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Baseball Day Minnesota 2025: Takeaways, Key Moments, Committed & Uncommitted Standouts

May 19, 2025
Parker Hageman
Upper Midwest, Prep Baseball

Waconia, Minnesota—It was cold. The kind of cold that cuts straight through layers of any high-tech fashion conceived by humans. 

The weather shifted quickly heading into the weekend. First came the wind. On Thursday, a strong northerly wind that carried the remnants of arctic air back into the overheating prairies uprooted a tent installation in the parking lot of Waconia’s Lions Field and flung it toward a neighboring county. Tents, signage, and untethered small children ran the risk of being whisked away by a gust of wind. Rain followed on Friday; a slow drip blanketed the region and dampened everything the eye could see. By late Friday night, the insidious cold had infested the community. 

Awaking Saturday morning, teams checking their weather apps would be greeted by highs reaching only the upper 40s while a “feels like temp” in the 30s would hit harder than any chirp from the dugout. As one observer noted, this would be fantastic weather in late March to get the players some outdoor reps. But for late May? After a week of upper 80s temps? Woof.

Nevertheless, Baseball Day Minnesota 2025 persisted, because Minnesotans are tough.

Besides, this weather was no different than the kind the Duluth Marshall Hilltoppers play 80% of their season in. The northern warriors disembarked the bus in their long sleeves, layers, and shiesties. The Thunderhawks from Montevideo, straight west of Waconia, did the same. Minnesota players are just built different. A little chill was not going to stop them. 

It also did not stop thousands of people from entering the gate at Lions Field, and using the $1.7 million grandstand to provide ample windbreak. It did not stop the hundreds of Waconia-based volunteers from being gracious hosts and caretakers at their crown jewel facility. It did not stop the St. Paul Saints’ Mudonna and the Minnesota Twins’ TC Bear from entertaining the shivering masses. It did not stop the eight schools from providing the fans with high quality on-field action. 

Baseball Day Minnesota would not be stopped. 

GAME SUMMARY

Josten’s Player of the Game: Owen Marsolek

+ The first game of the day was a pitchers duel for four innings until Duluth Marshall’s Owen Marsolek collected his second double of the day, leading off the bottom of the fifth with a hard double to left. Marsolek would come around to score the game’s only run on an error on Max Berrisford’s ground ball to third. 

+ In addition to providing most of the offense’s firepower, Marsolak also struck out 15 in his one-hit, complete game shutdown. At one point the Western Kentucky commit had retired nine in a row on strikeouts before Montevideo’s Brody Dack lined a single to center in the 4th to break-up the no-hitter. 

COMMITTED STANDOUTS

+ Owen Marsolek (2025, RHP/OF, Western Kentucky) showcased impressive pitchability in his seven innings. He attacked the zone with impunity and multiple pitches. The lefty has filled out some since his 2023 Future Games appearance and on Saturday the fastball ranged from 84-to-87 with some late arm-side movement. At seemingly any point in the count, he’d a breaking ball in the low 70s and a change piece coming in at 78-to-80. Marsolek ended the day with 15 strikeouts in 7 innings, bringing his 2025 season total to 6-0 with a 0.587 ERA and 88 strikeouts-to-11 walks in 47.2 innings. 

+ Max Berrisford (2025, C, St. Thomas) lifted a triple to right field, showing off effortless power. He added a single to the ledger in the 3rd inning. Berrisford is a physical presence in the box and moves athletically behind the plate as well, calling a flawless game for Marsolek. Berrisford ended the day with a .417/.532/.604 slash line and has struck out in just one plate appearance this year. 

+ Gannon Reidinger (2025, RHP, Minnesota State-Mankato) is an imposing figure on the mound. He’s listed at six-foot-five and has a frame that can add more weight. He topped out at 85 on Saturday while filling the zone. The righty scattered six hits across four innings of work and walked just one. He now has 46 strikeouts in 37 innings this season. 

UNCOMMITTED STANDOUTS

+ Griffin Epema (2027, SS/RHP) was up to 88 on the mound for the Thunderhawks, striking out four in four innings of relief. The breaking ball is sharp with swing/miss potential. He’s an athletic mover that should improve as he continues to mature. 

GAME SUMMARY

Josten’s Player of the Game: Drew Ellingson

+ In the top of the 2nd, the first four Yellowjacket hitters reached bases. Ashton Detloff reached on an error while Drew Ellingson and Ty Rooney each singled to load the bases. Bradyn Anderson followed with a swinging bunt that died five feet from the plate to score the first run. Ellingson would score on a wild pitch to put Perham up 2-1. 

+ Rockford would close the gap in the home half of the third inning. The Rockets right fielder Billy Tombers would draw a leadoff walk, and move up to second on Bradley Graunke’s sacrifice bunt. Tombers would advance to third on Owen Schuster’s ground out to third and would score on an errant throw by Perham shortstop Alex Blume.

+ In the bottom of the 5th, down 2-1, Rockford had their first two hitters reach base. Patrick Binnebose followed with a liner just over the outstretched arm of shortstop Alex Blume, temporarily sending Rockford’s Owen Schuster back toward second. Perham center fielder fielded the ball and threw Schuster out at third. The Yellowjackets would then bring in reliever Ashton Detloff for the lefty-lefty matchup with Rockford’s cleanup hitter, Will Haas. Detloff would get Haas swinging on a sweeping slider and then Riley Moran on a fly ball to center to end the Rockets’ threat. 

+ The Rockets would make one last push in the bottom of the 7th, with Schuster and Binnebose reaching on singles. With two outs and the winning run on second, Haas worked Detloff into a 3-2 count before Detloff induced a grounder to second for the final out. 

COMMITTED STANDOUTS

+ Patrick Binnebose (2025, RHP, Iowa Central) has a strong lower half that can help generate plenty of velocity. His high over-the-top slot can be especially challenging on hitters if he’s able to stay down in the zone. He’s cultivated a splitter that plays well off of the fastball, giving him a pitch that dies out of the same tunnel. Against the Perham lineup, Binnebose worked six innings, allowing two unearned on six hits while striking out 13. In 8 appearances, the right-hander is 4-2 with a 0.568 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 37 innings. 

+ Ashton Detloff (2025, LHP, University of Minnesota-Crookston) earned a save after shutting down the Rockford offense in 2.2 innings of relief. Detloff was summoned in the bottom of the fifth with two runners on base and one out. His first assignment was facing the left-handed hitting Will Haas and the big left-hander used a sweeping breaking ball from his lower three-quarter slot to retire Haas on three straight pitches before getting Riley Moran to fly out to center and end the inning. 

UNCOMMITTED STANDOUTS

+ Drew Ellingson (2026, RHP) was electric for the Yellowjackets. Uptempo mover on the mound with athleticism and a fast pace. Possesses a long, whippy arm. Up to 88 in this contest and struck out five in 4.1 innings. Very intriguing upside. 

+ Ty Rooney (2026, C) did a great job behind the plate, showing confidence in his arm strength by attempting several backpicks throughout the game. Rooney made a long run to chase down a foul fly in front of the first base dugout. Had a single and a walk in three plate appearances and was one of two Yellowjackets starters to not strike out. 

+ Gavin Griffin (2027, OF) hit his 11th triple of the season – tying him with Seth Halvorsen (Heritage Christian, 2017, Colorado Rockies) and Eli Anderson (Fairmont, 2022) for second most in a high school season. One more will put him in line with all-time leader, Jack Kelly (St. Michael-Albertville, 2017). Wide base, big frame and a 6.7 runner. Must follow in class. 

GAME SUMMARY

Josten’s Player of the Game: Evan O'Dwyer

+ Maple Grove opened the scoring in the bottom of the third when third baseman Preston Berg drew a bases-loaded walk off of reliever Sawyer Shewmake to score Kaden Harney. 

+ First baseman Connor Johnson would expand the Crimson lead with a solo shot in the third. That marked Johnson’s third home in as many games. He would finish the day 2-for-4 with an RBI, stolen base, and two runs scored.

+ Later that same inning, Vince Lenmark would score Oliver Taynton on a sacrifice fly to center while Joey Limric would plate Connor Wihlm with a single through the right side to put Maple Grove up 4-0. The Crimson would add one more in the 6th on an RBI single from Wihlm, scoring Johnson. 

+ Mounds View was limited to just one hit, a fly ball single in the 3rd by Robbie Price that fell in no-man’s land in shallow left. Overall, the Mustangs put just six men on base. 

UNCOMMITTED STANDOUTS

+ Evan O’Dwyer (2026, RHP) was a tough puzzle for Mounds View to solve. The righty was up to 87 from a lower three-quarter slot and flipping in sweeping breaking balls to keep hitters off balanced. 

+ Connor Johnson (2025, 1B) is technically planning on attending St. Thomas but not necessarily for baseball. With the heater he is on, the right-handed hitting first baseman may want to reconsider. He’s now hitting .356/.472/.678 with 5 home runs on the season. 

+ Joey Limric (2026, OF) was summoned from the Maple Grove team just nine games ago and has been making his presence felt all over the field. In center, he made two spectacular catches to save extra base hits, including one on the warning track. He also barreled a ball through the right side of the infield for an RBI single. He’s hitting .357/.419/.429 in 33 plate appearances and giving the Crimson a new dimension. 

GAME SUMMARY

Josten’s Player of the Game: Lucas Langin

+ In the bottom of the 2nd, Waconia’s Matt Mieras drove a 3-1 pitch to the opposite field gap, hitting off the wall near the 370 sign. Mieras would score the game’s first run on a wild pitch.

+ Waconia would add another run in that inning, when Carson Dietz lifted a sac fly to left to score Blake Dahl, who had reached on an error. The score would remain 2-0 until the 5th when Culley Ohm drove in right fielder Aaron Golka, who had singled on a grounder to third. 

+ Chaska would manufacture a run in 6th on a miscommunication in a first-third steal situation. The Hawks’ Jacob Welter took off for second and the throw from Wildcat catcher Carson Dietz went past two infielders and into center, scoring Owen Strey from third. Waconia starter Lucas Langin would buckle down and get his 8th strikeout of the night, stranding Welter on third. 

+ Waconia’s Lucas Langin worked 6 strong innings and returned to the 7th but walked Chaska’s Parker Killian to leadoff the inning. Coach Erik Olson turned to lefty Luke Koschinska to find the final three outs. Koschinska got the first out on a fielder’s choice before surrendering a single to Ryan Kamann. He got the next hitter to strikeout swinging but an error on Mieras at third allowed Strey to reach, loading the bases with two outs. Koschinska coaxed a fly ball to second baseman Ian McCrohan to end the game. 

COMMITTED STANDOUTS

+ Parker Killian (2026, RHP, University of Minnesota) was up to 89 in his five innings of work against Waconia. The 2024 Future Games alum cruised at 86-88 and peppered in plenty of his high spin slider that he worked up to 84 miles per hour. 

+ Lucas Langin (2026, RHP, St. Thomas) has turned a corner on the season in his last two outings, going 13 innings without allowing an earned run. On Saturday, the righty was 84-86 and showed a diving changeup that got swing/miss and weak contact. He struck out 8 over six innings, allowing three hits and three walks. 

+ Matt Mieras (2026, C/CIF, St. Thomas) landed one of the two Wildcat hits on Saturday, his being a double off the wall in the left-center gap. Mieras has triple-digit exit velo power. He’s reminiscent of a young Jim Thome, a solid swing from the left-side with room to continue to add to the frame. 

UNCOMMITTED STANDOUTS

+ Owen Strey (2026, SS) is one of the top ranked uncommitted players in his class. He fills out the batter’s box and can juice balls all over the field. The Chaska Hawk added an opposite field double to his numbers with a mature approach. Seems like only a matter of time before he’s off the board. 

+ Drew Dardis (2025, RHP) hasn’t been to a Prep Baseball showcase so forgive us if we were unfamiliar with his game. The uncommitted righty came in relief of Killian and proceeded to throw upper 80s darts, touching 90 once. Another name for coaches to circle back on. 

HEAT CHECK 🔥✅

VELO PLAYER CLASS SCHOOL COMMITMENT
92 Patrick Binnebose 2025 Rockford Iowa Central
90 Drew Dardis 2025 Chaska Uncommitted
89 Parker Killian 2026 Chaska Minnesota
88 Drew Ellingson 2026 Perham Uncommitted
88 Griffin Epema 2027 Montevideo Uncommitted
87 Owen Marsolek 2025 Duluth Marshall Western Kentucky
87 Evan O'Dwyer 2026 Maple Grove Uncommitted
86 Lucas Langin 2026 Waconia St. Thomas
85 Gannon Reidinger 2025 Montevideo Minnesota State-Mankato
85 Max Edwards 2025 Rockford St. John's (MN)

EVENT SPONSOR
Twins Community Fund

GAME SPONSORS
Metro Baseball League | Kwik Trip | The Minnesota Star Tribune

CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS
Tuffy's Treat Company | Garage Bar | TCO/Training Haus | Twins Daily | MYAS | St. Paul Saints | Jostens | Suburban Waste Services | Waconia Fire Department | Waconia Chamber of Commece | Ben Rasenen/Northwestern Mutual | Turf Tank | Waconia Baseball Association | D&J Glove Repair | Drive Smart MN