PBR Wisconsin All-State: Third Team
July 6, 2022
The 2022 WIAA season has come to a close, finishing off the season a few weeks ago at the state tournament, where all four divisions crowned champions in Appleton. After collecting and analyzing statistics on all of the players and teams, the PBR Wisconsin staff has we released our first team and second team selections. Now, it is time for our third team selections and also honorable mentions.
Catcher
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Dominic Kibler C / New Berlin West, WI / 2023Kent State | .373 BA, 12 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 1.203 OPS The Kent State commit was the anchor for a New Berlin West team on both offense and defense. The starting catcher was the best hitter for the Vikings, as he hit .373 with 16 extra base hits, including five home runs – three of those homers came in one week, which vaulted him to PBR Wisconsin Player of the Week honors during the spring. Kibler was also a threat on the bases as he stole eight during the season, and his defense made him a well-rounded threat to opposing teams. He caps a special junior campaign earning a spot on our Third Team All-State roster. |
INFIELDERS
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Jalen Gellings SS / Campbellsport, WI / 2022Madison JC | .618 BA Gellings was one of the many shortstops who had monster seasons on offense in the WIAA this year. The Madison JC commit had the highest batting average amongst all of the nominated infielders, as he hit .618 for Campbellsport, a team that turned some heads this spring, and Gellings was a major reason why. The senior led his team to a 17-6 record, a Flyway Conference championship, and was named the conference's player of the year. |
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Gabriel Richardson 3B / Eau Claire North, WI / 2022Minnesota-Duluth | .417 BA, 8 2B, 3 HR, 29 RBIs, 1.313 OPS Richardson was a key contributor to the Eau Claire North Huskies’ state tournament appearance in 2022. The third baseman hit .417 for the Huskies, including eight doubles and three home runs. One of his more impressive stats was his walk-to-strikeout ratio throughout the season. He walked 26 times in total, and only struck out in eight plate appearances. The Minnesota-Duluth commit led the Huskies to a 24-3 record and Big Rivers Conference championship in 2022. |
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Tyler Butina 1B / RHP / Jefferson, WI / 2023Central Michigan | .468 BA, 18 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 1.293 OPS The Central Michigan commit was a staple in the middle of a Jefferson lineup that advanced all the way to the WIAA Division 2 state championship game in June. Butina hit .468 with 18 doubles, the most among nominated infielders. His most notable performance came in the sectional final against Dodgeville, where Butina went 4-for-5 and got the victory on the mound for the Eagles. The junior got the job done on both sides of the ball for Jefferson, and is set up for a monster senior season. |
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Keagen Jirschele SS / RHP / Mosinee, WI / 2024Uncommitted | .421 BA, 13 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 1.264 OPS The uncommitted sophomore was inserted at the top of a strong Mosinee lineup this season and thrived. Jirschele hit .421 for Mosinee with 20 extra-base hits and 42 runs scored. The shortstop had 27 RBIs and set the single-season record for hits and stolen bases at Mosinee this season. When he wasn’t at shortstop, Jirschele was dominating on the mound, where he threw 50 innings, only gave up five earned runs, and had a 0.70 ERA. |
OUTFIELDERS
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Owen Deprez LHP / OF / Luxemburg-Casco, WI / 2022UW-La Crosse | .444 BA, 7 2B, 4 3B, 36 RBI The Wisconsin-La Crosse commit strung together a strong senior season for Luxemburg-Casco. In 72 at-bats, DePrez tallied 32 hits to finish the season with a .444 batting average. His 32 hits included 20 singles, seven doubles, one triple, and four home runs. Throughout the season, DePrez struck out just 11 times and drove in 36 runs. DePrez was also a key piece on the mound for the Spartans as he struck out a whopping 138 (!) batters in his 60 innings of work, and finished with a 1.28 ERA. |
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Dominik McVay OF / RHP / Mineral Point, WI / 2022UW-Whitewater | .500 BA, 12 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, 1.535 OPS McVay was dominant at Mineral Point this season – as expected – and he hit exactly .500 with 20 extra-base hits and he added 33 RBIs and 45 runs scored. The Wisconsin-Whitewater commit also did his damage on the basepaths too, as he stole 24 bases for the Pointers. His 1.535 OPS earned him a SWAL first team all-conference nomination at the end of the season, and he's been a staple on our all-team lists throughout his prep career, so we're eager to see him level up while competing at one of the most competitive Division III programs in the nation. |
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Garrett Kay OF / RHP / Waterford, WI / 2023Illinois-Chicago | .451 BA, 11 2B, 3 HR, 23 R, 1.321 OPS The Illinois-Chicago commit was a very consistent bat in the middle of the Waterford lineup this season. The junior hit .451 with 11 doubles, one triple, and three home runs. Along with this, his 19 RBIs and 23 runs scored earned him a Southern Lakes first team all-conference nomination. Kay also finished with a 18-6 walk-strikeout ratio for the Wolverines. He's a consistent spark in any lineup he's a part of, and he should only build upon these impressive numbers next spring for a Waterford squad that looks especially potent, retaining much of their squad in 2023. |
PITCHERS
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Rory Fox SS / RHP / Catholic Memorial, WI / 2022Notre Dame | 43.2 IP, 1.44 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 74 K Fox finished as one of the best pitchers in one of the most competitive conferences in Wisconsin this season. The Notre Dame commit tossed 43 ⅔ innings for Catholic Memorial and only gave up nine earned runs all year. In his work, Fox struck out 73 batters, had a 6-2 record, and a 1.44 ERA. In total, the senior had five complete games for the Crusaders, including one no-hitter. Fox threw a minimal 77 pitches in one of the complete games as well. Fox is also an excellent shortstop for CMH, on top of his work from the mound, though his reputation as one of the most dominant arms in the state, regardless of class, is what helped him garner a spot on this list. |
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DJ Kojis RHP / Whitefish Bay, WI / 2022UW-Milwaukee | 42.2 IP, 1.66 ERA, .93 WHIP, 70 K The Wisconsin-Milwaukee commit was a key piece for the Blue Dukes, a team that did not leave a top our Power 25 rankings throughout the regular season. On the mound, Kojis twirled three complete game gems, one of which was a no-hitter. Throughout his 42 ⅔ innings on the mound, Kojis tallied six wins, just one loss, and two saves. He finished with 70 strikeouts and a 1.66 ERA to help Whitefish Bay to a successful 2022 WIAA season. Not only did Kojis dominant on the mound he was also reliable offensively as he recorded a .442 batting average and also delivered a key walk-off hit against a very talented Arrowhead squad, a matchup between the Nos. 1 and 2 teams on the Power 25 at the time. |
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Lucas Miller RHP / Denmark, WI / 2023Uncommitted | 64.2 IP, 1.27 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 52 K The two-time state champion put together yet another solid season for the Vikings. On the mound, the junior did not lose a game all year for Denmark as he logged a perfect 11-0 record to help Denmark to a 28-win season. Over his 64 ⅔ innings pitched, Miller recorded a 1.27 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and tallied 52 strikeouts as well. Miller’s dominant season culminated in the Division-2 state championship game as he notched the win for Denmark, helping them grab their second straight state title, filling the role his brother Brennen left to him after he graduated last spring. |
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Ryan Karst RHP / Brookfield East, WI / 2022Illinois-Chicago | 48.1 IP, 1.30 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 70 K Karst ended his final season at Brookfield East with a near perfect record on the mound at 7-1. In 48 ⅓ innings of work, the Illinois-Chicago commit only allowed 23 hits and struck out 70 batters. He finished with a strong 1.30 ERA and 0.91 WHIP for the Spartans in 2022. As a first team all-conference pitcher in the Greater Metro, Karst never gave up more than two runs in any of his starts. Now fully healthy and preparing to head to UIC's campus in the fall, Karst is someone we're really interested to see develop at the next level, considering he reached a 94 mph high just recently at our Midwest ProCase. |
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Jacob Granley RHP / Boyceville, WI / 2022Uncommitted | 68.1 IP, 1.23 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 111 K The uncommitted senior flashed some of the most eye-popping stats at Boyceville in 2022. He was a workhorse for his high school squad, as he threw 68.1 innings and earned two-thirds of the Bulldogs win. His 111 strikeouts are among the highest in the entire WIAA. He threw four complete games, three of which being shutouts. His work on the hill gave him Dunn-St. Croix Co-Player of the Year and he propelled Boyceville to two playoff wins. |
UTILITY
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Benjamin Lee RHP / 1B / Amherst, WI / 2022UW-Milwaukee | .494 BA, 9 2B, 5 HR, 1.384 OPS; 46.2 IP, 1.21 ERA, 82 K The Wisconsin-Milwaukee commit put together a very dominant season for an Amherst team that did not record a loss until the Division 3 state semifinals. Offensively, the Falcons looked to Lee all season long and he delivered, as he logged a .494 batting average, which included nine doubles, one triple, and five home runs. One of Lee’s biggest home runs came in Amherst’s game against a Columbus Catholic squad when he hit a walk-off grand slam that kept Amherst’s undefeated season alive. On the mound, Lee was equally impressive as he was a perfect 9-0, and tallied 82 strikeouts over his 46.2 innings pitched throughout the regular season. All season long, Lee helped Amherst to leap frog up our Power 25 rankings on both sides of the ball and it was a great way to end his illustrious prep career. |
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Davis Hamilton SS / RHP / Sun Prairie, WI / 2022North Dakota State | .384 BA, 11 XBH, 1.158 OPS; 51 IP, 0.82 ERA, 68 K The Big Eight Player of the Year did damage on both sides of the field for Sun Prairie, who made their second state appearance in as many years. The North Dakota State commit hit .384 on offense, with 28 RBIs and 32 runs scored. His most notable stats came from the rubber though. On the mound, Hamilton was a perfect 8-0 with a slim 0.82 ERA. Hamilton threw the most innings for the D1 juggernaut at 51, and accounted for just under a third of the Cardinals’ wins. The righty was one of the main reasons for another year of success at Sun Prairie. |
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Noah Wech SS / RHP / Manitowoc Lincoln, WI / 2024Uncommitted | .434 BA, 32 RBIs, 1.127 OPS; 36.2 IP, 2.20 ERA, 72 K As just a sophomore, Wech showcased his two-way talents all season long for Manitowoc Lincoln. At the plate, Wech logged a .434 batting average, 32 RBIs and only struck out six times. During his 36.2 innings on the mound, he recorded a 4-2 record, finishing the season with a 2.20 ERA and 72 strikeouts. With still two more full WIAA seasons left to play for Wech, he will be looking to build off an already fantastic start to his prep career and we are excited to see what is in store for one of Wisconsin’s top-ranked prospects in the ‘24 class, and he's also set to represent the state at the PBR Future Games in Georgia at the end of this month. |
HONORABLE MENTIONS
+ INF Jake Schaffner, Janesville Craig, 2023: Last summer, Schaffner represented Wisconsin in the PBR Future Games, and brought over that momentum into the WIAA spring season. The uncommitted Schaffner was a key piece for a Janesville Craig squad that was inside of our Power 25 rankings throughout the entire season. At the plate, Schaffner logged a .533 batting average, 35 runs scored and drove in 25 RBIs as well.
+ INF Ryan Santi, Oak Creek, 2022 (Madison JC): Throughout the season, Santi was a key piece on a talented Oak Creek squad. He finished the season with a .484 batting average and an OPS of 1.205. He also tallied 11 doubles and three triples.
+ INF Carlos Walta, Wisconsin Lutheran, 2022: In his senior season, Walta logged a batting average of .457 which included seven doubles, four triples, and two home runs. When it was all said and done, Walta led Wisconsin Lutheran in pretty much all offensive statistics including RBIs (37).
+ OF Connor Hughes, Beloit Turner, 2023: In his junior season, Hughes recorded a .412 batting average and an OPS of 1.250 for a solid Beloit Turner squad. He also tallied eight doubles, four triples, and a trio of home runs. All season long Hughes played solid defense while patrolling the outfield and also made some clutch defensive plays.
+ OF Charlie Marion, Franklin, 2022 (Madison JC): Marion went out on high note as he wrapped up his prep career. The Madison JC commit was a true offensive threat for a talented Franklin squad as he batted to a tick of .461 and also drove in 32 RBIs.
+ OF JT Kelenic, Catholic Memorial, 2023 (Grand Canyon): Teammate of the aforementioned Schaffner at the PBR Future Games, Kelenic also brought over momentum he garnered from last years summer circuit. For the Crusaders, Kelenic recorded a batting average of .397 and also added in 39 RBIs and five home runs.
+ OF Owen Nowak, Union Grove, 2023: It seemed like Nowak did it all for the Broncos as he smacked 11 doubles, three triples, and five home runs, finishing the season with a .370 batting average. Nowak also earned 17 ⅔ innings on the mound, which all came in the final two weeks of the season but he made appearances in some of the most important games for Union Grove. Due to his stellar season, Nowak earned Southern Lakes Conference POTY honors.
+ OF Parker Wyatt, Marquette, 2023: The uncommitted incoming senior put together a solid season for the Hilltoppers as he hit .375 from the lead off spot and also recorded 27 stolen bases as well. Wyatt’s speed also translated to the outfield as he failed to make an error all season long.
+ OF Mason Armstrong, Verona, 2023: In his junior season, Armstrong logged a .400 batting average which included seven doubles, four triples, and one home run. He was also a key run producer for a Verona squad who jumped in and out of Power 25 rankings as he drove in 18 runs and scored 23 himself.
+ OF Hudson Turner, Baraboo, 2023: Turner finished his junior campaign as a unanimous first-team All-Badger West Conference selection thanks to a season in which he tallied a .375 batting average with nine XBH. In his solid junior season, Turner scored 32 runs which is second most in Baraboo High School history and will be looking to repeat his success next season.
+ OF Eli Michaelis, Wauwatosa East, 2022 (Wisconsin Lutheran College): Michaelis strung together a strong senior campaign for Wauwatosa East as he batted .456 and also grabbed a handful of XBH. He was also a lock down defender in the outfield all season long for the Red Raiders.
+ RHP Luke Klekamp, Oak Creek, 2022 (St. Johns River CC): With a relatively young pitching staff, Oak Creek looked to Klekamp to bear the brunt of the innings and he excelled while doing that. In his 56 innings of work, Klekamp logged a 1.38 ERA and also punched out 70 batters. Klekamp’s 7-2 record isn’t truly showing his dominance as both of his loses were 2-1 games.
+ RHP Elijah Niemiec, St. Thomas More, 2023: Niemiec, still uncommitted, had a solid junior season for the Cavaliers. Over 53 ⅓ innings, Niemiec had a record of 6-2 with a 2.10 ERA. One of his most impressive stats is that he surpassed the triple digit mark in strikeouts with 100.
+ RHP Thomas Harper, Wauwatosa East, 2022 (Illinois State): Harper finished his senior season with an ERA of 1.32 in his 52 ⅔ innings pitched for the Red Raiders. In conference play, one of Harper’s most important outings came against Brookfield Central in the postseason as he earned the win and allowed Wauwatosa East to advance to the sectional semifinals.
+ RHP Tyler Deleskiewicz, Badger, 2022 (Wisconsin-Milwaukee): In 44 innings, the future Panther recorded a 1.43 ERA and finished with a 5-2 record. Deleskiewicz’s solid season culminated in him now holding the single season strikeout record at Badger with 80 Ks.
+ RHP Marcus Kruzan, Ashland, 2023: Kruzan, a first team All Heart of the North conference selection was Ashland’s ace all season long and for good reason. Over his 42 ⅔ innings, Kruzan logged a .64 ERA and also struck out 90 batters which broke the single season school record.
+ RHP JJ Vargas, Arrowhead, 2022 (Upper Iowa): Vargas excelled on the mound for a talented Arrowhead team as he recorded a perfect 6-0 record. He also held a 1.86 ERA over his 37 ⅔ innings of work and included 60 strikeouts.
+ RHP Roman Trapani, Eau Claire Memorial, 2023: The uncommitted incoming senior put together a solid 2022 WIAA season in which he allowed just nine earned runs across his 45 ⅔ innings. He also went a perfect 5-0 for the Old Abes and struck out 65 batters.
+ RHP Cole Bensen, Bay Port, 2023: Bensen was a key piece for a Bay Port squad that made it all the way to the division-1 state championship. On the mound, Bensen logged a 2.61 ERA over his 48 ⅔ innings of work and also struck out 68 batters. One of his most dominant starts of the season came in the state quarterfinals in which he held a talented Sun Prairie offense to just one earned run over 6 ⅓ innings.
+ RHP Gavin Gawronski, Marquette, 2022 (North Central): Gawronski was considered this team's ace as he threw the most innings and also pitched against Marquette’s toughest opponents. Despite pitching against a lot of talented teams, he excelled as he logged a 1.35 ERA and was a perfect 7-0.
+ LHP Ben Berkhof, Hudson, 2023: Despite having a smaller sample size than others on our All-State teams at 31 ⅓ innings, Berkhof still earned a spot on our Honorable Mentions list as he was dominant all season long. Berkhof logged a 3-1 record for Hudson and recorded a .68 ERA and also 47 strikeouts.
+ RHP Nick West, Verona, 2022 (Madison JC): In his senior season, West played a large role for Verona as expected. West logged a whopping 53 innings of work for the Wildcats and he pitched to a 1.06 ERA, striking out 62 in the process. One of his best outings for Verona came in their Regional Final win as he twirled a complete game gem.
+ RHP Nate Langbehn, D.C. Everest, 2024: Pitching to an ERA of 1.02 across his 41 ⅓ innings, Langbehn was dominant all season long for D.C. Everest as just a sophomore. With still two more years left of his prep career, we are excited to see what else Langbehn has in store.
+ RHP Logan Von Berge, Hudson, 2022 (Augustana-South Dakota): Across his 39 ⅓ innings of work, Von Berge logged a .36 ERA and also recorded a .79 WHIP. He finished his senior season with a 5-1 record and 55 strikeouts.
+ RHP Maxwell Martin, Franklin, 2022 (Des Moines Area CC): Martin was a key piece for Franklin all season long as he logged a .66 ERA in his 32 innings of work. He also earned wins in two of Franklin’s biggest conference games against Oak Creek and Kenosha Tremper.
+ SS/RHP Will Michalsky, Wisconsin Dells, 2022: On both sides of the ball, Michalsky was key for Wisconsin Dells. At the plate, Michalsky averaged a hit every other at-bat (.500) and finished with 28 RBIs. On the mound, he was a perfect 7-0 and pitched to an ERA of 1.41.
+ RHP/1B Easton Zempel, Middleton, 2022 (Winona State): Zempel strung together a solid season for a Middleton squad that made a brief appearance inside our Power 25 rankings. While at the plate, Zempel logged a .407 batting average which included two home runs. He also was considered one of Middleton’s aces as he recorded a 1.23 ERA over his 57 innings of work. One of his most dominant starts came to eventual division-1 state champions, Milton, in which he allowed just four hits throughout his complete game gem.
+ LHP/OF Jackson Burk, Beloit Turner, 2022 (Western Illinois): Burk was important for Turner on both sides of the ball, recording a 2.35 ERA over his 53 ⅔ innings of work and also struck out 96 batters. Offensively, Burk was equally impressive as he hit to a .352 batting average and also smacked four home runs, helping him finish the season with 27 RBIs. Following this impressive senior season, Burk was named RVC POTY.
+ SS/RHP Dylan O’Connell, Eau Claire Memorial, 2022 (St. Thomas): O’ Connell put together yet another impressive season for the Old Abes on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he tallied a batting average of .391 and also eight XBH. During his 43 innings of work on the mound, he boasted a 1.14 ERA and struck out 51 batters.
+ LHP/1B Matthew Mueller, Brookfield Central, 2022 (Gonzaga): Like the aforementioned O’Connell, Mueller also hit to a batting average of .391. He also finished the season with 27 RBIs and also a whopping five triples. On the mound, he struck out 53 batters in just 28 ⅓ innings and also logged a 2.47 ERA.