On March 6, PBR Wisconsin made its annual winter trip to Appleton to host the Fox Cities Preseason I.D. at the Players Choice Facility. This was an open event for all high school classes (2021-24), and gave our staff an ample look at the area's top players.

Shortly after the event, our staff collaborated to highlight the biggest takeaways and highlights from the showcase and published them within our Quick Hits piece. We then analyzed the traditional statistics we measured that day and published our findings within this Statistical Analysis. With the help of our TrackMan units and Blast Motion devices on-site, we published a TrackMan Files and Blast Motion Board, further highlighting the statistical winners from this Appleton-area showcase.

We began our position-by-position analysis on Monday, starting with the event’s catchers. We’re onto the outfielders today.

A recent Illinois State commit, RHP/OF Deuce Musial II (Notre Dame Academy, 2023), leads this crop of outfielders. The lanky 6-foot-5 two-way talent made substantial gains over the offseason that showed from both the batter’s box and the mound, helping him earn the attention of the college recruiting community from afar. His loose righty swing generates above-average bat strength on contact, and there’s even greater upside for him to tap into, as he continues to fill out his lean, long stature.

Similarly, Bay Port junior John Nickel (2022; uncommitted) has an upside 6-foot-3 frame, with lean athleticism. His improved athleticism and coordination has enhanced his batted-ball profile, and there’s a high ceiling here that it looks like Nickel’s only just begun to tap into.

And a freshman from Fox Valley Lutheran, Corey Riesop (2024; uncommitted), showed as a follow in his PBR event debut. He’d previously stood out in live looks last summer and fall, and he made the most of his first-ever showcase last month. 

For full reports on these players, as well as the rest of the event’s outfielders, continue reading below.

TOP OUTFIELD PROSPECTS

1. Deuce Musial II, Notre Dame Academy (WI), 2023; Illinois State commit
Positional Profile: RHP/OF
Body: 6-5, 180-pounds. Lanky, long-levered frame with plenty of potential upside attached.
Hit: RHH. Quiet in the box, balanced setup, smooth hand load, short stride and hits onto an athletic lead leg block.  Loose right-handed stroke, bat travels on a level plane to contact, line drive approach, clear upside on offense.
Power: 92.64 max exit velocity, averaged 79.81 mph. 312’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 85 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 arm slot.
Defense: Stays back on the baseball, two-hand gather that works out front of body, long windup to release, profiles best in a corner outfield role.
Run: 7.19 runner in the 60. 

2. John Nickel, Bay Port (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 6-3, 175-pounds. Thin, lanky frame with upside levers that project.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, hands load back with a coil and tuck into hip pocket, toe-tap trigger, long stride.  Loose hands/wrists, level barrel head, gap-to-gap approach with noticeable comfort to the pull-side, works in rhythm.
Power: 89.48 max exit velocity, averaged 80.56 mph. 316’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 83 mph. Short and compact arm action, slightly elevated 3/4 arm angle. Throws played accurate to target.
Defense: Plays soft on his feet, long strides that cover ground, athletic lower half that defends around the baseball in a fluid rhythm, clean hand transfer to release.
Run: 7.23 runner in the 60. 

3. Corey Riesop, Fox Valley Lutheran (WI), 2024
Positional Profile: OF/SS
Body: 5-10, 145-pounds. Athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, hands load back with a slight arm bar at load, creates advanced hip/shoulder separation at footstrike, short stride, balanced posture through contact.  Fast hands with athletic wrists, uphill bat path with gap-to-gap leverage, consistently worked middle-away in his BP round. Works in a fluid rhythm, flashed noteworthy upside at the plate.
Power: 89.27 max exit velocity, averaged 81.97 mph. 248’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 78 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Average hands that field out front, clean hand exchange, athletic crowhop to release.
Run: 7.56 runner in the 60. 

4. Easton Arendt, De Pere (WI), 2024
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 5-9, 135-pounds. Thin, wiry frame.
Hit: LHH. Stands tall in the box, slightly open stance, hands load back in a smooth rhtyhm, short toe-tap timing trigger. Loose wrists, level bat path to contact, line drive approach, consistently repeats in rhythm.
Power: 84.84 max exit velocity, averaged 77.58 mph. 292’ max distance.
Arm: L/R. OF - 77 mph. Short and loose arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Attacks in an athletic rhythm, glove hand plays steady out front of body, clean exchange to release, plays through the baseball.
Run: 7.56 runner in the 60. 

5. Alex Hanneman, Appleton East (WI), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/3B
Body: 5-9, 160-pounds. Athletic frame, some strength in the lower half.
Hit: RHH. Tall stance, narrow base, smooth and simple hand load, fluid toe-tap timing trigger.  Loose hands that stay short to the baseball, uphill path, flashed line drive feel for the barrel.
Power: 91.59 max exit velocity, averaged 85.14 mph. 333’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 83 mph. Arm plays loose with some length on the back side, finishes from a 3/4 release angle.
Defense: Feet occasionally breakdown in rhythm to the baseball, glove hand fields out front, clean transfer, easy to release.
Run: 7.67 runner in the 60. 

BEST OF THE REST (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

Cole Bensen, Bay Port (WI), 2023
Positional Profile: RHP/OF
Body: 6-0, 185-pounds. Athletic, well-proportioned frame that projects.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, slightly open stance, smooth hand load, leg kick timing trigger.  Quick hands that stay short to the baseball, uphill bat path, flashed some juice off the barrel.
Power: 91.66 max exit velocity, averaged 85.15 mph. 302’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 87 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot. Above-average arm strength for age, throws flashed carry to target.
Defense: Athletic feet, long windup to release, plays through the baseball.
Run: 7.09 runner in the 60. 

Payton Brandt, Kaukauna (WI), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/
Body: 6-0, 135-pounds. Thin frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, hands work back as bat wraps slightly at load, short stride.  Long and uphill bat path.
Power: 85.15 max exit velocity, averaged 79.28 mph. 284’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 71 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 arm slot.
Defense: Works in a methodical rhythm to the baseball, hands work out front, long to release.
Run: 7.61 runner in the 60. 

Alex Breckheimer, Chilton (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: RHP/OF
Body: 6-4, 210-pounds. Long, lanky frame that can add more strength/muscle.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, active pre-pitch actions, hands move back and bar slightly at load, short stride.   Short and uphill bat path, barrel head works out front at times to elevate towards pull-side.
Power: 89.28 max exit velocity, averaged 81.76 mph. 323’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 87 mph. Arm travels on a long path and finishes out of an over-the-top slot.
Defense: Active feet that attack the baseball with intent, glove hand works over front of body, plays through the baseball at release.
Run: 7.61 runner in the 60.

Ryan Csida, Kimberly (WI), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 6-0, 150-pounds. Thin lanky build.
Hit: RHH. Wide base, balanced lower half, hands load back in a smooth and quiet rhythm, short stride.  Uphill bat path, repeats well.
Power: 82.02 max exit velocity, averaged 68.33 mph. 260’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 77 mph. Long and loose arm action, high 3/4 arm slot.
Defense: Defends with patience, lower half shuffles to the baseball, hands work out front.
Run: 7.55 runner in the 60.

Owen Deprez, Luxemburg-Casco (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 6-1, 195-pounds. Strong, well-proportioned frame.
Hit: LHH. Balanced setup, slightly open stance, wide base, hands load back, short stride.  Quick wrists with loose bat speed attached, averaged 23.42 mph of hand speed per Blast Motion. Short bat path with some uphill leverage through contact.
Power: 94.19 max exit velocity, averaged 79.47 mph. 355’ max distance. Ball flashed juice off the barrel; recorded one of the furthest batted balls of the entire event.
Arm: LH. OF - 84 mph. Short and loose arm action, finishes out of a high 3/4 release.
Defense: Active feet, attacks the baseball with intent, hands defend deep, plays through after release.
Run: 7.57 runner in the 60. 

Zachary Evans, Neenah (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: 1B/OF
Body: 5-11, 170-pounds. Athletic, proportioned frame.
Hit: LHH. Tall setup with balanced stance, short stride and maintains proper balance. Repeatable swing, stays on top of the baseball with simple actions, above average bat speed, hits in rhythm.
Power: 88.88 max exit velocity, averaged 68.71 mph. 291’ max distance.
Arm: LH. INF - 76 mph. OF - 77 mph. Short, high 3/4 arm action.
Defense: Showed best at first base, more natural actions and projectability. Outfield actions played deliberately through the baseball.
Run: 7.71 runner in the 60.

Ethan Hoops, De Pere (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: RHP/OF
Body: 6-1, 165-pounds. Lean, high-waisted frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, hands start placed low and load upward, subtle toe-tap trigger.  Above-average hand speed; averaged 24.01 mph per Blast Motion. Bat stays level through the zone, bat head works out front.
Power: 89.07 max exit velocity, averaged 77.32 mph. 332’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 76 mph. Long arm path, over-the-top arm slot.
Defense: Glove plays under center of body, long windup to release.
Run: 7.29 runner in the 60. 

Zac Jurmu, Shawano (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: OF/3B
Body: 5-10, 170-pounds. Athletic frame with compact strength.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, active pre-pitch hand actions, smooth load, strides short.  Short bat path, line drive approach.
Power: 88.36 max exit velocity, averaged 74.59 mph. 272’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 79 mph. Long arm swing, over-the-top arm slot.
Defense: Hands work out front, long transfer to release.
Run: 7.20 runner in the 60. 

Cam Kelly, Gladstone Area (MI), 2022
Positional Profile: OF/SS A top-35 prospect in Michigan's junior class.
Body: 6-0, 185-pounds. Athletic frame with a strong lower half; looks the part.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, smooth load as hands stay back in a strong hitting position, athletic leg kick trigger, stays balanced into a strong lead leg block at footstrike.  Loose hands/wrists, short and level bat path, quality line drive approach with feel to work back up the middle.
Power: 88.46 max exit velocity, averaged 77.47 mph. 330’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 85 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Defends with some pre-pitch bounce, light on his feet, athletic lower half, clean hand transfer to release.
Run: 7.00 runner in the 60. 

AJ Korth, Menasha (WI), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/LHP
Body: 5-11, 170-pounds. Athletic frame.
Hit: LHH. Balanced setup, active pre-pitch body actions, hands load straight back, strides short.  Long and level bat path, weight works out front.
Power: 88.62 max exit velocity, averaged 80.21 mph. 283’ max distance.
Arm: LH. OF - 76 mph. Arm travels on a long path through the back side and finishes from a high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Glove defends out front, occasional two-hand gather, lower half plays through the baseball after release.
Run: 7.32 runner in the 60. 

Evan Mahan, Hortonville (WI), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 5-10, 155-pounds. Lean, high-waisted frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, hands start tucked inward and load back with a slight bat wrap, utilizes a toe-tap timing trigger.  Long bat path, level barrel head that attacks the ball on a downhill plane, line drive approach.
Power: 84.73 max exit velocity, averaged 79.08 mph. 276’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 75 mph. Arm plays long with some poke on the back side and finishes from a 3/4 slot.
Defense: Defends with patience, long exchange to release.
Run: 7.50 runner in the 60. 

Micah Marzec, Notre Dame Academy (WI), 2024
Positional Profile: OF/SS
Body: 5-9, 150-pounds. Thin, athletic build.
Hit: RHH. Stands tall in the box, open front side, narrow base. Vertical bat at start, hands stay tucked close to body and slightly load back, short stride.  Long and uphill bat path, barrel head works underneath the baseball, middle-in approach.
Power: 86.41 max exit velocity, averaged 76.43 mph. 316’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 81 mph. Long arm action, over-the-top slot.
Defense: Athletic feet with a quick first step, strides to the baseball in a fluid rhythm, glove fields out front, plays through the baseball.
Run: 7.07 runner in the 60. Above-average foot speed for age, loose gate at acceleration. 

Ryan Pierquet, Chilton (WI), 2024
Positional Profile: OF/2B
Body: 5-10, 140-pounds. High-waisted frame with lanky levers. 
Hit: RHH. Closed stance, balanced knee bend, minimal load, strides short.  Simple swing, hands stay short to the baseball, showed comfort working the other way.
Power: 79.4 max exit velocity, averaged 70.85 mph. 188’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 81 mph. Arm plays long with some uphill leverage on the front side, high 3/4 arm slot.
Defense: Attacks the baseball, glove hand works out front, long windup to release.
Run: 7.42 runner in the 60. 

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