Prep Baseball Report

Wisconsin Class of 2022 Rankings Update


By Andy Sroka & Steve Nielsen
Wisconsin Staff

The loaded winter showcase circuit has concluded, and WIAA Opening Day is on Tuesday, so now’s the perfect time to make our biggest state rankings update: expanding and adjusting the Class of 2022 board. These juniors made up the majority of the prospects we saw at our winter events, and we saw 41 of the previously top-50-ranked players that helped us more accurately slide these prospects around the board.

Let’s break down the top of the class today. Be on the lookout next week when we dive deep down the top-110 players to see the movement a little further down the board.

TOP OF THE CLASS

+ Little changed at the top, with SS Gavin Kilen (Milton; Louisville commit) holding on to the top spot in the state, while jumping into the top-50 nationally. He put on a show in early March at the South Milwaukee Preseason I.D., and his draft stock is primed for the summer, where he will likely be a high interest target for pro scouts in the Midwest.

+ The next five spots on the ‘22 rankings match the order of our last update, and OF Michael Lippe (Whitefish Bay; Louisville) checks in again at No. 2. Much like Kilen, Lippe will be attracting pro scouts his way this spring and summer, over a year ahead of the 2022 MLB Draft. We hadn’t been able to catch Lippe in about a year, to date, until he made his way to the Milwaukee Preseason I.D., where he presented us with his trademark bat speed/power traits from the right side, inside a highly physical, athletic 6-foot-2, 220-pound frame. He ran a 6.77 at that event and reached a 98 mph high on his throws home from the outfield, and this came after recording some of the top bat and hand speed marks we’d seen all winter. He remains a high-follow draft prospect.

+ Lippe’s high school and travel ball teammate RHP/INF Mitchell Voit (Whitefish Bay; Michigan) retains the No. 3 overall spot in-state, but his prospect arrow is pointed up after completing a quality bullpen in early March, showing positive offspeed development while maintaining that same level of premium athleticism we’ve come to expect. Voit’s built at a wiry, strong 6-foot, 190 pounds, and his elite tools appear in the 60-yard dash (6.80), on the infield (97 mph high to first), and from the batter’s box (98.5 mph max exit speed). But, he remains best-suited on the mound. At that same showcase, just after throwing a 97 mph event-high to first base, Voit hopped on the mound and sat 90-92 mph with increased feel to land the breaking ball under the zone, with some late action, and his changeup works effectively off the fastball, too. He reaches that fastball velo with very little effort, and his arm speed is exceptionally loose and fast, stemming from an athletic delivery. The fastball he produces features noteworthy spin and carries at an advanced level to home, projecting as an excellent offering on its own.

Mitchell Voit (3/7/21)

+ C Will Vierling (Homestead) is another Louisville recruit at the top of this class, and his left-handed bat continues to progress as one of the state’s best. His performance at the South Milwaukee I.D. made sure that he held onto his No. 4 spot on this state board, up over 30 spots nationally.

Will Vierling (3/7/21)

+ RHP Tyler Deleskiewicz (Badger) is the No. 5-ranked player in Wisconsin’s junior class, and should also be considered one of the top uncommitted pitchers in the Midwest, at this point. An unorthodox, funky delivery doesn’t inhibit his ability to repeat and reach the 90-plus mph mark. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound righty was up to 91 mph at a PBR Illinois event this winter, featuring high spin, and he has above-average feel to spin and land his curveball and viable changeup.

Tyler Deleskiewicz (1/31/21)

+ We did not see the Notre Dame recruit SS Rory Fox (Catholic Memorial) this winter, but his memorable 2020 provided plenty of ammunition to keep him ranked as the No. 6-ranked player in the state. He’s all set to make his WIAA debut, finally, where he can contribute right away to the Crusaders’ chances of winning a Division 2 title this spring, picking up where his brother left off.

+ It’s also worth touching on 2B/SS Tristan Ellis’ (Greendale; Purdue) performance at our South MKE event. Amidst a talented field, containing several of the aforementioned players, Ellis’ round of batting practice stuck out as one of the day’s best. He moved up a spot on the state’s board, now No. 8 overall, and he also rose nearly 40 spots nationally. Ellis’ savvy defense, competitive style of play, and quick and timely left-handed bat have kept him inside the state’s top-10 since the state rankings first launched in late 2019.

Tristan Ellis (3/7/21)

TOP-10 TABLE

RANK NAME POS SCHOOL COMMITMENT
1 Gavin Kilen SS Milton Louisville
2 Michael Lippe OF Whitefish Bay Louisville
3 Mitchell Voit RHP/INF Whitefish Bay Michigan
4 Will Vierling C Homestead Louisville
5 Tyler Deleskiewicz RHP Badger -
6 Rory Fox SS Catholic Memorial Notre Dame
7 Theo Zeidler RHP/INF Bay Port -
8 Tristan Ellis 2B/SS Greendale Purdue
9 Michael Mulhollon LHP Westosha Central Wichita State
10 Cuyler Zukowski OF Madison La Follette Creighton


NEW TO THE TOP-10

Theo Zeidler RHP / SS / Bay Port, WI / 2022

Zeidler was the winter’s biggest revelation, jumping almost 30 spots into the top-10, and claiming a top-400 spot in the country. Listed at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, he's highly athletic and has routinely worked out as a two-way player (middle infielder), but a more focused shift to the mound puts Zeidler amongst an even higher caliber of prospects. He’s long showed above-average athleticism, and it’s made him a stand-out defender up the middle, and it’s that same athleticism that’s helped him blossom on the mound. At our Fox Cities event, Zeidler tossed, arguably, the most impressive ‘pen of the winter, sitting 89-90 mph, topping 90.6, with excellent control of the fastball and a sharp curveball, 73-75. Still uncommitted, he’s now obviously one of the top available prospects in Wisconsin, and he’s high on the list of targets to see this spring.

Theo Zeidler (3/6/21)

Michael Mulhollon LHP / Westosha Central, WI / 2022

Mulhollon is another one of the state’s best athletes, and he added muscle to his upside 6-foot-4, 205-pound stature over the offseason. The Wichita State commit used the South Milwaukee showcase to reach his top fastball speed in front of us, 89 mph, sitting 87-88. Mulhollon also demonstrated a better feel to spin his breaking ball and locate his deceptive changeup, forming a clear route to a starter’s profile long-term.

Michael Mulhollon (3/7/21)

Cuyler Zukowski OF / Madison La Follette, WI / 2022

The Creighton recruit jumped six big spots to land the No. 10 overall ranking in this state’s class following an all-around impressive showing at the Madison I.D. The tools are loud and clear for Zukowski; he's a lean athlete at 6-foot, 190 pounds, and he looks like he's only scratching the surface of strength potential. He's a sub-7.00 runner with a right fielder’s arm, and his bat remains his best tool. Zukowski flashed bat speed measured at over 80 mph, per our Blast Motion sensor, this winter, and if everything clicks in the box for him this spring and summer, he has the chance to riser even higher in this state’s stout 2022 class.

Cuyler Zukowski (3/14/21)

We've expanded the 2022 rankings from 80 names to 110, making the list deeper while raising several of the state's premier talent to the top. We'll touch back on this class with more follow-up on the state's biggest risers and newcomers early next week, helping set the table for the start of the WIAA season.

Click here for a full look at the PBR Wisconsin Class of 2022 Rankings.

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