Prep Baseball Report

Wisconsin Class of 2022 Rankings: Newcomers


By: Diego Solares
Staff Writer, Associate Scout

With the summer circuit officially coming to an end and the fall transition beginning, an overhaul to the 2022 rankings was overdue. 

Earlier in the week we officially released our new board in an official update story, expanding our list to 150 prospects. We then shed some light on a handful of previously ranked names that rose up inside our risers article, posted on Wednesday.

Today, we’ll dive deeper into this update and welcome a handful of newcomers that found their way onto our prospect radar after strong showings throughout this calendar year. 

Read below to meet the new faces in the state’s current senior class rankings. 

TOP-100 NEWCOMERS

+ Our highest ranked newcomer is INF Blade Niewiadomski (Rosholt), who we first saw at the D4 WIAA State Playoffs with the Hornets and then a handful of times afterwards throughout our summer circuit. Niewiadomski enjoyed an explosive spring with Rosholt and boasts an impressive offensive skill-set, routinely making loud contact off the barrel when we’ve seen him in game. Still uncommitted, the 5-foot-9, 170-pound Niewiadmoski is currently the 41st ranked prospect in the state’s senior class.

(7/13/2021)


+ RHP Luke Sopha (Pewaukee) was another standout of ours from the WIAA season who came away a big winner after an impressive outing at our Top Prospect - Milwaukee showcase, too. A proportionally strong and still projectable 6-foot-4, 195-pound athlete, we’ve seen Sopha reach an 86 mph high with his fastball, settling in at an easy 83-85 mph. Sopha’s feel to spin a sharp breaking ball in the low-70s with depth at an advanced rate, including a 2,200+ RPM average, further enhances his arsenal on the mound. He’s an impressive arm that’s still uncommitted entering his senior season.

(7/13/2021)


+ A highly athletic dual-sport left/left prospect, OF Luke Erickson (Eau Claire Memorial) makes his rankings debut at 72nd overall on our board. Built at a strong 6-foot-1, 175-pounds, we saw Erickson’s abilities on the diamond stand out multiple times throughout this year, especially throughout the WIAA Playoffs with the Old Abes. He’s driven some baseballs deep into the pull-side gap with a loud left-handed stroke, including a leadoff no-doubt home run against River Falls in the Marshfield Sectional. Erickson’s athleticism translates defensively as well, where we’ve seen him comfortably glide around the outfield gaps and even play some center field.

(7/13/2021)


+ INF Luis Serrano (Jefferson) popped onto our radar at the D2 WIAA State Playoffs when he helped lead the Eagles to a state championship game appearance. Serrano then attended our Eastern Wisconsin Open in August, where the 5-foot-6, 160-pound uncommitted middle infielder popped as one of the day’s top performers. Serrano’s best asset is his glove, as he’s a sure-handed defender on the dirt that comfortably plays on the move and has the arm strength to stick at shortstop in the long run. He served as a top-of-the-order spark plug for Jefferson all season as well, competing in the box and staying short to the baseballs as a line drive type hitter. Serrano makes his debut on our rankings at the 82nd slot overall.

(8/16/2021)


+ CIF Emiliano Ramos (Arrowhead) was amongst the top all-around in game performers for us this calendar year, whether it be during the WIAA season with the Warhawks or on the summer tournament circuit. Ramos’ generates presently advanced raw power thanks to a strong 6-foot, 190-pound frame and barreled his best ball of the day up at 100.42 mph at our Top Prospect - Milwaukee showcase. He consistently racked up extra-base hits in game this year as well, flashing that level of potency attached to his right-handed stroke. Ramos profiles as a quality, sure-handed corner infield defender with the power profile to stick there as well. He’s still uncommitted and is currently the 84th ranked prospect in the state.

(7/13/2021)


+ RHP Jack Ryan (Janesville Craig) emerged as a follow uncommitted arm at our Eastern Wisconsin Open this past August. A lanky and projectable 6-foot-1, 175-pound athlete, Ryan impressed with an upside, polished ‘pen during his workout. Ryan comfortably threw a hard-running two-seam fastball that sat at 82-83 mph, reaching an 84 mph high, and averaged nearly 17 inches of horizontal movement, too. Ryan spun a potential swing-and-miss breaking ball at a 2,600+ RPM average as well, further adding to an already impressive, data-centric friendly arsenal. Ryan’s future physical projection, his aptitude to spin, and the looseness that his arm works with represents a fairly high ceiling on the mound.

  (8/16/2021)


+ Just inside our top-100 is OF Hayden Konkol (Denmark), a 6-foot-4, 180-pound dual-sport athlete that played a crucial role in the Vikings’ first ever D2 State Championship. After impressing our staff throughout multiple looks this spring, Konkol attended our Eastern Wisconsin Open and continued to show well. He posted impressive hand speed metrics (25.4 mph average) and worked on the barrel during BP, keeping his bat flat through the zone as he produced steady line drive contact to all fields. Konkol ran a 7.04 in the 60-yard dash and looked comfortable roaming the outfield grass for Denmark this season, often manning center field while covering ground with ease. He’s still uncommitted and is currently slotted at 98th overall on our board.

(8/16/2021)


+ Built at a strong, muscular 6-foot-2, 195-pounds, CIF Keaton Arendt (Franklin) is another dual-sport athlete to debut on this recent rankings update. Arendt stars for the Sabres football team as one of their top wide receivers and his talents on the baseball field are also impressive. He enjoyed a strong offensive spring with Franklin and continued to hit at The Rock, wielding a powerful right-handed stroke that works gap-to-gap. Arendt is ranked at 99th overall in the state at the moment.

(3/21/2021)


+ Uncommitted LHP/1B Ethan Cole (Winnebago Lutheran Academy) occupies the 100th spot on this updated board as the proportionally strong 6-foot-2, 200-pound left/left athlete offers an intriguing two-way skill set. Cole impressed our staff on both sides of the ball at this year’s Badger State Battle, filling up the zone with a low-80s fastball and showing real feel to spin a low-60s breaking ball for strikes. He juiced a handful of balls up in Mauston as well from the left side, using the strength attached to his physical frame to generate easy pop off the barrel.


MORE UNCOMMITTED NAMES TO KNOW

+ OF/LHP Aidan Baccus (Madison West) is a projectable left/left follow with a loose arm that’s been up to 83 mph on the mound in our looks and spins a tight high-60s curveball for strikes. He’s a slappy, high bat-to-ball type hitter with advanced speed that translates to the outfield grass as well.


+ Switch-hitting C/OF Andrew Niaves (Oregon) offers athleticism from both sides of the plate and from the chute. Niaves showed well at this year’s Top Prospect - Milwaukee and comfortably handled a few high-octane arms at the Badger State Battle, too.

(7/13/2021)


+ Left-handed hitting MIF Ryan Campbell (Brookfield Academy) has shown our staff an advanced hit tool over the last two years, consistently hitting each time we’ve seen him at The Rock. He’s an athletic 5-foot-10, 165-pound prospect that profiles as a top-of-the-order type at the next level.

+ Another athletic up-the-middle prospect to crack our rankings: MIF Bryson Webb (De Pere). Webb put together a well-rounded workout at the Top Prospect - Milwaukee showcase this summer, headlining a group of talented middle infielders. He displayed athletic feet and actions on the infield with an arm that topped at 87 mph to his target, swinging a loose right-handed stroke as well.

(7/13/2021)


+ LHP/OF Owen DePrez (Luxemburg-Casco) is another newcomer with two-way upside. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound DePrez ran his fastball up to 85 mph from a tight, deceptive slot at an event this summer and spun his slider at a 2,400+ RPM average. DePrez also flashed advanced raw gap-to-gap power in BP, squaring his best batted ball up at 95 mph and sending it 356 ft., per TrackMan.

(7/13/2021)


For a full look at the state’s updated 2022 rankings, click HERE.

RELATED CONTENT