Wed March 14, 2018
The WIAA is season opener is just around the corner and over the next couple weeks we will be bombarding you with content, from ranking updates to Preseason Previews leading to our Power 25 countdown. Our preseason showcase are officially in the books as well, so lets start with the senior class and hit the refresh button on the 2018 Wisconsin Rankings.
The winter is generally a quiet time for seniors and they’re getting in their last high school off-season workouts, but for a select few, there is a huge opportunity leading up to the 2018 draft.
This year six of the top seven prospects in the state competed in the annual PBR Super 60. A pro scouting event that brings 60 of the top draft prospects together at The MAX in McCook, IL to get a look at who’s stock is climbing heading into the 2018 MLB draft.
In terms of state rankings, most of what we saw was as expected, No. 1 prospect in the state Jarred Kelenic (Waukesha, WI) stood head and shoulders above the rest. If there was any question into Kelenic’s draft profile, it comes in the form of what outfield position he projects at. Can he stick in centerfield at the major league level? Kelenic put any questions of top end speed to rest as he ran the second best 60 time at the event posting a 6.55. His bat played loud and consistent as it normally does and showed a plus arm to go with his plus-plus speed in the outfield.
Left-handed hitting Alex Binelas (Oak Creek) announced his presence with authority at the Super 60. Not to be outdone by Kelenic with the bat, Binelas took one of the better BP rounds of the day and put serious heat into his 2018 draft stock. While he also may have questions about his defensive position on a much broader scale, Binelas ran a 6.62, best we’ve ever seen him, leading some to believe he has more options than just a corner infielder.
RHP Max Alba (Franklin) also benefited from his Super 60 performance. Alba sat 90-91 mph touching 92 mph and showed a hard 11/5 curveball at 80-81 mph that showed to be a plus potential offering, along with an aggressive changeup at 82-85 mph. Alba is a premium three-sport athlete with a live arm who takes that athleticism with him to the mound. At times it still looks like Alba is dropping back in the pocket for Sabres, and it may take him three years at North Carolina to start to work more downhill, but when he does, and he will, his draft stock will shoot through the roof.
Jeff Holtz’s (Arrowhead) bat is his calling card and he put it on display at the Super 60. Per our FlightScope data, Holtz registered some of the hardest hit balls during BP (105.59 mph, 105.26, 104.47), with top carries of 379.08, 372.20 and 370.79. His profile plays in the middle of a lineup at the next level, and proved he’s arguably the best right-handed hitter in the state.
Here’s a look at the rest of the top ten:
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Commitment |
| 1 | Jarred Kelenic | WI | Waukesha West | 2018 | OF | Louisville |
| 2 | Jacob Campbell | WI | Janesville Craig | 2018 | C | Illinois |
| 3 | Alex Binelas | WI | Oak Creek | 2018 | 3B | Louisville |
| 4 | Max Alba | WI | Franklin | 2018 | RHP | North Carolina |
| 5 | Tanner Kohlhepp | WI | Eau Claire Memorial | 2018 | SS | Tennessee |
| 6 | Jeff Holtz | WI | Arrowhead | 2018 | C | Indiana |
| 7 | Dillon Nowicki | WI | Stoughton | 2018 | RHP | Michigan |
| 8 | Gunner Peterson | WI | Wilmot | 2018 | OF | Illinois State |
| 9 | Randon Dauman | WI | Columbus | 2018 | RHP | Ohio |
| 10 | Alan Roden | WI | Middleton | 2018 | C | Creighton |
Other notable moves in the 2018 class come from RHP Wes Sommers (Appleton North) who sat 84-86, touching 87 in January at our Unsigfned Senior Showcase. UW-La Crosse recently wrapped up the right hander early this month to a verbal commitment.
OF Steele Beatty (Pewaukee) was another senior to show well in January. Beatty showed a compact right-handed swing with occasional pop and an advanced arm in the outfield.
CLICK HERE for complete 2018 Wisconsin Rankings.
