The Wisconsin high school baseball season kicks off on April 27, opening day for regular season action under WIAA regulations. Over the next several weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2021 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, leading into a countdown 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. These preseason previews are also assembled with the help of Joe Waite and his comprehensive Baseball Wisconsin Yearbook, and the 2021 edition will soon be available for purchase here. 

Our 2021 preseason coverage continues today.

Team: Kenosha Tremper
Preseason Rank: No. 18
2019 Record: 17-11
Conference: Southeast
WIAA Division: 1
Head Coach: John Matera

TOP PLAYERS

OUTLOOK

The Trojans claimed the Southeast Conference crown in back-to-back seasons before succeeding it to Bradford back in 2019. Head coach John Matera’s squad returns a large chunk of what would have been their everyday lineup in 2020 and all of their expected starters this spring are upperclassmen. 

Led by SS Ben Loyd (2021; Notre Dame) and C Joe Ricchio (2021; Fort Scott CC) the Trojans’ offense has the potential to be a major strength for this team. Loyd is among the top all-around players in the state’s senior class - an experienced asset at a key defensive position that provides a consistent left-handed staple atop this lineup. Ricchio is cut from a similar mold to Loyd with his ability to impact the game from multiple different facets. He’ll serve as a top-of-the-order threat for the Trojans expected to shoulder a bulky workload on offense while captaining their defense from behind the plate.

Ben Loyd (3/1/20)

There’s a lot of talent surrounding the aforementioned duo throughout this Trojans’ lineup, however. Senior INF Riley Dutton (Wisconsin-Platteville) should slot right between Loyd and Ricchio as the two-hitter in this lineup. Currently penciled into the cleanup spot is the physical left-handed stroke of 6-foot-2, 215-pound 1B Ivan Jake (2022; uncommitted), who will have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs with that trio batting ahead of him. OF Ryan McGonegle (2021; Wisconsin-Parkside), RHP/OF Kaileb Lyon (2021; Rock Valley College), INF Austin LaBreche (2021; Mesa CC), and RHP/INF Torin Byrnes (2022; uncommitted) all complete a fairly deep starting lineup.

One name to know from the Trojans’ 2023 class is CIF Cameron Prickett. Built at a strong and projectable 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame, Prickett emerged as a follow name after he impressed at the Kenosha I.D. earlier this winter. He showed off impressive bat strength for someone his age, recording the farthest hit ball (339 feet) of any underclassmen from that event and one of the event’s hardest hit balls (90.9 mph) as well. It might be hard for Prickett to carve out a role for himself early in the spring because of the experience the Trojans have on their roster, but he could slowly start to earn his way onto the field more as the season unfolds.

Cameron Prickett (2/14/21)

Mentioned above for their expected rolls on offense, the Trojans’ will call upon Byrnes and Lyon to anchor this pitching staff. A representative of Team Midwest Select at last summer’s PBR Future Games, Byrnes cemented himself as the ace of this staff back in 2019 when he impressed as a freshman. Now one of the top uncommitted juniors in the state, the 6-foot-5, 190-pound is ready to take that next step and solidify himself as arguably the top arm in the Southeast Conference. He features a low-to-mid-80s fastball that plays up with advanced spin traits and vertical ride characteristics, according to our TrackMan units. His off-speed feel is still developing, but Byrnes has the upside to be a frontline-type arm for the Trojans should he put it all together. 

Torin Byrnes (8/2/20)

It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen Lyon in a showcase setting, but the 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior arm was able to locate an 80-82 mph fastball for strikes at last year’s Madison Preseason I.D. and he also showed comfort with both his off-speed pitches. It’s possible that his arsenal has ticked up since then, further enhancing Lyon’s profile on the mound and making for a strong one-two punch atop this rotation with him and Byrnes at the helm. 

Establishing their pitching staff after Byrnes and Lyon will be a pivotal piece to the Trojans’ success this spring. They’re searching for arms to rise up and fill several key pitching roles, with names like RHP Wyatt Modory (2022; uncommitted), RHP Jalani Hudnall (2022; uncommitted) and RHP Jack DeRousse (2023) all in the mix to see innings this spring. 

BOTTOM LINE 

The biggest question mark for Kenosha Tremper this spring will be how quickly they can establish a pitching staff behind Byrnes and Lyon. An experienced bunch on offense is going to keep them competitive throughout the season, but they’ll need to sure things up on the mound as they match up against some quality teams during Southeast Conference play. 

Make sure to follow @PBRWisconsin on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2021 season.

Find more information on the 2021 Trojans below:

+ Team Website
+ Team Schedule
+ Team Twitter

PRESEASON POWER 25 COUNTDOWN