber to struggle to repeat on the mound, though Schreiber is fluid mover with a loose, easy arm action that he’s in much more control of than players with similar physiques at the same age. Schreiber has progressed across multiple looks this past year from sitting in the upper-70s earlier in the spring to sitting low-80s (83 mph high) with his fastball down at the Prep Baseball Junior Future Games. Schreiber also showed feel for two offspeed pitches, a tight breaking, two-plane slider and a low-70s running changeup. The combination of current floor and ceiling for Schreiber makes him one of the top pitching prospects in the 2027 class, as it stands.
(Prep Baseball Junior Future Games; 7/25/23)
+ After impressing our staff while representing Team Wisconsin at the Junior Future Games, OF Chace Staude (Kettle Moraine) already showed some gains he made at the plate, mechanically, at the PBT Fall at The Rock Championships. The 5-foot-10, 155-pound left/right outfielder is a highly athletic prospect with a considerable ceiling. Staude has a quick bat that contains genuine upside that he’s begun to tease out, and he raises his prospect floor as a true center field prospect with athleticism and arm strength in the outfield (80 mph). He is able to make the correct reads and he takes athletic and efficient routes to the baseball.
(Prep Baseball Junior Future Games; 7/25/23)
+ MIF Jonny Deets (La Crosse Aquinas) was one of Team Wisconsin’s top performers last July, and he was sharp defensively on both sides of the second base bag. Already, Deets has clocked a 7.09 time in the 60-yard dash, which speaks to the high-level athlete he is. His athleticism allows him to be a slick and sure-handed defender up the middle who covers a lot of ground, pairing it with an accurate arm. His innate defensive abilities are complemented by an equally impressive bat. In the right-handed box, Deets swings a simple and controlled bat that is capable of shooting line-drives into either gap, profiling as a top-of-the order threat. Deets is just one of the many prospects who enjoyed a standout 2023, and he now finds himself cracking the top-15 because of it.
(Prep Baseball Junior Future Games; 7/25/23)