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Eastern Wisconsin Open: Quick Hits

August 24, 2023
By: Wisconsin Staff

On August 21st, the PBR Wisconsin team hosted the Eastern Wisconsin Open at Wildwood Baseball Park in Sheboygan, an annual event that provides our staff with a look into some of the talent within the eastern portion of the Badger State before prospects return to school for the fall. 

The 2023 version of the showcase did not disappoint, as multiple familiar and new athletes stood out amongst the field; in this story, we will be highlighting the prospects who emerged as winners from the event. Stay tuned throughout the next couple of days, as more post-event statistics and information will be released. Below are some of the standouts who separated themselves in the pool of competition this past Monday. 

POSITION PLAYERS

+ INF Ryan Belawski (Oconomowoc, 2024) stands at an athletic and projectable 6-foot, 180-pounds, standing out on the offensive end of the ball. With exit velocities ranging in the low-90s (T92 mph), the right-handed batter consistently sprayed line drives to all fields from a balanced setup. Belawski showcased an easy rhythm at the plate, allowing him to be on time and drive the baseball, hitting 325 feet for a max distance. The infielder displayed similar traits during his defensive session, as the sure-handed athlete reached 79 mph from across the infield. Belawski was steady in his actions, both offensively and defensively, separating himself as a quality all-around prospect entering his senior year. 

+ OF Tyler Chopp (Lakeside Lutheran, 2024) provided quality numbers on both sides of the field on Monday, standing at a long 6-foot-1, 160-pound frame. It started at the plate, where Chopp showcased a simple, quiet approach. His flat bat path through the zone allowed him to hit line drives for the most part, finishing the day with a Sweet Spot % of 80. The right-hander separated himself in the outfield though, reaching 85 mph and featuring throws with carry and accuracy. Chopp’s athleticism is a noteworthy trait, as he enters his senior year on a good note after a quality showing in front of our staff.  

+ C Brady Coons (Kimberly, 2024) impressed from the left side of the plate at the Eastern Wisconsin Open. Listed at 5-foot-9, 175 pounds, the incoming senior featured a powerful bat that produced multiple exit velocities in the 90’s. Coons displayed strong hands and a fluid pre-pitch rhythm that allowed him to consistently find the barrel. With a gap-to-gap approach, the backstop showed clear power inside of a compact frame that has strength throughout. Behind the dish, the right-handed throwing catcher stayed compact throughout his throwing motion. A result of his impressive day in Sheboygan, Coons emerged as a winner from the event and is a name-to-follow as he heads into his senior year.

+ 1B Owen Davis (Verona Area, 2024) is listed at a lean 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame, providing an upside look both at the plate and on defense in Sheboygan on Monday. Strength was the theme for Davis at Wildwood Baseball Park, especially throughout his BP session. The right-hander finished with a max EV of 91.6 mph, emphasizing a pull-side approach with quick hands. His max bat speed of 79.2 mph separated Davis from the rest of the field, as the Verona Area prospect featured upside tools at the plate. His movements on the infield proved to be quality as well, where Davis was smooth and effortless in both his throws and footwork around the first base position. With his large frame and true athleticism, Davis projects as a solid under-the-radar prospect from the greater Madison area. 

+ INF/RHP Sam Ernst (Fond du Lac, 2024) stands at a lanky 6-foot-2, 179-pound frame, and showed well as a two-way prospect throughout the day. Ernst, from a tall stance, showcased a short, compact swing from the right-handed batter’s box. Maxing out at a 90.1 mph EV, Ernst finished in the top half of batters when it came to power, as his quick swing and up-the-middle approach was noteworthy. On defense, Ernst reached 79 mph from the shortstop position, presenting quality actions and a quick arm. To finish off his day, the right-hander got up on the mound and sat in the upper-70s and lower-80s throughout, spinning his fastball at an average of 2,126 RPM. Ernst departed from Sheboygan as one of the winners from the event after a solid two-way showing. 

+ OF Chase Geyer (Stevens Point Area, 2024) finished with the top EV of the day among the plethora of prospects at the Eastern Wisconsin Open, standing out as one of the top hitters from the event. The strong 5-foot-9, 165-pound right-handed hitter maxed out at 93.6 mph at the plate, barreling a baseball a max distance of 335 feet, the second highest distance of the showcase. With this power and strength, Geyer presented quality bat-to-ball skills as well, consistently finding barrels with a direct, compact bat path. Geyer also stood out defensively too, featuring efficient routes and an accurate arm from the outfield. After seeing some time on the varsity stage for Stevens Point Area last year, Geyer is primed for a quality senior season after showing well in Sheboygan to cap off his summer.

+ OF/C Taylor Lemanski (Mosinee, 2024) was a name-to-watch coming into the event and showed why with an all-around performance that caught attention. Listed at 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, the right-handed athlete impressed all around the field. At the plate, the to-be senior barreled nearly every ball he saw, and worked with a line-drive approach. He featured quick hands and a smooth pre-pitch rhythm that appeared comfortable in the box. From the outfield, Lemanski attacked the ball and used smooth hands to quickly release the ball. He recorded an 84 mph throw from the outfield, one of the highest from the event. Behind the dish, he showed his quick, soft hands again and showcased a quiet glove with mobility in his blocking ability. The Mosinee senior displayed a quick arm from out of the crouch with throws that consistently landed on the bag. All around, Lemanski showed out in Sheboygan and is one of the biggest winners from the event; the incoming senior is a name-to-know in Wisconsin’s 2024 class.

+ Providing some of the best power on Monday was 1B/LHP Zach Le Mieux (Notre Dame Academy, 2024), a strong 6-foot-1, 230-pound prospect who finished with one of the highest EV’s of the Eastern Wisconsin Open. Maxing out at 92.9 mph, Le Mieux swung a loud BP, featuring strong hands and a whippy swing from a calm, upright stance. The strength the left-handed hitter produces allows him to drive the baseball with ease, a quality characteristic in his game as he enters his final year of prep baseball. Le Mieux showcased a steady glove at first base and quality actions on the mound, rounding out an overall successful day. 

+ C PJ Hamel (Arrowhead, 2025) impressed in Sheboygan for a second straight year after emerging as a winner at the 2022 Eastern Wisconsin Open. The to-be junior backstop stands at an ultra-projectable 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame with long levers. At the plate, Hamel starts from a relaxed setup and uses a slightly uphill path to generate hard contact. During BP, he took one of the louder rounds of the day, registering a max exit velocity of 91.4 mph, and a peak distance of 348 feet. Defensively, Hamel had the strongest arm from behind the dish, with his best bullet coming in at 78 mph. He was also quick out of the chute, with pop times in the 2.18-2.20 range. An exciting, high-ceiling player that projects well. 

+ OF Levi Watts (Appleton North, 2025) presents himself at a 5-foot-10, 160-pound frame, showing well at the showcase on Monday as a 2025 prospect. Watts started the day by running the fastest 60-yard dash time among the pool of prospects; he clocked in at 7.17 seconds to kick off the showcase. At the plate, the righty provides an all-fields approach from a simple setup, effectively barreling the baseball during a solid round of BP. On the defensive end, Watts stood out with his controlled aggression, attacking ground balls and maxing out at 84 mph from the outfield. With those improved traits, Watts’ stock continues to trend up after a solid spring and summer.

PITCHERS

+ RHP Nolan Buss (Arrowhead, 2024; Kansas State commit) has long been a top arm inside of the state’s 2024 class and his ‘pen at the Eastern Wisconsin Open asserted the notion even more. On the mound, the 6-foot, 190-pound right-hander features a unique delivery in which he creates some cross-fire action and pairs it with a strong arm from a low 3/4 slot that surely makes it tough for opposing hitters to pick up. During his ‘pen, Buss ran his fastball up to 93 mph, while sitting in the 91-92 mph range throughout. Also, Buss created over 14” of induced vertical break on average; that paired with an average release height of 4.7 feet makes this play with even more carry than previously mentioned. As for his offspeeds, Buss featured a wipeout slider in the 79-80 mph range with late bite and averaged nearly 15” of horizontal movement, too. He also showed an improved feel for a deceptive changeup in the mid-to-high-80s with late fade and depth to put the finishing touches on his powerful three-pitch arsenal. The uniqueness mixed with the power stuff that Buss possesses makes him one of the most intriguing arms in the entire state, and he is surely someone we are eager to continue to follow as he enters his final prep season.

+ RHP Garrett Shupe (Mosinee, 2024) made for an impressive look during our time in Sheboygan and is certainly an arrow-up name following this event. Listed at a long 6-foot-3, 185-pounds with upside attached, Shupe is a controlled mover on the bump with repeatable mechanics and a loose arm. During his ‘pen, Shupe’s fastball sat strictly 88-89 mph and his hardest pitch came in at 89.2 mph. Off of his fastball, Shupe spun in a tight 10/4 curveball that he spun at an above-average rate (2,457 RPM avg.). He was also effectively able to kill spin on a changeup that played with downer action at times in the bottom half of the zone. Shupe seems to have been hard at work since our previous look at him in the winter, as he has made some big strides to his game. He is certainly an uncommitted name-to-know inside of the Badger State’s 2024 class. 

+ RHP James Mutchie (Shiocton, 2024) is a lanky 6-foot-2, 175-pounder who made for an intriguing look during Monday’s event in Sheboygan. On the mound, Mutchie is an athletic mover with a long and loose arm that projects to add more velocity as he continues to develop. Mutchie’s fastball sat in the 81-83 mph range, with his top coming in at 83.4 mph and played with some ride through the zone, while spinning at an average of 2,255 RPM. Mutchie also spun in two breaking balls for strikes too, starting with a slider that featured big horizontal action and was also spun at an above-average rate (2,446 RPM). While he was still fully harnessing his curveball, it did flash some out-pitch potential and reached highs of 2,505 RPM, too. To round off his four-pitch mix, Mutchie maintained arm speed on a fading changeup in the low-to-mid-70s that played with fading action to the armside, roughly 15.5” of horizontal movement on average.

+ Currently ranked No. 50 in the state’s 2025 class, RHP Zachary Kiffmeyer (Oshkosh North, 2025) gave yet another upside look on Monday. Standing at a physical 6-foot-2, 200-pounds, Kiffmeyer sat in the 80-82 mph range on the mound with life out of the hand and through the zone. His breaking ball, a slider, played with sharp, downer action at times with 10/4 movement, and he was able to locate it to both sides of the plate. His changeup also flashed some upside as it was thrown aggressively and flashed fading action to the arm-side at times, too. After his performance in Sheboygan, Kiffmeyer continued to show as a name to keep close tabs on as he enters his junior year.

+ RHP Lawson Hink (Brookfield Central, 2024) is a high-waisted 6-foot-4, 170-pounds and he presented a high-upside look during his ‘pen at Wildwood. Out of an up-tempo delivery, Hink reached highs of 82.5 mph with his fastball and sat in the 77-82 mph range. He also spun in two breaking balls, a curveball with sharp 10/4 action and a slider that is still developing. He rounded out his four-pitch mix with a knuckleball with downer action at the bottom part of the zone. 

TWO-WAYS

+ RHP/INF Ryan Apel (Homestead, 2025) was mentioned as one of the spring standouts entering Sheboygan on Monday, and lived up to the hype as a two-way prospect, especially as a pitcher out of the greater Milwaukee area. On the mound, Apel presented a lower-80s fastball (T82.1 mph) with high spin rates, averaging 2202 RPM. The right-hander kept the ball low in the zone, throwing strikes consistently. The same could be said for the offspeed arsenal as well, where Apel twirled a sharp slider and quality changeup. Apel had a mature feel for the slider, a change-of-pace pitch, throughout his ‘pen, both landing it for strikes and on the outer half of the plate. His changeup was thrown with fastball-like intent, where he limited spin and allowed it to fade. In addition to his three-pitch mix, Apel reached 79 mph from the infield and was smooth in the batter’s box. On offense, he finished with a max EV of 90.6 mph, making significant strides since the last time our staff saw him in the winter. Standing at an athletic 5-foot-10, 155-pound frame, Apel projects well as an incoming junior and looks to continue to be a key piece on any team, as he just came off of a summer where he finished with a 0.68 ERA and 0.395 batting average. 

+ RHP/OF Jacob Riddick (Ripon, 2024) stands at a strong 6-foot-2, 192-pound frame, and showed well at his first showcase of his prep career. It started at the plate for Riddick, where the batter primarily used an opposite-field approach to drive the baseball. A direct bat path allowed him to remain consistent in his session, projecting well in the near future. On the mound, Riddick separated himself as a standout arm, beginning with an 84 mph fastball. The lively fastball was complemented by a curveball and changeup to complete his arsenal. Riddick featured an 11/5 shape with the curveball, remaining in the zone while presenting some depth. The same could be said about the changeup, where the pitch sat in the bottom of the zone and was located effectively throughout. He finished off the day with a clean round of defense in the outfield, maxing out at 79 mph on his throws, providing efficient routes and an over-the-top arm motion. Riddick departed Sheboygan as a winner of the event, priming himself for a quality fall and offseason. 

+ Mentioned previously as one of the top underclassmen attending the event, RHP/INF Bryce Loker (Omro, 2026) was all of that and more at Monday’s showcase, in all aspects of the game. With still plenty of room to grow in a 5-foot-11, 140-pound frame, Loker’s skill set was noteworthy in Sheboygan, starting with his work on the bump. Presenting a quick arm, Loker sat between 82-85 mph with the fastball, featuring life through the zone. He followed that up with a curveball and slider combination, spinning each pitch for strikes with different shapes. The curveball had sweeper traits and remained in the bottom half of the zone throughout, while the slider spun in at a 10/4 shape. He finished off his bullpen with a changeup that continues to develop and become another weapon for the young prospect. At the plate, Loker had a balanced approach that allowed him to meet the baseball out front, sending multiple pitches back up the middle. His work on the infield was solid too, as Loker reached 83 mph from the shortstop position after a clean round of defense. Overall, the 2026 prospect continues to trend up, as our staff is curious to witness his development in the next couple of months before the 2024 spring season. 

+ One of the top two-way showings on the day came from RHP Lucas Frank (Germantown, 2025), who is listed at 6-foot, 186-pounds; he features a strong frame with round shoulders. The right-handed hitter has an intentful swing with a downhill path, using an opposite field approach. A steady defender in the outfield, Frank plays through the ball with intent and confident hands, where he also reached up to 83 mph during his workout on defense. On the mound, Frank worked his fastball in the 80-83 mph range with some life and ride through the zone. The slider played at 67-68 mph with sweeping/lateral action, showing the ability to locate to his glove side. His final offering was a heavy fading changeup at 69-71 mph with over 17” of run at times, kept mostly down in the zone. 

+ Making his debut on the PBR circuit, INF/RHP Avery Mosloski (Oshkosh West, 2026) gave an upside look and will be a name to follow moving forward. Listed at 5-foot-11, 158-pounds, Mosloski still has plenty of room to add on strength as he matures in the coming years. At the plate, the right-handed hitter has a slightly crouched setup while remaining square to the plate, his hands are strong and work with a flat path through the zone, staying direct and creating extension through contact. On the mound, Mosloski worked his fastball up to 78 mph to pair with a developing 12/6 curveball. 

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