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South Milwaukee Preseason ID: Quick Hits

March 9, 2023
By: Wisconsin Staff

On Mar. 5th, the PBR Wisconsin team hosted its latest event along the 2023 winter showcase circuit, the annual South Milwaukee Preseason ID at Hitters Baseball Academy in Caledonia, Wis. Nearly 80 players made it out to this event, providing us with updated looks and a new list of prospects to follow in an area of Wisconsin that regularly produces some of the state’s top talent.

Today, we’ll be highlighting the players who stood out in Caledonia within this Quick Hits piece. Stay tuned throughout the week as we continue to break down the in-depth metrics measured at this event, with the help of our tech partners TrackMan, Blast Motion, Swift, and Vizual Edge.

POSITION PLAYERS

CLASS OF 2024

+ OF Sam Ruden (Lyons (IL), 2024) stands 5-foot-10, 170-pounds with an athletic frame. Ruden showed off his quick twitch athleticism with a 6.74 60-yard dash with an impressive burst and quick turnover to his strides. Ruden showcased his short compact swing during his BP round, hitting line drives through the middle of the field and topping out at 90.7 mph on his hardest hit ball of the day. He showed balance and barrel control through the swing throughout the round which should translate well to the game. From the outfield, Ruden showed solid arm strength throwing the ball 86 mph with good carry and accuracy. 

+ OF Carsen Dulak (Germantown, 2024) is a well-proportioned 6-foot-1, 200 pounds with more fill and strength coming to his frame. Dulak showed out well at the event on Sunday showing an athletic swing with bat speed and creating a max exit velocity of 88.1 mph. His arm from the outfield registered 88 mph with strong carry through the target proving to be a weapon on the defensive side of the ball. Sunday gave us our second look at this uncommitted prospect, and yet again he impressed and is definitely an arrow up prospect in the states junior class. 

CLASS OF 2025 

+ INF Ethan Moore (Oak Park-River Forest (IL), 2025; Louisville commit) was easily one of the day’s biggest winners. Currently the No. 4 ranked player in the state of Illinois, the switch-hitter put on a show throughout his rounds of BP. From both sides of the plate, Moore boasts fluid hands that work into a flat path, controlling his body well through impact and generating easy bat-speed. His approach at the plate is mature, remaining simple and using the whole field while remaining on the barrel consistently (T96.4 mph max EV; 91.4 mph avg. EV). Moore also looks to be a premium defender up the middle of the field, boasting fluid/athletic actions to pair with soft hands, athletic footwork and a strong arm (T88 mph INF). On top of all of that, he’s also a 6.98 runner in the 60. 

+ C Brad Filippis (Indian Trail, 2025) stands at a long and projectable 6-foot, 170-pounds. During his round of BP, Filippis was consistently on the barrel, spraying line drives to all fields and registered a max exit velocity of 89 mph. Despite showing quality skills with the bat, the defense behind the plate continues to be the stand out tool for Filippis with the ability to fold comfortably in his set up, soft hands, a quick release on throws to second base and a strong arm. Filippis threw multiple sub two-second pop times with accuracy at the bag with his quickest coming it at 1.95. 

+ 3B Macay Wagner (Slinger, 2025) attended his second event of the winter and continued to impress our PBR Wisconsin staff. Wagner stands a strong 6-foot-2, 200 pounds with more strength coming to his frame. He controls his body exceptionally well in the infield with quality infield actions, soft hands, and a smoothness to overall look to the defensive profile. Wagner has plenty of arm to stick at third base, showing off throws across the diamond at 83 mph with accuracy and carry through the first baseman. His swing is simple, repeatable, loose and relaxed with impressive hand-eye coordination and feel for the barrel. His 91 mph max exit velocity is notable due to the fact that his swing is easy, fluid, under control and balanced yet the ball jumps off of his bat. Wagner is definitely a name to know in the state of Wisconsin for the class of 2025. 

+ MIF Weston Kairus (Burlington, 2025) gave a polished look throughout his round of BP, using the whole field with a short and simple swing, looking to keep the ball on a line. He also showed well on the infield, showcasing steady hands with smooth actions, moving well laterally to both sides of his glove. 

+ C Ryan Lemm (Craig, 2025) showcased his skills both behind the plate and with the bat during our time in Caledonia on Sunday. Lemm, a strong athletic backstop ran a 7.10 60-yard dash which was good enough for the seventh-best of the event. Offensively, he has a short quick swing and stayed on the barrel throughout his entire round and had an exit velocity of 88 mph. Behind the plate, he showcased a quick and accurate throwing arm and threw a 2.03 pop-time which was the second-quickest of the event. Overall, Lemm is polished catcher with multiple tools and an interesting prospect to take note of. 

+ OF Alex Papka (Tremper, 2025) stands at an athletic and strong 5-foot-10, 165 pounds. Papka impressed with the bat showcasing quick hands with a short compact swing with flat plane, hitting balls consistently on the barrel and produced a max exit velocity of 89 mph. Papka showed solid arm strength from the outfield throwing the ball consistently in the low-80s with quickness to the release and accuracy.  

+ MIF Jack Zeller (Indian Trail, 2025) stands 6-foot-1, 165 pounds with projection to his frame. At the plate, Zeller creates leverage from a narrow upright set up with quickness to his hands producing exit velocities in the upper 80s using the whole field. In the infield, his glove works softly gathering the baseball while showing quality range and quickness laterally. 

CLASS OF 2026

+ 1B Dominic Santarelli (St. Joseph, 2026; Louisville commit) easily took one, if not the most impressive round of BP we have seen in some time. Currently ranked No. 3 in the state and committed to Louisville, it is easy to see why many people regard him as one of the best in the class. The 6-foot, 190-pound left-handed hitter showcased a short, uphill path to the ball with ultra-strong hands and easy bat-strength, consistently working on the barrel with backspin to the whole field and repeating his swing with ease. Santarelli led the entire event in max exit velocity with a 98.5 mph max, averaging 91.6 mph. He also led the event in max batted distance, registering his furthest ball at 377’.

+ MIF Charlie Fitzke (Milton, 2026) gave a strong look on Sunday. Listed at a high-waisted 5-foot-8, 155-pounds, Fitzke still has plenty of room to add on strength in the coming years. At the plate, the left-handed hitter stays short to the ball with a flat path and loose levers; using the whole field and working on the barrel repeatedly (T91.7 mph max EV). He showed some feel for the infield, utilizing soft hands into a shuffle to play through the ball in rhythm, also working well laterally to both sides of his glove. Fitzke also registered a 7.17 in the 60-yard dash, too.

+ MIF Jake Cummins (Milton, 2026) is coming off an impressive summer circuit which culminated in a standout performance down in Georgia at the PBR Junior Future Games. It seems that Cummins has got a couple of inches taller and also added some strength to his now 5-foot-9, 180 pound frame. Offensviley, Cummins reached a max exit velocity of 87.8 mph and was conisistently able to spray line drives to the entire field. Defensively is where Cummins really shined as he was effortlessly able to move from side to side, and paired it with soft hands that make him an advanced defender up the middle. It was yet another impressive look at this young prospect and he is certianly someone our staff is excited to conitnue to follow as he progresses through his high school career. 

+ OF Oneil Wright (Grafton, 2026) impressed our scouting staff throughout his round of BP on Sunday. Listed at a strong-bodied 5-foot-10, 185-pounds, the L/L outfielder uses controlled aggression with quick/strong hands to backspin baseballs to his pull-side, reaching up to 93.2 mph for his max exit velocity. 

TWO-WAYS

CLASS OF 2024

+ INF/RHP Colton Angell (Oshkosh North, 2024) gave an intriguing look on both sides of the ball on Sunday. Currently ranked No. 59 in the state, Angell is a strong-bodied 6-foot-3, 195-pounds and showed off some above-average bat strength from the right-handed batter’s box. Working with an uphill path and quick/strong hands through the zone, Angell was consistently on the barrel to the pull-side with a max exit velocity of 92.6 mph (86.7 mph avg.). He showed smooth actions on the infield with soft hands and a clean transfer, moving well laterally to both sides of his glove. He also showcased a strong arm, reaching 85 mph across the infield. His arm-strength translated over to the mound, working his fastball consistently in the 82-83 mph range to pair with a sharp curveball that averaged 2228 rpm and fading changeup that sat 71-74 mph. 

+ RHP/3B Cashton Jones (Madison Memorial, 2024) showed to be an interesting two-way prospect at the event on Sunday. Standing at a strong 6-foot-1, 200-pounds, Jones showed well on the mound, specifically. Out of a high ¾ slot, he showed a fastball that sat 81-84 mph (84.7 mph max) with life out of the hand. He showed three offspeed pitches; a curveball that showed 11/5 shape with quality spin (2,361 rpm average), a slider that flashed 10/4 sharp action, and a changeup with slight fade to the arm side. Defensively, he showed off his strong arm with accurate throws across the diamond that reached a max velocity of 83 mph. During batting practice, Jones had a flat bat path and used the whole field, and he registered a max exit velocity of 88.3 mph.

+ RHP/OF Henry Bishop (Edgewood, 2024) was another two-way winner from Sunday’s event. Currently the No. 68 player in the state, Bishop boasts a physical 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame that still holds room for added strength in the coming years. The right-handed hitter showcased an opposite field approach throughout his round, starting with his hands low and moving quickly to the ball with an uphill path and intent to lift. During his round he reached a 92.5 mph max exit velocity, and an average of 82.8 mph. On the mound, Bishop worked his fastball in the 80-83 mph range to pair with a curveball/slider combination, showing some feel for both offerings and both sitting at 67-69 mph. To round out his arsenal he went to a heavy fading changeup at 72-74 mph. 

CLASS OF 2025

+ INF/RHP Ethan Bauerschmidt (Tremper, 2025) came away an obvious winner from Sunday’s event on both sides of the ball. On the mound, the right-hander sat right at 88-90 mph throughout the duration of his ‘pen with finish and life through the zone (16.2” avg. IVB; T19.2” IVB). His slider looks to be a potential out-pitch, spinning routinely over 2,500 RPM at 73-75 mph with depth and feel for the zone. His final offering was a slight running changeup thrown with fastball intent, 80-82 mph. At the plate, the right-handed hitter stays short to the ball with quick hands and feel for the barrel - working the ball to the whole field with easy jump off the bat (T92.6 mph EV; 336’ max distance). His defensive round was also one to make note of, moving well to both sides of his glove to pair with athletic actions and soft hands. His aforementioned arm-strength easily translates over to the infield, reaching up to 91 mph with above-average arm-speed and accurate throws. Also a 7.03 runner in the 60. 

+ RHP/SS Adam Urban (Wauwatosa West, 2025) was one of the biggest winners of the day with the impressive showing on the mound and with the bat. Urban, a projectable and well proportioned 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, moves athletically through his delivery with good direction towards home. He repeats a full arm circle with a 3/4 slot with a quick arm producing velocities with a lively fastball in the upper 80’s and topping out at 88 mph. He deploys a slider with 2400+ RPMs and late movement with 10/4 shape showing potential for a swing and miss weapon below the zone. As a position player, Urban produced one of the top exit velocities of the day at 93.7 mph due to his quick hands and impressive bat speed through the baseball. Finally, in the infield, Urban impressed with his soft hands and impressive arm strength (91 mph) showing quality touch and feel for the baseball with consistently accurate throws through the first baseman. Overall, this was one of the more impressive showings of the day and further solidified Urban as a top talent in the class. 

+ RHP/OF Jacob Haughton (Racine Case, 2025) was far and away one of the most intriguing prospects at the entire event. Currently ranked No. 25 in the state and listed at an uber-athletic 6-foot-2, 210-pounds with round shoulders and strength throughout, Haughton certainly has some rawness to his game - but the upside is tremendous. He opened up some eyes early, cruising to a 6.73 in the 60-yard dash and then showcasing a strong right-handed swing at the plate. He continued to impress throughout his round of defense, reaching up to 90 mph from a crow-hop. His arm-strength had no trouble translating over to the mound, where he worked his fastball up to 88 mph, sitting 84-87 mph. His slider flashed sharp action with a short 10/4 plane, 71-74 mph (2,100-2,300 RPM). His final offering was a heavy fading changeup with killed spin, 78-80 mph. 

CLASS OF 2026

+ MIF/RHP Ezra Liggon (Madison West, 2026) boasts an extremely projectable 6-foot-4, 165-pound frame with an abundance of room to still fill out. The right-handed hitter stays short to the ball with a quick bat, spraying hard contact to the whole field. On the mound, Liggon worked his fastball in the 77-79 mph range with finish through the zone. He showed to have above-average feel for his 11/5 curveball, 66-69 mph - and developing feel for his changeup, 73-76 mph with slight fade. 

+ RHP/MIF Caleb Ligoon (Madison West, 2026) stand a long loose and projectable 6-foot-4, 165 pounds. Liggon sat 77-79 mph with his fastball with life and carry through the zone. His curveball shows 11/5 shape with quality finish at the plate, and he also features a change up that he throws with intent. During, batting practice, he showed some whip out front and hit line drives through the middle of the field. Also, his hands and feet work well through the baseball showing quality actions on the dirt with an accurate arm up to 81 mph. 

+ OF/RHP Cade Minatto (Indian Trail, 2026) is an interesting two-way prospect who was a member of Team Wisconsin at the PBR Junior Future Games this past summer. Standing at 6-foot, 165-pounds, Minatto showed well at the plate. He showed a flat bat path with the ability to work to all fields. He recorded a max exit velocity of 92.9 mph and a max batted ball distance of 312 feet, both well above-average numbers for his age. In the outfield, Minatto showed a strong and accurate arm with a max velocity on throws to home plate of 87 mph, one of the event bests. He impressed on the mound, too, with a fastball ranging from 81-84 mph that showed life through the zone. His curveball had an 11/5 shape with shape and tight actions, and it had quality spin, 2,335 rpm on average. To round out his arsenal, he threw a changeup that had hard diving action to the arm side.

+ Making his PBR event debut, RHP/OF Bo Behrendt (Whitefish Bay, 2026) showed well as a two-way prospect on Sunday. At 5-foot-9, 167-pounds, he stands in a strong frame with some projection. He stood out on the mound with a three-pitch arsenal. His fastball sat 78-81 mph, topping at 81.2 mph with quality finish at the plate. His curveball showed late break with the ability to land, and a changeup with fade and depth through the zone. Defensively, he showed a strong arm from that outfield (83 mph max) with carry on throws to home plate. Behrendt, a right-handed hitter, showed an uphill path, hitting balls up the middle with a max exit velocity of 88.6 mph.

+ INF/RHP Brady Mohns (Brookfield Central, 2026) stands at 6-foot-1, 165-pounds, with a high waist that shows more fill coming. During batting practice, the left-handed hitter showed quick hands with whip through the zone and a flat path. He hit the ball up the middle and to the pull side, and he showed power with a max exit velocity of 86.8 mph and a max distance of 272 feet. From the infield, he showed soft hands with a clean transfer, and he showed quality lateral actions. On the mound, he showed a two-pitch mix with a quick and compact arm. His fastball reached a max velocity of 77.2 mph and it had slight arm-side run, and his curveball had 12/6 actions that he landed at the bottom of the zone.

+ RHP/SS Carter Valleskey (Valders, 2026) standing at an athletic and projectable 6-foot-2, 165-pounds, with long levers, Valleskey showed well as a two-way prospect. During his ‘pen, his fastball sat 80-83 mph (83.5 mph max) with arm-side run. His curveball showed a short 11/5 break, and his changeup came out of his hand well with fading action. Defensively, he showed steady actions moving well laterally with a max velocity across the infield of 78 mph. At the plate, he showed a short and simple with the ability to use the whole field. He recorded a max exit velocity of 87.7 mph.

+ OF/RHP Cameron Carter (Arrowhead, 2026) stands at 6-foot-3, 160-pounds with long levers and a high waist. During batting practice, he showed power and a whole field approach. His max exit velocity was 91 mph, and he showed quick hands that generated a quick bat (72.4 mph max). Defensively, Carter showed athletic actions with a strong arm, and worked in-line on his throws to home where he recorded a max velocity of 85 mph. He showed well in his bullpen, where he showed a three-pitch mix. He had a max fastball of 82.5 mph that was mostly straight, his curveball showed downer break with depth, and his changeup was mostly straight thrown with fastball intent.

PITCHERS

+ LHP Alex Vogt (Catholic Central, 2024) is an interesting uncommitted left-handed pitching prospect in the state. Vogt stands 6-foot, 210 pounds with strength throughout. Vogt showed late run and sink to the fastball topping out at 83 mph and a changeup with late depth and fade at 68 mph. He can also land a sweeping breaking ball for strikes giving him a quality three pitch mix. 

+ RHP Abe Herchenbach (Elkhorn Area, 2025) came away a winner on the mound from Sunday’s event. Currently ranked No. 21 in the state, Herchenbach boasts upside within his 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame, and with added strength should only help him on the mound. The right-hander worked his fastball up to 85 mph, sitting mostly 83-84 mph with a tall/fall operation and ¾ slot. He showed outstanding feel for his 71-75 mph slider, landing it for a strike 100% of the time according to TrackMan and playing with sharp 10/4 action. He also featured a heavy running changeup to fill out his arsenal, 77-80 mph. 

+ RHP Owen Walsh (St. Ignatius, IL, 2025) made the trip up from Illinois and gave a strong showing on the mound. Built at an athletic 6-foot, 175 pounds, Walsh cruised with his fastball in the 78-82 mph range, topping out at 83 mph and setting up an effective curveball/slider combination with feel for both offerings. He also went to a 71-73 mph splitter with killed spin, playing with arm-side action.

+ RHP Jarrett Hall (Eisenhower, 2026) is listed at 5-foot-11, 165-pounds, with a projectable build and long levers. Hall showed a compact and loose arm out of a ¾ slot. He showed a three-pitch mix with a fastball that sat 75-76 mph and topped out at 77.2 mph. His curveball showed 11/5 shape with tight spin and a late break that he located in the bottom of the zone. He finished his mix with a knuckleball that showed no spin and he located it mostly arm side.

+ LHP/1B Briar Thoe (Indian Trail, 2026) is an athletic 6-foot-3, 170-pounds, with long levers and strength coming. He showed well for our staff on the mound with a fastball that sat 74-76 mph (76.4 mph max) with late run and feel for the zone. His curveball showed 10/4 shape with some sweeping actions (10.4’ horizontal movement average), and his changeup had late fading actions with some run (12.5’ induced vertical break). At the plate he showed the ability to use the whole field, and he reached a max exit velocity of 80.6 mph.

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