2nd Team Preseason All-Wisconsin

The 2016 spring baseball season is nearly here, and with it comes a plethora of fantastic players taking the field all around the state. We’ve set out to pick the best of the best: players who can influence games in ways that others can’t and help lead their teams to success. Obviously, there are hundreds of players in the state but only a handful of spots available on our preseason All-Wisconsin teams. As a result, there will be players that could have made the teams, but were left out for one reason or another. To pick the teams, we used the following selection criteria: statistics from the previous year, overall talent/ability as a player, and strength of opposition faced throughout the year. The most emphasis was placed on statistics from last year. With all of that in mind, let’s take a look at Wisconsin Baseball Central’s Preseason All-Wisconsin teams. In this edition, we have the 2nd team.

Catcher: Landen Williamson, Marathon

Williamson helped Marathon win a conference title and reach the state tournament with his performances last spring. He batted .451 with 11 extra base hits and a team-high 32 RBIs. He was a 1st team All-Marawood South player last year, and if the UW-Oshkosh commit posts similar numbers this year he’ll be in for more accolades.

Infielder: Nick Sailer, Coleman

Sailer had a phenomenal year for the Cougars in 2015. He batted .515, had 17 extra base hits, scored 43 runs, and stole 25 bases. He also had a fantastic summer season playing with the Marinette American Legion team. Now back for his senior year, Nick will be a player to keep an eye on. He’s undoubtedly one of the best players in the Marinette and Oconto Conference.

Infielder: Taylor Borchers, Appleton North

Borchers has been one of Appleton North’s most consistent players over the last couple of years. As a sophomore in 2014, he was named 2nd team All-Fox Valley Association. Last year, he earned 1st team all-conference honors. The Gonzaga commit will be one of the senior leaders on this year’s Lightning squad that’ll be looking for its first state tournament berth since 2012.

Infielder: Joe Lipsky, Lake Country Lutheran

As you may recall, Lipsky was the man who clinched the Division 3 state championship for Lake Country Lutheran last spring with a walk-off 2 RBI single in one of the wildest finishes you’ll ever see in a state title game. The junior batted .489 last year with 4 doubles and 32 RBIs for the Lightning. He’s one of their few returning starters this year, so he’ll likely play a bigger role this year.

Infielder: Zach Clayton, Oconomowoc

As just a sophomore last year, Clayton was a key cog in the lineup that helped Oconomowoc reach the state semifinals last year. He batted .419 with 14 RBIs and 6 extra-base hits. He was a constant threat on the base paths, with his season tally reaching 16 swipes. He committed to Oregon State this off-season, and he will be one of the many returning starters from last year’s state semifinal team hoping to take the next step this spring.

Outfielder: Ben Carew, Kimberly

Carew made things happen in the Kimberly lineup last season. The Kent State commit batted .424 with 11 extra base hits and 23 RBIs. He also stole 9 bases for the Papermakers. Carew has finished as a state runner-up with his Kimberly teammates for two consecutive seasons. If Kimberly wants to swap the silver trophy for the gold trophy this season, Carew will be instrumental to their chances.

Outfielder: Tyler Nelson, St. Mary Central

Pitchers seemed unable to figure out how to get Nelson out consistently last year. He batted .522 with 15 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. He struck out just once in 79 plate appearances, which helped his on base percentage get up to .584. The senior will be back for more of the same this spring.

Outfielder: Aaron Goecks, Brookfield Academy

Goecks dominated the opposition last year in the Midwest Classic Conference. The Southern Illinois Edwardsville commit batted .442 with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 6 home runs, and 21 RBIs. He got on base at a .563 clip for the Knights. He had a solid season on the mound as well. In 38 innings he posted a 2.95 ERA and held opponents to a .163 batting average.

Designated hitter: Zak Imig, Ashwaubenon

Imig was Ashwaubenon’s starting catcher and cleanup hitter last spring, and his stats show why. He batted .447 with 10 extra base hits and 23 RBIs. He also drew 15 walks and posted a .533 on-base percentage. His 11 stolen bases led the team, which is pretty impressive for a catcher. In limited action on the mound, Imig went 2-0 and had a 1.91 ERA.

Pitcher: Alec Marsh, Milwaukee Reagan

Marsh, an Arizona State commit, helped lead Milwaukee Reagan on an improbable state tournament run last year, which saw the Huskies take down top-ranked Arrowhead in the process. The fireballer pitched 38.2 innings last spring and tallied a 2.17 ERA with 64 strikeouts. Pitching in the Milwaukee City Conference, which isn’t exactly known for its baseball prowess, should help Marsh put up similar numbers this year.

Pitcher: Nate Brown, Arrowhead

Brown may have only thrown the third most innings for Arrowhead last season, but he pitched like an ace all year long. In 37 innings of work, he went 5-1 with a 0.95 ERA and 53 strikeouts. The University of Florida commit will be key for the Warhawks as they seek a state tournament berth this year.

Pitcher: Alex Schulte, Aquinas

Schulte was a workhorse during Aquinas’s run to the Division 3 state championship game last year. The imposing 6 foot 4 inch gunslinger pitched 63 innings for the Blugolds and notched a 10-0 record. His 1.22 ERA led the team, as did his 43 strikeouts. Aquinas came as close as humanly possible to a state title last spring, and Schulte will spearhead the effort to seal the deal this time around.

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