Prep Baseball Report

Fox Cities Preseason I.D.: Statistical Analysis


By Andy Sroka
Illinois and Wisconsin Assistant Director

On March 6, the PBR Wisconsin team hosted the Fox Cities Preseason I.D., at the Players Choice Facility in Appleton, Wis. 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.

If you missed us in Appleton, check out our showcase page to see when we’re in the neighborhood next.

On Monday, we published our biggest takeaways and highlights from Saturday’s showcase within our Quick Hits story. Today, we’ll dive right into the statistical side of things, analyzing Saturday’s top performers from several different statistical categories. Throughout the rest of this week, we’ll be taking diving deeper into all of the data we collected, too, with the help of our Blast Motion and TrackMan devices.

TOP 60-YARD DASH

Rank Name State School Class Pos 60-yard
1 Carson Flugaur WI Franklin 2022 SS 6.68
2 Chance Jampole WI Cedarburg 2022 3B 6.88
3 Aiden Haney WI Catholic Memorial 2022 2B 6.89
4 Noah Hanson WI McDonell Central 2022 OF 6.94
5 Cam Kelly MI Gladstone Area 2022 OF 7.00
6 Logan Kraus WI Fond du Lac 2023 OF 7.04
7 Carter Kriewaldt WI Freedom 2023 3B 7.05
8 Seth Spaeth WI Menasha 2022 SS 7.06
9 Micah Marzec WI Notre Dame Academy 2024 OF 7.07
10 Owen Arndt WI Little Chute 2022 SS 7.08
11 Cole Bensen WI Bay Port 2023 RHP 7.09
12 Nathan Vela WI Hortonville 2023 RHP 7.10
13 Bryan Villwock WI Two Rivers 2023 RHP 7.11
14 Camden Kuhnke WI Hortonville 2023 SS 7.12

Five uncommitted juniors paced this group: INF Carson Fluguar (Franklin, 2022), INF Chance Jampole (Cedarburg), Aiden Haney (Catholic Memorial), 3B Noah Hanson (McDonnell Central), and OF Cam Kelly (Gladstone Area, MI). Fluguar’s added strength over the offseason only positively impacted his skillset, as he motored to day’s fastest time by a fair margin, while adding much improved batted-ball strength to his right-handed swing. As for Haney, his quick feet help him operate up the middle of the infield with solid overall actions.

Logan Kraus (Fond du Lac, 2023) is a high-level athlete who looks capable of sticking around shortstop for the long-term, and he led his sophomore peers with a 7.04 mark here. Notre Dame Academy’s OF Micah Marzec (2024) comfortably led all freshmen with his 7.07 time.

MAX FASTBALL VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos Max FB
1 Theo Zeidler WI Bay Port 2022 RHP 91 mph
2 Jonah Conradt SC P27 Academy 2023 RHP 90 mph
^ Gradin Taschner WI Neenah 2022 RHP 90 mph
^ Thomas Burns WI Hortonville 2023 RHP 90 mph
3 Benjamin Lee WI Amherst 2022 RHP 87 mph
^ Camden Kuhnke WI Hortonville 2023 SS 87 mph
4 Eli Zollar WI Ashwaubenon 2023 1B 86 mph
^ Grant Meulemans WI Freedom 2022 SS 86 mph
^ Deuce Musial II WI Notre Dame Academy 2023 RHP 86 mph
5 Nolan Kahle WI Brookfield Academy 2022 RHP 85 mph
^ Ty Sherman WI Waukesha West 2022 RHP 85 mph
^ Jaeden Carstens WI Neenah 2022 RHP 85 mph
^ Seth Spaeth WI Menasha 2022 SS 85 mph
6 Nathan Vela WI Hortonville 2023 RHP 84 mph
^ Owen Deprez WI Luxemburg-Casco 2022 LHP 84 mph
^ Cole Bensen WI Bay Port 2023 RHP 84 mph

Refer to Monday’s Quick Hits for the bigger picture on this talented group of arms, but there were some substantial findings during the pitching portion during our time in the Fox Cities. Bay Port junior RHP Theo Zeidler (2022) added significant velocity to an athletic 6-foot-2 build and three-pitch mix to become one of the state’s top-ranked, uncommitted arms. RHP Gradin Taschner (Neenah, 2022) entered and exited the event as one of its best overall players – and he hit the 90 mph mark several times. The lone committed player here, RHP Jonah Conradt (2023), led all sophomores in fastball velocity with his live arm, and his high school teammate RHP Camden Kuhnke (2023) broke out at his first-ever PBR event to reach an 87 mph best.

MAX EXIT VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos Exit Velocity (max)
1 Jacob Narvaez WI Penn Foster 2024 3B 99.3 mph
2 Eli Zollar WI Ashwaubenon 2023 1B 98.0 mph
3 Gradin Taschner WI Neenah 2022 RHP 97.8 mph
4 Wendell Waukau Jr. WI Menominee Indian 2022 1B 97.6 mph
5 Carson Flugaur WI Franklin 2022 SS 96.7 mph
6 Isaiah Malison WI St. Thomas More 2022 RHP 96.2 mph
7 Owen Deprez WI Luxemburg-Casco 2022 LHP 94.2 mph
8 Noah Hanson WI McDonell Central 2022 OF 93.9 mph
9 Abe Coronado WI Kimberly 2024 1B 93.3 mph
10 Deuce Musial II WI Notre Dame Academy 2023 RHP 92.6 mph
11 Chance Jampole WI Cedarburg 2022 3B 92.5 mph
12 Brandon Black WI Bay Port 2022 1B 92.3 mph
13 Ethan Bennett WI Oshkosh North 2022 C 92.2 mph

There were some strong bats in attendance on Saturday, so it’s even more impressive to see a freshman atop this category: 3B/1B Jacob Narvaez (Appleton North, 2024). He led the group by over a full tick, and also slugged a ball 350 feet, among the day’s farthest. Hulking 1B Eli Zollar (Ashwaubenon, 2023) is a familiar sight atop this chart, averaging the day’s highest exit speed, too. RHP/1B Isaiah Malison (St. Thomas More, 2022) is listed at an imposing, durable 6-foot-8, 240 pounds, so it was natural to see him included near the top of this chart. He shows some barrel feel for his size, too, and he can fill up the strike zone while on the mound.

We see Fluguar on this leaderboard as well, demonstrating some follow speed/strength skills that’s not all that common. There’s also physicality in Hanson’s frame, at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, and he swings a simple right-handed bat that can impact the baseball loudly. Fellow junior 1B Wendell Waukau Jr. (Menominee Indian, 2022) showcased improved bat-to-ball skills, which allowed him to get to his innate left-handed strength with more consistency.

MAX INFIELD VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos INF Velo
1 Gradin Taschner WI Neenah 2022 RHP 91
2 Carson Flugaur WI Franklin 2022 SS 85
3 Bryson Webb WI De Pere 2022 SS 84
^ Seth Spaeth WI Menasha 2022 SS 84
4 Jacob Melendrez WI Little Chute 2022 RHP 83
5 Noah Hanson WI McDonell Central 2022 OF 81
^ Brady Wotruba WI Pulaski 2023 SS 81
^ Nathan Vela WI Hortonville 2023 RHP 81
^ Logan Kraus WI Fond du Lac 2023 OF 81

No surprises seeing Taschner atop this list, as his physicality presents itself everywhere – from the batter’s box, the mound, and to the infield. And Fluguar found his way onto another leaderboard, further demonstrating his well-rounded skillset. RHP/INF Seth Spaeth (Menasha, 2022) has size and strength, and it appears directly in his arm, both across the infield and from the mound. De Pere’s INF Bryson Webb (2022) ran a 7.18 and reached an 84 mph high across the infield, both marked improvements since we saw him last June. And Kraus’ athleticism and arm strength makes it easy to envision him sticking to the left side of the infield.

MAX OUTFIELD VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos OF Velo
1 Cole Bensen WI Bay Port 2023 RHP 87
^ Alex Breckheimer WI Chilton 2022 RHP 87
2 Deuce Musial II WI Notre Dame Academy 2023 RHP 85
^ Cam Kelly MI Gladstone Area 2022 OF 85
3 Owen Deprez WI Luxemburg-Casco 2022 LHP 84
4 John Nickel WI Bay Port 2022 OF 83
^ Alex Hanneman WI Appleton East 2023 OF 83

RHP/OF Cole Bensen (Bay Port, 2023) is listed at a sturdy/athletic 6-foot, 185 pounds, and he reached an 87 mph to home, and topped 84 from the rubber. RHP/OF Alex Breckheimer (Chilton, 2022) is another physical player, at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, who made a strong first impression on Saturday, also topping 87 mph to home, up to 83 on the mound. Uncommitted junior Kelly is an above-average athlete and defender in the outfield, and he landed near the top of this board, too. Sophomore RHP/OF Deuce Musial II (Notre Dame Academy, 2023) has a high ceiling, and he’s continued to get better. He reached an 85 mph high to home and reached an 86 high on the mound.

MAX CATCHER VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos C Velo
1 Jaeden LeCapitaine WI Freedom 2022 C 77
2 Jace Midbon WI Freedom 2022 C 75
^ Trenton Feucht WI Freedom 2023 C 75
3 Evan Olson WI Appleton East 2022 C 74
^ Donatello Badalamenti WI Notre Dame Academy 2024 RHP 74
^ Ian Merry WI Sheboygan North 2022 C 74
^ Isaiah Grimm WI Bay Port 2022 C 74
4 Grant Gill WI Bay Port 2023 C 73

TOP POP TIMES

Rank Name State School Class Pos Pop Time
1 Isaiah Grimm WI Bay Port 2022 C 2.00-2.11
2 Evan Olson WI Kimberly 2023 C 2.08-2.19
3 Ian Merry WI Sheboygan North 2022 C 2.09-2.15
4 Jaeden LeCapitaine WI Freedom 2022 C 2.09-2.19
5 Evan Olson WI Appleton East 2022 C 2.10-2.19
6 Jace Midbon WI Freedom 2022 C 2.11-2.22
7 Trenton Feucht WI Freedom 2023 C 2.12-2.18
8 Donatello Badalamenti WI Notre Dame Academy 2024 RHP 2.15-2.26

C/3B Jaeden LeCapitane (2022) is another Freedom player who stood out on Saturday. As an above-average backstop, LeCapitane recorded some of the day’s lowest pops, and reached the highest velocity from the chute of any player. Fellow junior Isaiah Grimm (Bay Port, 2022) made the most of his first-ever event, showing as one of the top overall catchers in attendance, recording the single-lowest pop of the day. C Donatello Badalamenti (Pulaski, 2024) has an advanced, sturdy build, and he moves inside it well, creating some of the best upside behind the dish among the event’s backstops.

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