Prep Baseball Report

Eastern Wisconsin Open: Outfielder Analysis


By Wisconsin Staff

On Aug. 17, the PBR Wisconsin team made the trip north to Sheboygan to host the final showcase on the summer docket: the Eastern Wisconsin Open. This annual showcase typically provides us with an opportunity to evaluate some of the state’s prospects we’ve not had the chance to see before, or have not seen enough of. We published our rapid analysis inside of our Quick Hits in the days following the event, and we took a deeper dive into the data we gathered at the showcase inside this Statistical Analysis.

This week, we’ve begun to roll out our position-by-position analysis of the Sheboygan-area showcase, starting with the day’s catchers. We’re onto the event’s outfielder’s today.

At the top of the five ranked names below is a sophomore, Owen Bond (Kettle Moraine, 2023), who made his PBR showcase debut here. Bond took, without a doubt, the day’s most impressive round of batting practice. His left-handed swing produces advanced power potential, as he recorded some of the day’s hardest and farthest batted balls, regardless of age. He’s already using his tall, lanky size well, and he projects to make even more impactful contact as he adds strength.

Junior Adam Balcerak (Muskego, 2022) was arguably the day’s most impressive all-around athlete. His time in the 60-yard dash was the event's fastest and he showed some right-handed twitch from the batter’s box, striking the ball harder than initially expected, too. His athleticism will give us something to watch upon our next viewing following the offseason.

For full scouting reports on each of the outfielders who attended the Eastern Wisconsin Open, continue on below.

TOP OUTFIELD PROSPECTS

1. Owen Bond, Kettle Moraine (WI), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/LHP; Became a sophomore follow at this showcase.
Body: 6-3, 170-pounds. Lanky, long-levered frame with plenty of room for physical maturity.
Hit: LHH. Tall setup, wide base, high hands, bat tips at load, steady toe-tap timing trigger.  Strong hands with above-average speed; averaged 25.35 mph of hand speed according to Blast Motion. Level bat path, easy gap-to-gap power, loose feel for the barrel; average exit speed of 87.04 mph in BP, per TrackMan.
Power: 93 mph exit velocity from the tee. Advanced present power tool with more to come as physical maturity continues. Recorded a max exit speed of 96.1 mph with a max fly ball distance of 343 feet in BP, per Trackman. Hit a loud home run off the stadium scoreboard.
Arm: LH. OF - 80 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Attacks the baseball, glove pack to release.
Run: 7.33 runner in the 60. 

2. Adam Balcerak, Muskego (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: OF/RHP; High-level athlete to follow in the state's junior class.
Body: 6-0, 180-pounds. Athletic, wiry build; projects well.
Hit: RHH. Rhythmic setup; wide/athletic base, front foot open, pre-pitch fluidity in hands, set high. Smooth load back, creates good hip/shoulder separation with balance. Soft, athletic landing, balanced through impact and finish. Bat path is short, level; average bat speed measured at 70.9 mph, per Blast device.
Power: 91 mph exit velocity from the tee. Fluid load through launch creates natural bat strength; hard line-drives, topped 97.7 mph exit velocity during batting practice, per TrackMan.
Arm: RH. OF - 87 mph. Short draw, long circle to high 3/4 slot. Loose throws with carry to home.
Defense: Controlled, fluid feet, careful approach; plays through with crowhop.
Run: 6.82 runner in the 60. Easy, athletic gait.

3. Cameron Miller, Kimberly (WI), 2021; Saint Mary's (MN) commit.
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-10, 160-pounds. Thin, wiry stature; athletic.
Hit: RHH. Balanced/athletic setup, hands set shoulder height, bat rests on shoulder. Quick weight-shift load back with leg lift, strides even, soft landing, slight bend in knee. Fluid swings, stays connected, good posture at impact. Loose hands, demonstrated hand/eye skills.
Power: 87 mph exit velocity from the tee. Fluid, uphill path produced an average distance hit of 244 feet (323 max) at an exit velocity of 82.0 mph, on average. Room for growth as he adds strength.
Arm: RH. OF - 82 mph. Short draw, quick arm speed, loose throws, over-the-top slot. Throws carried, with accuracy.
Defense: Footwork is athletic, fluid, and quick; plays through the ball well.
Run: 6.93 runner in the 60. Easy, controlled gait.

4. Jacob Kleemann, Bay Port (WI), 2021; College of Lake County JC commit.
Positional Profile: OF; Debuted on the senior rankings following his performance here.
Body: 5-9, 165-pounds. Compact frame with proportional strength throughout.
Hit: LHH. Tall setup, slightly open narrow base, bat wraps at load, quick leg kick timing trigger.  Long and uphill bat path, pull-side tendency, contact-oriented offensive approach.
Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: LH. OF - 77 mph. Short and loose arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Plays with some pre-pitch bounce, feet work in rhythm around the baseball, soft hands, clean to release.
Run: 7.06 runner in the 60. 

5. Bailey Prevost, De Pere (WI), 2021
Positional Profile: OF/RHP; Debuted on the senior rankings after this showing.
Body: 6-0, 170-pounds. Tall, wiry strength in longer levers.
Hit: RHH. Starts in some coil, weight on back foot, wide base. Weight shifts fully onto back foot in load, short/brief stride. Bat path is long through to the zone, level and long through it. Repeated well, creating hard contact favoring the pull-side.
Power: 88 mph exit velocity from the tee. Showed strength on impact; averaged an exit speed of 89.1 mph, an event-high, with a high of 96.8, the third highest. Max distance recorded at 352 feet, tied for the event's highest.
Arm: RH. OF - 81 mph. Long, loose throws from an over-the-top slot. Throws flashed carry, with accuracy.
Defense: Fluid, athletic approach; consistently quick and clean exchanges.
Run: 7.11 runner in the 60.

BEST OF THE REST (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

Jack Anderson, Menomonee Falls (WI), 2023
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-9, 155-pounds. Lean, athletic frame.
Hit: LHH. Closed setup, tight hand load back, short stride.  Long bat path, middle-away approach.
Power: 79 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 74 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Feet work in a fluid rhythm on an angle around the baseball, steady hands, clean hand transfer to release.
Run: 7.80 runner in the 60. 

Jack Baretz, Franklin (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: OF/1B
Body: 6-3, 210-pounds. Strong build, broad shoulders.
Hit: RHH. Tall/balanced start, pigeon-toed stance, bat rests on shoulder. Small load back onto back foot, leg lift, strides to slightly open landing. Slight wrap in load, hips fire early, drifts through plant and impact. Bat path is short to the zone, uphill plane through connection.
Power: 92 mph exit velocity from the tee. Uses inherent strength on contact; topped an event-high 98.6 mph exit velocity during BP, recorded a max distance of 335 feet, all per TrackMan.
Arm: RH. INF - 81 mph. OF - 85 mph. Long arm action from an over-the-top slot.
Defense: Controlled, deliberate footwork on approach; two-hand gather at times.
Run: 7.32 runner in the 60. 

Griffin Klein, Green Bay Notre Dame (WI), 2021; Wisconsin-Oshkosh commit.
Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 5-11, 160-pounds. Lean, lanky frame that projects.
Hit: RHH. Crouched setup with some bend in the lower half, slight hand bar at load, short stride.  Short and level bat path, all-fields approach, line drive type hitter.
Power: 82 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: LH. OF - 76 mph. Short arm path finishes out of a loose high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Feet play to the baseball in a steady rhythm, clean hands to a smooth release.
Run: 8.01 runner in the 60. 

Noah Leopold, Appleton North (WI), 2021; Lakeland College commit.
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-7, 154-pounds. Compact frame, strong lower half.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, active pre-pitch hand movement, bat tip load into a toe-tap timing trigger.  Long and level bat path, line drive approach, sprays to all fields.
Power: 79 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 76 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Athletic feet with a quick first step, attacks the baseball, covers ground and works on an angle.
Run: 7.38 runner in the 60. 

Gavin Schuett, Mukwonago (WI), 2023
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-11, 145-pounds. Athletic frame with room to add strength.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, quick hand with a vertical bat pre-pitch, toe-tap trigger.  Long and uphill bat path, elevates through contact.
Power: 78 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 75 mph. Short and loose arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Quick feet, attacks the baseball, occasional two-hand gather.
Run: 7.65 runner in the 60.

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