Madison Rising Stars ID: Takeaways & Statistical Analysis
March 17, 2022
On March 12, the PBR Wisconsin traveled to GRB Academy in Windsor, Wis., to host the annual Madison Rising Stars ID. This event featured prospects from the 2026 and 2027 graduating classes and has consistently provided our staff with the names of players to consider inviting to the PBR Junior Future Games where they’ll represent Team Wisconsin at LakePoint Sports in Emerson, GA., at the end of the summer.
Now, at the event's conclusion, our staff will begin to compile some of our takeaways from this event while also hitting on some of the day's stat leaders. Below you'll find which players popped to our scouts, as well as which prospects headlined our respective statistical categories.
TAKEAWAYS
+ Trey Kerkhoff (Burlington, 2026) stands at 5-foot-10, 140 pounds, and started his day with a 7.38 time in the 60-yard dash. During his batting session, he set up tall and narrow with a vertical barrel set, and made a tight turn to impact with violence for his respective age. Kerkhoff worked up to 87 mph off the bat with an advanced look for this group. Kerkhoff worked from a compact delivery and athleticism in-line through the plate up to 79 mph with his fastball. He also mixed a curveball and a changeup to round out the arsenal.
+ Matthew O’Grady Jr. (Badger, 2026) stands at 5-foot-10, 160 pounds, and ran the fastest 60-yard dash of this Rising Stars event (7.05). O’Grady Jr. was all over the board this weekend. Driving baseballs of the bat up to 92 mph with distances as far as 313 feet. As a left-handed pitcher, he also showed well. Throwing his fastball at 72 mph, and a changeup with significant action. O’Grady Jr. was one of the top performers of the day all around.
+Colin Murphy (Waunakee, 2026) Standing at 5-foot-5, 140 pounds, and running a 7.48 in the 60-yard dash. Murphy worked well in the box from a balanced setup, a controlled leg kick. Murphy worked from above the ball with an inside path, and generated the day’s second highest exit (89 mph) as a smaller player. Really packing an impressive punch. Behind the dish, he popped a 2.28 down to second with 68 mph arm strength.
+ Jacob Huff (Delavan-Darien, 2026) standing at 5-foot-5, 130 pounds, and popping a 2.19 down to second with quick feet, and feel for his pocket on quick exchanges. In the box, Huff worked from a tall setup with a high handset. Swinging a vertical entry with feel for his barrel through impact, and shooting line drives to all fields.
+ Henry Koopmeiners (Waukesha North, 2027) standing at 6-foot-1, 172 pounds, and offering a nice upside look on the mound. Staying relatively tall down the mound, and working a long arm action, Koopmeiners ran the fastball to 73mph as a right hander. He also offered one of the event's best spin for a curveball at 2,200 rpm, and a changeup to round out his pitch set.
+ Luke Verch (Reedsburg, 2026) stands at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, and provided one of the better mound looks of the day. Working from a tall/fall style delivery and running the fastball into the mid-70s, spinning a usable curveball, and one of the day's best changeup actions. Verch has the frame to grow into and develop speed into over the coming cycles.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
TOP 60-YARD DASH
MAX FASTBALL VELOCITY
MAX EXIT VELOCITY
MAX INFIELD VELOCITY
MAX OUTFIELD VELOCITY
MAX CATCHER VELOCITY
TOP POP TIMES
For a complete look at all the statistics from this event, click HERE.
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