Wisconsin Baseball Central
Preseason 3rd Team All-Wisconsin
As the 2015 season draws closer, the top players all across Wisconsin are prepping to continue their success during the spring. We’ve sorted through the many talented ball players in Wisconsin and come up with 3 teams featuring the best of the best. A few notes before we get into them: The teams were selected based on a few factors, including last year’s performance, overall ability, and difficulty of competition. The most important factor was last year’s performance/stats. Stats were collected from various sources: the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association, the official state tournament program book, Prep Baseball Report, Wisconsin Baseball Report, team websites, and from the players themselves. So without further ado, let’s take a look at Wisconsin Baseball Central’s Preseason All-Wisconsinites. In this edition: 3rd Team All-Wisconsin.
Catcher: Ben Rortvedt, Verona
Rortvedt, a University of Arkansas commit, was a big-time threat in Verona’s lineup last season. He batted .338 with 7 doubles, a home run, and 13 RBIs against tough Big 8 pitching. In 94 plate appearances, he only struck out 6 times while drawing 21 walks, which gave him an on-base percentage of .489. To put it in perspective a little, Rortvedt put the ball in play in 92% of his at-bats. He is one of the best catchers in Wisconsin and will only continue to improve this year.
First Base: Mike Brookshaw, Prescott
Brookshaw normally plays in the middle infield, but we’ve got him at first base here for convenience’s sake. A varsity player since his freshman year, Brookshaw helped Prescott capture the Division 3 state title in 2012. Last spring, he batted .521 for one of the best teams in Division 2, and he’ll be back for more this spring.
Second Base: Mason Reinhardt, Merrill
Reinhardt was one of the most underrated players in Wisconsin last spring, hitting .477 for Merrill as just a junior. The 1st team all-WVC infielder will be a player to watch this year in central Wisconsin.
Shortstop: Grant Frazer, Oconto
Frazer is one of the best two-way players in the state. At the plate, he hit .368 for the Division 3 state runners-up. He also led the team in RBIs with 22 and stole 11 bases. On the mound, Frazer posted a 1.23 ERA in 51.1 innings and struck out 65 batters.
Third Base: Marquis Reuter, Sun Prairie
The starting 3rd baseman for the 3-time defending champs, Reuter burst onto the scene last year. He batted .408 with 6 doubles, 3 triples, and 22 RBIs. He was just as effective on the mound, as he posted a 1.80 ERA.
Left Field: Logan Coulter, Janesville Parker
Coulter manned left field for Janesville Parker last season during their run to the state semifinals. His .447 batting average was the best on the team, and his 11 extra-base hits were tied for the most on the squad. He was also perfect in the field with a 1.000 fielding percentage.
Center Field: Jared Hoerter, Kenosha Indian Trail
Hoerter was one of many talented players on Indian Trail’s roster last year. As a junior, he batted .427 for a sectional finalist team. Graduation may have hit the Hawks hard, but Hoerter will be one of their key returning players.
Right Field: Griffin Hawley, Kimberly
Hawley, the leadoff man for last year’s Division 1 state runner-up, is one of the most well rounded players in Wisconsin. At the plate last year, he batted .380, slugged .506, and stole 10 bases with a 100% success rate. On the mound, he posted a 1.80 ERA as Kimberly’s ace for most of the year. In the outfield, Hawley has blazing speed that gives him a ton of range. All around, he’s one of the best players in the Fox Valley Association.
Designated Hitter: Johnny Popham, Waupaca
As a sophomore, Popham dominated Eastern Valley Conference pitching, mashing his way to a .491 batting average while collecting 23 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. On the mound, he went 6-0 and posted a 2.08 ERA, along with 54 strikeouts in 47 innings pitched.
Pitcher: Jack Collins, Denmark
Collins dominated Bay Conference hitters last season, posting a 1.29 and racking up 80 strikeouts in just below 50 innings pitched. His fastball routinely sits in the mid 80s, and topped out at 88 MPH last year. Expect the whiffs to keep coming this spring.
Pitcher: Connor Wollersheim, Appleton North
Wollersheim had Tommy John surgery at the end of his sophomore season and then transferred to Appleton North and missed all of the 2013 spring season as a result. However, the Kent State commit got back on the mound in the summer playing with the GRB Rays. Facing some of the best competition in the Midwest, Wollersheim pitched 17 innings, struck out 15 batters and posted a 1.65 ERA. Obviously it’s a small sample size, but it appears that he should be back to his old self come this spring.
Pitcher: Simon Rosenblum-Larson, Madison West
Rosenblum-Larson, a Harvard commit, is one of the premier pitchers in the tough Big 8 conference. Last spring in 64 innings of work, he struck out 76 batters and posted a 2.84 ERA. His command was good, only issuing 22 walks all year. His fastball sits in the 80s and he throws both a slider and a curveball with good control.
Pitcher: Connor Hock, Bay Port
Hock, a University of Notre Dame commit, was one of Bay Port’s best players last year, absolutely stifling opposing hitters all season long. In 48.2 innings of work, he racked up 63 strikeouts and posted a 0.72 ERA. His fastball hits the mid 80s and could even improve a few MPH this year. Good luck beating the Pirates when Hock is on the mound.
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