Wisconsin Baseball Central
Division 1 Preseason Rankings
The 2016 spring season is nearly here, and it's time to take a look ahead to what Wisconsin will have to offer this year. Preseason rankings, exciting as they may be, are subjective and up for debate. There will undoubtedly be ranked teams that go through struggles this season, while unranked teams that were overlooked will come from nowhere to make some noise. With that being said, the following teams are who we at Wisconsin Baseball Central feel will be the best of the best this year. Read on to see our Division 1 preseason rankings.
Honorable Mentions
Bay Port
Milwaukee Reagan
Appleton North
Kenosha Bradford
10. Verona
The Wildcats won 17 games last year and made it to the sectional finals before falling to eventual state champion Janesville Craig. They will have six starters returning this spring, including 1st Team Preseason All-Wisconsinites Ben Rortvedt and Keaton Knueppel. Rortvedt, an Arkansas commit, led the offense last year with a .437 batting average, 17 extra base hits (including 5 home runs), and 29 RBIs. Kneuppel, a Gonzaga commit, batted .299 with 9 doubles and 18 RBIs. Other than those two, sophomore Stephen Lund (.333 average, 11 extra base hits, 14 RBIs) and senior Sam Favour (.284 average, 11 RBIs) will contribute with the bat. Kneuppel (8-2, 61 innings, 1.26 ERA) will be their ace, while Brad Laufenberg (1-2, 30.1 innings, 2.54 ERA) is the only other pitcher returning with significant experience.
9. Janesville Craig
The Cougars won the Division 1 state championship last year and have three everyday starters returning from that team. Junior infielders Evan Spry (.344 average, 21 RBIs) and Jack Blomgren (.277 average, 19 RBIs) will be important cogs in the lineup. Janesville Craig’s greatest strength was on the mound last year, and they should have a solid pitching staff again this season with two-thirds of their rotation returning. Chase Nyborg (46.1 innings, 1.35 ERA), Nick Cramer (37.1 innings, 2.43 ERA) and Spry (24 innings, 2.92 ERA) will all be back on the mound for the Cougars this spring. Craig has some good young players coming through the ranks who should be able to fill the holes left by graduation.
8. Kimberly
The Papermakers finished as Division 1 state runners-up for the second consecutive season last year. They’ll have five starters back this season, including 2nd Team Preseason All-Wisconsinite and Kent State commit Ben Carew (.424 average, 23 RBIs), catcher Steven Jacobson (.337 average, 21 RBIs) and shortstop Danny VandenBoom (.257 average, 15 RBIs). Tanner Haessly (40.1 innings, 1.73 ERA) and VandenBoom (25 innings, 2.52 ERA) will anchor the pitching rotation. The Papermakers are the preseason favorites to win the Fox Valley Association this year.
7. DeForest
The Norskies went 16-6-1, won the Badger North and earned a #1 seed in their sectional last season. They were knocked out of the playoffs in the sectional semifinals, but they have eight starters returning this season, including four 1st team all-conference players. UW-La Crosse commit and reigning Badger North Player of the Year Alex Olver will be on the mound for the Norskies again. Catcher Logan Michaels (.333 average, 6 extra base hits, 23 RBIs) and infielders Dryden Van Schoyck and Justin Wentland (1st team all-conference players) will lead the offensive attack. With the experience of winning a conference title and playoff baseball under their belts, the Norskies will try to reach the state tournament for the first time in their program’s history.
6. Sun Prairie
Last year, a team other than Sun Prairie won the Division 1 state championship for the first time since 2011. The Cardinals won 19 games last season but were knocked out in the sectional semifinals by Oconomowoc. They will have five starters back from that team this year, including Madison College commit Marquis Reuter (.319 average, 11 RBIs, 17 steals), outfielders Jack Maastricht (.271 average, 13 RBIs, 19 steals) and Justus Benson (.274 average, 17 RBIs, 16 steals), utility man Ben Hauser (.318 average, 14 RBIs), and infielder JP Curran (.342 average, 19 RBIs). On the mound, Reuter (6-3, 44.2 innings, 2.51 ERA) will likely be their ace. Hauser (1-1, 17.2 innings, 2.77 ERA) is the only other player who started more than one game on the mound, so pitching will be a question mark for the Cardinals. Still, they should have enough about them as a team to compete for a Big Eight title.
5. Green Bay Preble
If there were ever a year for a team other than Bay Port to be picked to win the Fox River Classic Conference, it might be 2016. Preble won 19 games and reached the sectional finals last year, where they lost to the Pirates by four runs. This spring, they have seven starters returning from that team, as well as their two best pitchers. Winona State commit Caleb Schoenholz (1.31 ERA, 40 strikeouts in 32 innings of conference play last year) has taken on the role of ace for the Hornets, while junior Griffin Summers (1.44 ERA, 34 IP in conference play last spring) is about as solid as a No. 2 guy can get. At the plate, the Hornets have basically their entire lineup back, including the heart of their order. Three-hitter Ryan Dougherty (.421 average, 17 RBIs in conference play) and cleanup man Schoenholz will try to make things happen offensively. Preble finished tied for 2nd in the FRCC last season, but they have to feel they have a serious chance of taking the crown this year.
4. Kenosha Indian Trail
In the few years that the Indian Trail baseball program has been around, it has already found itself having great success. Last year, the Hawks went 22-8 and made it to the state tournament for the first time ever. They lost in the quarterfinals to Kimberly, but they have five starters returning this spring. 1st Team Preseason All-Wisconsinite and Arizona State commit Gavin Lux (.481 average, 15 extra base hits, 17 steals, 32 RBIs), three-hitter Kyle Antos (.398 average, 30 RBIs), Kent State commit Nick Elsen (.268 average, 4 home runs, 23 RBIs) and infielders Ryan Hoerter (.317 average, 17 RBIs) and Griffin Klein (.353 average) are all back with varsity experience. The Hawks also have their best two pitchers returning this year. Hoerter (4-4, 59.2 innings, 2.46 ERA) and Southwest Minnesota State commit Jeremy Stouffer (8-1, 56.1 innings, 2.48 ERA) will be the team’s top two pitchers for the second consecutive year.
3. Oconomowoc
The Raccoons went 21-8 last year and made it to the state semifinals before being defeated by eventual state champion Janesville Craig. They will have seven starters returning from that team, as well as three of their top four pitchers. They will need to find a way to replace the graduated Logan Wonn, who was the team’s best hitter and pitcher last year. Oregon State commit Zach Clayton (.419 average, 14 RBIs, 16 steals) and catcher Sean Meyer (.270 average, 18 RBIs) will try to pick up the slack on offense. On the mound, Clayton (51 innings, 1.64 ERA) will likely be their go-to guy, with Jonah Landowski (33.1 innings, 2.32 ERA) and Alec Esenther (19.1 innings, 3.29 ERA) seeing several innings as well.
2. Kenosha Tremper
The Trojans finished in 2nd place of the Southeast Conference last year and advanced to the sectional semifinals before being knocked out by Wilmot Union. They’ll have six starters back in the mix this year in addition to their entire pitching staff returning. 1st Team Preseason All-Wisconsinite and Louisville commit Justin Lavey (.423 average, 21 RBIs, 30 steals), Dayton commit Jeff Steuck (.273 average, 16 RBIs), and up and coming utility man Hunter Weddel (.322 average, 14 RBIs, 13 steals) will power the offense. Saint Louis commit Keith Kutzler (47.2 innings, 2.50 ERA, 60 strikeouts) will be their ace again this year, while Northern Illinois commit Jacob DeLabio (40 innings, 2.98 ERA, 51 strikeouts) and Andrew Freiberg (32 innings, 1.31 ERA) will bolster the pitching staff.
1. Arrowhead
The Warhawks enjoyed a strong inaugural season in spring baseball last year, and they look poised for an equally great encore. They went 26-2 last spring and have eight starters back this year, and two of their top three pitchers as well. Their group of returning players is undoubtedly the most talented bunch in the state. Michigan commit Dom Clementi (.422 average, 37 runs scored, 16 RBIs), Indiana commit Jeff Holtz (.465 average, 11 doubles, 21 RBIs), Florida commit Nate Brown (.373 average, 16 RBIs), and all-state outfielder Johnny Duranso (.477 average, 27 RBIs) are just a few of Arrowhead’s hitters that will give opposing pitchers a tough time this spring. On the mound, Brown (5-1, 37 innings, 0.95 ERA) will team up with Illinois commit Ryan Schmitt (8-0, 48.2 innings, 0.29 ERA, 75 strikeouts) to form the most formidable tandem in Wisconsin. The Warhawks fell just short of the state tournament last year, but they’re the preseason favorites to win the Division 1 state title in 2016.
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