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Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 24 Brookfield Central

March 24, 2022
By Tell Taylor & Andy Sroka
Wisconsin Staff

The Wisconsin high school baseball season kicks off on March 29, opening day for regular season action under WIAA regulations. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2022 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, counting down through the official PBR Wisconsin Preseason Power 25 Rankings.

Perennially, we’ve submitted a Preseason Questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state. Their responses have been flooding in and we’re using the detailed insight they’ve provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis.

Our 2022 preseason coverage continues today.

Team: Brookfield Central
Preseason Rank: 24
2021 Record: 12-14
Conference: Greater Metro
WIAA Division: 1
Head Coach: Jeff Bigler

ROSTER PREVIEW

NAME POS CLASS COMMITMENT
Matthew Mueller LHP/1B
 2022 Gonzaga
Luke Langjahr RHP/OF
 2022 Milwaukee School of Engineering
Luke Wenzel RHP 2022 Iowa Western CC
Noah Hoffman OF 2022 -
Noah Dreier RHP/INF 2023 -
Hunter Szymborski C 2023 -
Charlie DiPiazza INF 2023 -
Aren Robinson 1B 2024 -
Jaxon Clayton INF/RHP 2025 -


NEWCOMER TO WATCH

+ 1B Aren Robinson (2024): Describing Robinson as physical would be an understatement, listed at a hulking 6-foot-4, 200 pounds. At the recent South Milwaukee ID, perhaps the most interesting update on Robinson was the improvements he made defensively. He’s currently moving well on the infield and he surprisingly syncs his feet and arm action consistently, given his size. His arm action is clean with carries out of a natural ¾ slot, and he picks balls well with the pocket. At the dish, Robinson didn’t have his best day, and yet still connected for hard line-drives off the barrel with mid-90s EVs, sitting on his back leg and simply flicking the barrel. It’s easy to look at him and dream big on his slugging potential. And that’s to Brookfield Central’s immense benefit, considering they might be in search of some runs support to back up the talent their packing inside their rotation.

X-FACTOR

+ RHP/INF Noah Dreier (2023): Pulled from the Madison ID: Quick Hits (3/15): “[Dreier] stands at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, with a strong lower half, running a 7.15 in the 60. Setting up in the box tall and balanced, with a quiet foot strike. Dreier makes a vertical entry with postural tilt, and a tight swing arc. He lifts through impact and works inside underneath with lift through impact. Working inside under with 80 mph barrel speed, and exits as high as 94.1 mph. Dreier is also highly impressive when he takes the mound; showcasing a repeatable delivery with a controlled leg-lift, working into a drop/drive lower-half that remains in-line with the plate while planting into a closed landing foot. His arm works clean out of the glove into a quick ¾ release point, also producing a fastball up to 89 mph with finish through the zone. His curveball and slider both possess top-level spin, each spinning at 2,500-plus rpm with sharp action (11/5 plane curveball and 10/4 slider) that he also kept mostly down in the zone. Add in a fading changeup, 82-83 mph, and Dreier’s four-pitch mix plays well above his years.”

OUTLOOK

After a pedestrian 2021 season for the Lancers, the team looks to get off to a hot start under the leadership of head coach Jeff Bigler. Returning most of the innings on the mound, and regaining most of their at-bats, it wouldn’t surprise if the team made a league push this year, in a season where the Greater Metro looks up for grabs. The Lancers will ride on the shoulders of two-way team captain and leader of the pitching staff Matthew Mueller (2022; Gonzaga commit), as well as a more experienced front line. While Mueller projects best long-term as a left-handed arm – with upper-80s velocity and an aggressive slider – he can really swing it from the left side, too. He returns a .385 batting average with bat strength that matches his 6-foot-5, 190-pound stature. The potential boom both Mueller and the sophomore Robinson bring to the middle of Coach Bigler’s lineup serves to complement its strength as a roster from the mound, considering they return 100 percent of their quality pitching staff.

Matthew Mueller (3/14/21)

Junior C Hunter Szymborski (2023) is a dependable receiver which is particularly important to this team, given the kind of spin and velocity he’ll be catching start to start from Mueller, Dreier, RHP Luke Langjahr (2022; Milwaukee School of Engineering), and RHP Luke Wenzel (2022; Iowa Western CC). Szymborski is a strong left-handed hitter as well, and while his defense is his greatest asset on the diamond, he’s made considerable progress offensively, reaching noteworthy exit marks this past February (94.1 mph max).

Hunter Szymborski (2/19/22)

Two more Central players return .300-plus batting averages – 3B Charlie DiPiazza (2023) and OF Noah Hoffman (2022; Carroll) – and each will extend the competitiveness in the lineup. As will incoming freshman INF/RHP Jaxon Clayton (2025), who showed as one of the top ‘25s we saw during our winter showcase circuit. Listed at a highly athletic 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Clayton ran a 6.83 this past March and followed that up by right-handed bat with advanced bat speed that reached exits as high as 93.7 mph. On top of all that, Clayton was among the day’s biggest winners from the rubber, reaching an 86 mph high from the mound paired with a premium breaking ball.

While it’s asking a lot of a freshman to come in and contribute right away, Clayton has the caliber of talent to make his mark swiftly.

Circling back to the right-hander Wenzel, we’re particularly intrigued by the senior, who’d previously displayed some athleticism as an outfield prospect but reportedly made gains from the mound late last summer and fall, landing a commitment to JUCO powerhouse Iowa Western in the process. His progress on the mound is something we’ll be taking a closer look at this spring, certainly.

And Wenzel’s development is really only just bolsters this staff, with senior Langjahr back as well, as one of the team’s most dependable arms in 2021. Langjahr’s steady presence is really valuable to this rotation, and he adds to a depth of arms that should rally them toward GMC contention and beyond.

BOTTOM LINE

While this lineup dinked and dunked its way to the finish line in 2021, this season they look to produce more firepower. With notable growth to the bats of Dreier, Szymborski, while potentially integrating a couple of especially talented underclassmen, Brookfield Central could surprise out of the gates this spring. 

Central is a dark horse type program in the Greater Metro, and will stand to face tough competition from Marquette, Menomonee Falls, and ‘Tosa East to name a few. The Lancers’ success will be determined by the team's success on the mound preventing crooked innings, and the offense upgrading to the tune of this winter’s third party expectations. 

Make sure to follow @PBRWisconsin on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2022 season.

Find more information on the 2022 Lancers below:

+ Team Website
+ Team Schedule
+ Team Twitter

PRESEASON POWER 25 COUNTDOWN