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Southern Wisconsin Open: Quick Hits

October 18, 2022
By Wisconsin Staff

On Oct. 15, PBR Wisconsin hosted its last open showcase of 2022: the Southern Wisconsin Open. Perennially, this showcase helps introduce our staff to new need-to-know players in the state that we’d not yet seen before, as well as provided us with updated looks at players who’ve earned our attention in the past.

 Today, we’ll highlight several standouts and performances from Saturday’s showcase in Waukesha. You’ll see more content roll out throughout the week, such as our traditional stats story as well as leaderboards taken from TrackMan, Blast Motion, and Swift data, as our partners’ state-of-the-art technologies helped our staff identify even more players to know headed into the fall and beyond.

 For now, let’s take a look at the standouts from Saturday’s event at STiKS Academy in Waukesha. Each of the prospects below are uncommitted unless stated otherwise.

QUICK HITS

POSITION PLAYERS

CLASS OF 2024

+ MIF Beau Bloxdorf (Union Grove, 2024) is listed at 6-foot, 160 pounds, with the frame to support more strength well. Bloxdorf, a right-handed hitter, impressed in batting practice, spraying line-drives to all fields showcasing quick hands and a hitterish feel to the swing and overall hit tool. He hits from a slightly open stance, uses his lower half well and fires his quick hands to the ball to make consistent barrel contact. Additionally, he displayed quick feet, soft hands and the ability to throw from multiple arm slots around in the middle of the infield. His arm was clocked at 84 mph across the diamond with carry and accuracy to the throws. The improvements Bloxdorf is showing offensively is boosting his prospect status, as he’s already established himself as a talented middle infielder on defense.

+ C/1B Christian Lim (Brookfield Central, 2024) is listed at a sturdy/strong 5-foot-10. Lim registered the highest exit velocity of the day during batting practice (98.3 mph), connecting for low-lying kind of contact regularly. He has a short, compact stroke using the ground well to deploy a flat barrel through the baseball consistently with repeatable timing. Lim showed some bounce from behind the plate with a short, quick right foot and accurate arm to the bag that produced pop times as low as 2.15.

+ C Bryce Duszak (Menasha, 2024) is athletically built with strength throughout that showed well overall. In BP, where he showcased his bat speed (70.5 mph average) and quick hands (23.2 mph average) to consistently barrel baseballs at an average exit speed of 87.0 mph (90.3 max EV), mostly to his pull-side. Defensively, Duszak showcased a strong arm, one that topped out at 76 mph that helped record lows of 2.06 on his quickest throw to second.

+ INF Ryan Kopecky (Muskego, 2024) stands 6-foot, 182 pounds with a strong and athletic looking frame. Kopecky showcased a smooth left-handed stroke with balance, rhythm and timing to the slightly uphill path creating loft and power to both gaps. Kopecky also showed off his strength by registering the third highest exit velocity of the event (92.2 mph). He showed well on the infield too, with soft hands and an accurate arm across the infield. 

+ C Gavin Schieffer (Lake Country Lutheran, 2024) is listed at 5-foot-10, 160 pounds with some lower-half strength. During his round of batting practice, Schieffer had the highest average bat speed (74.5 mph) measured by Blast, which he employed to produce a consistent round of batting practice in which he put up an average exit velo of 86.1 mph (91.7 max EV). Defensively, Schieffer showed some bounce out of the crouch and a good arm topping out at 77 mph and recording a low of 2.18 on his pops to second.

+ 3B Jameson Johnson (Pecatonica, 2024) is listed at 6-foot, 175 pounds with a proportional frame that has room for additional strength and muscle gain. During batting practice, Johnson displayed a line-drive approach with a handsy swing that helps him drive the baseball to all fields. Defensively, Johnson showcased athletic actions, fielding through the baseball, also displaying the ability to make throws from multiple arm slots.

+ OF Sam Reichert (Arrowhead, 2024) stands 6-foot, 175 pounds with some room to add strength and mass to an athletic frame. Reichert displayed quick-twitch and burst with the best 60-yard dash time of the day, clocked at 7.15 seconds. He also showed well in batting practice off a short, direct bat path created by quick hands as he sprayed line drives to all fields. He was just outside the event’s top-10 in max exit velocity (88.8 mph). Finally, Reichert showcased a strong arm from the outfield with a velocity of 88 mph to home.

+ 1B/3B John Hadley (Sun Prairie East, 2024) is listed at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds and it’s a frame capable of adding usable strength that should help his batted-ball profile. Hadley showed some explosiveness during the laser-timed 60-yard dash, running a 7.35, which is a solid time for a player with his long levers. During batting practice, Hadley used a rhythmic left-handed stroke to take a short path to the ball that drives baseball to the gaps consistently. During his round, he reached a max exit speed of 92.9 mph, good for a max batted distance of 312 feet. And on defense, while patrolling both first and third base, Hadley fielded at both corners of the infield showing some first-step quickness and a clean transfer, also possessing an accurate arm that reached up to 75 mph on his throws.

CLASS OF 2025

+ C Marek Bolson (Oconomowoc, 2025) is a long-limbed catcher listed 6-foot, 165 pounds, and a strength gain over this coming offseason could have him break out once again. Bolson has a natural feel to hit, which he displayed throughout his round of batting practice, using the ground well to employ a swing that is short to and long through the zone that helps him to find the barrel often. His development offensively over the course of this year is something to note, as he showcased a more controlled and authoritative barrel on Saturday, and that could help him become one of the state’s top-ranked sophomore catchers in the near future. On defense, Bolson displayed his athleticism and bounce behind the plate, along with an arm that got up to 73 mph from the crouch helped him record lows of 2.10 pops down to second. Bolson’s shown an innate feel behind the plate previously, and his progress on offense raises his overall ceiling that much more.

+ INF Brayden Steinbecker (Manitowoc Lincoln, 2025) is listed at a wiry 6-foot-2, 168 pounds with quick-twitch and athleticism. He has a projectable frame and should continue to add size and strength. Steinbecker showed out well in batting practice, lacing line-drives to both gaps from a balanced swing and quick hands. He registered a top max exit velocity of 90 mph as evidence of this, and he also showed well in infield work, displaying a quick first step and soft hands fielding ground balls out in front. Steinbecker earned a spot on our first edition of the state’s Class of 2025 rankings, and he reiterated why that was the case over the weekend.

+ C Connor Harvie (Waterford Union, 2025) stands 5-foot-10, 165 pounds with strength in his compact physique. During batting practice, Harvie showcased a rhythmic, loose swing, taking a short path to the ball and being able to drive it to both gaps – and his farthest struck ball traveled 331 feet, which was an event-high. Harvie’s already developed a reputation as one of the state’s best, and not just for his class. He’s a soft-handed receiver with simple and efficient actions on defense that helped him land accurate throws to second in the 2.07-2.09 range. Harvie can be considered one of the state’s top sophomore backstops headed into the offseason.

+ MIF Luke Schlosser (Oconomowoc, 2025) is listed at an athletic 5-foot-10, 145 pounds with quick-twitch traits attached to his game. Schlosser opened the event by impressing during batting practice, making easy, rhythmic left-handed contact while being repeatedly on the barrel, spraying liners to all fields. He kept up his impressive showing by taking arguably the top defensive round of the day. Schlosser looks like a true middle infielder, with quick feet that play well both to his forehand and backhand, and he unleashed throws to first the topped 86 mph across, and from multiple angles. Schlosser was one of the winners from this event and is a follow sophomore moving forward.

+ INF Daniel Hauboldt (Muskego, 2025) is listed at an athletic, wiry 6-foot, 175 pounds with more size and strength coming. Hauboldt started the day by running a 7.29 in the 60-yard dash, and he showed some quick turnover and burst once he really got going. Hauboldt also showed a natural, rhythmic swing that landed repeated barreled contact. His best batted ball left his barrel at 90.5 mph, and he’s a candidate to make a leap after a diligent offseason.

+ OF Brandon Morrissey (Beaver Dam, 2025) stands an athletic and strong 5-foot-11, 180 pounds that projects to be a physical presence in the middle of an order. Morrissey impressed during batting practice with a smooth rhythmic flow inside his left-handed swing that allowed him to drive the ball to all fields. Morrissey missed a portion of the year due to injury but is back to full health now and is another breakout candidate as he heads into the offseason. His strength plays on both sides of the ball, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him exit the offseason even stronger.

PITCHERS

CLASS OF 2024

+ RHP/OF Tavian Ramos (Neenah, 2024) is a projectable two-way prospect listed at 6-foot-2 167 pounds with extra-long levers that make him an intriguing follow, especially on the mound. Ramos began the day swinging a whippy right-handed bat off a flat path, and he teased his arm talent by reaching an 89 mph high to home during outfield defense. Once he took the mound, Ramos showed a long arm circle that released the ball from a high ¾ slot, while generating quick arm speed. Ramos’ fastball is an upside pitch that should miss bats all on its own, once he’s able to harness for strikes more regularly. He sat 83-84 mph on Saturday but he did hit one 86. He also throws a curveball, 67-69 mph, that flashed tight and sharp 12/6 action that projects well alongside his vertical fastball, and he flashed a work-in-progress changeup with fade/run movement. Ramos breaks onto the radar inside the state’s junior class following this performance.

+ RHP/3B Jakeb Lequia (Chippewa Falls, 2024) has a strong, compact 5-foot-10, 180-pound build to go along with two-way abilities. His strength currently best presents itself on the mound where he generates a heavy, running fastball that really carries through the strike zone in the low-80s, currently. He also wields a short breaking ball and a true splitter that flashed some late drop. Offensively, Lequia’s a right-handed hitter who favors his opposite gap, presently, with some bat and hand speed. And while he’s a little raw defensively, he moves well laterally and has the arm strength to develop into a reliable third baseman.

+ RHP/OF Sawyer Kowalkowski (Ozaukee, 2024) is listed at a projectable 6-foot-2, 145 pounds; an upside build. Kowalkowski showed well as a two-way prospect at the event. On the mound, Sawyer works with a full circle arm swing to a three-quarter slot and a quick arm out front. The fastball topped at 80 mph landing in the zone with some natural cut life finish to the pitch. The curveball, 68-70 mph, has two-plane break and 10/4 shape, flashed late bite. He also displayed a feel for a changeup, 74-75 mph. During BP, Kowalkowski consistently barrelled up balls showing hitability and strength in hands. From the outfield, the ball jumped out of his hand topping out at 87 mph during the defensive portion of the event.

+ RHP Sam Cook (Waukesha West, 2024) stands 6-foot, 180 pounds with an athletic frame. On the mound, he featured three pitches for strikes with the ability to repeat and land the fastball to spots up to 79 mph. He also showed feel for a breaking ball and a developing changeup, and emerged as an arm to follow in his junior spring.

CLASS OF 2025

+ RHP/INF Eli Bryant (Beaver Dam, 2025) is a 6-foot-2, 175-pound two-way athlete who looked like one of the state’s top sophomores at this event over the weekend. On the mound, Bryant works with a repeatable delivery, executing four pitches from a ¾ slot and a loose, quick arm. His fastball, 82-84 mph, showed late finish with the ability to execute pitches to all four quadrants. His curveball, 69-70 mph, has 10/4 shape and had late bite. His slider was a shorter, harder version of the curve, 70-72 mph, and he also showed feel for a developing changeup. As a position player, Bryant showcased his athleticism by running a 7.24 seconds, and he also hit especially well in batting practice, showing off his free and easy swing spraying line-drives all over the field and on repeat. On defense, he has a quick first step, soft hands and an accurate arm with the ability to throw from multiple angles. Overall, it was a very impressive look at the Beaver Dam sophomore and the No. 14-ranked player in the state’s class. 

+ RHP/INF Zachary Kiffmeyer (Oshkosh North, 2025) is a strong 6-foot-2 pitching prospect with some room to fill out more as he matures. Kiffmeyer performed like a high-follow member of the state’s 2025 class at this showcase while on the mound, sitting 82-83 mph and locating at the bottom of the zone while working at an uptempo pace. He also showed a breaking ball with considerable horizontal movement, flashing sharp at times, and his changeup, 68-72 mph, is thrown with conviction and dives arm side heavily. During batting practice, Kiffmeyer employed a handsy swing and took a direct path to go along with an opposite field approach posting an exit velo as high as 91.4 mph during his round.

+ LHP Brolan Frost (Elkhorn Area, 2025) is listed at a projectable 6-foot-2, 160 pounds with a high-waisted frame. On the mound, Frost showed an athletic drop-and-drive delivery that finishes slightly closed off, while also possessing a loose arm that projects to add more velo as he adds strength and continues to mature. Frost uses three pitches: a fastball, 77-80 mph, with carry and finish through spots; a curveball, 72-73 mph, that is a slurve-type offering that plays well at the bottom of the zone; and a changeup, 74-77 mph, that has a similar shape to his fastball, leaving a near-identical slot with deceptive arm speed.

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