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Class of 2028 Rankings Update: Risers & Newcomers

September 17, 2025
By: Wisconsin Staff

 

With the latest 2028 State Rankings update and the fall quickly approaching, we’re turning our attention to some of the notable risers and new names that are making their debut. After a busy summer filled with tournaments, showcases, and the Wisconsin State Games, plenty of players saw their stock rise and earned well-deserved recognition. The group highlighted below all made massive strides this summer to warrant their inclusion on the list.

TOP-50 RISERS

+ Maddex Welzien, INF/RHP, West Bend West: FROM 7/31/25: “Welzien would continue to show quality actions on the dirt that make him a must-follow name. A natural defender with easy athleticism, Welzien would get up to 82 mph from across the diamond with carry on his throws. At the plate showed an athletic right-handed swing with a developing feel for the barrel and pull-side tendencies. Took a quality round of batting practice, producing a max exit velocity of 91.3 mph and an average of 86 mph. Would also run a 6.85-second 60-yard dash. Athletic 5-foot-11, 157-pound frame. On the mound Welzien showed feel for three pitches across a 1.2 innings outing.”

+ Carter Unger, RHP, Kewaskum: FROM 7/31/25: “One of the top arms in the state's sophomore class with a two-way ceiling. He stands in a 6-foot-2, 170-pound frame with loose, easy action on the mound and a clean arm path. His fastball worked up to 85.7 mph, sitting mostly 82-85 mph, also showing the ability to attack the zone with an 11/5 shape curveball that sat in the low-70s with -21.3 inches of horizontal movement and -6.5 inches of induced vertical break. He rounded out his arsenal with one change-up at 80.3 mph. One of the top prospects in the state's 2028 class.”

+ Camden Jeske, OF, Oak Creek: FROM 7/31/25: “Athletic table setter standing at 6-foot, 154-pounds with feel to hit from the left-side. The incoming sophomore reached a max exit velocity of 97.1 mph throughout his round of BP going for multiple hits throughout gameplay. Defensively the outfielder has athletic and steady actions to play at all three spots in the outfield moving forward.”

+ Ian McClure, OF, Reedsburg Area: FROM 7/31/25: “Is one of the top athletes in the class standing at 6-foot-3, 198-pounds with more room to continue to add to his frame as he continues to mature. At the plate the right-handed hitter showed both strength and feel for the barrel reaching a max exit velocity of 98.8 mph throughout his round while averaging 91.9 mph throughout, found the barrel for a double in gameplay. Defensively McClure has the actions and footspeed to play any spot in the outfield with arm strength up to 85 mph.”

+ Benjamin Smet-Cooper, CIF/RHP, Westosha Central: FROM 7/31/25: “An advanced hitter in the state's sophomore class with both bat-to-ball skills and feel to hit both velo and spin while driving the ball in the air. Standing at a strong 6-foot, 192-pounds with strength throughout the frame, Smet-Cooper showed feel to consistently find the barrel throughout BP reaching a peak exit velocity of 101.5 mph throughout his round with repeated elevated contact. The trend continued in gameplay finding the barrel for two long home runs over the course of the event. Defensively the infielder is a capable defender at third with clean feet and steady actions and enough arm strength to stick in at third at 81 mph. One of the top players in the state's sophomore class and is a name to know moving forward.”

+ Kallen Magli, 2B/OF, Sun Prairie West: FROM 6/18/25: “Simply put, Magli just hits and ultimately offered one of the more polished bats of the entire weekend, offering a dynamic offensive mindset out of the top-of-the-order and advanced feel for the barrel. A confident presence in the box with above-average bat speed, Magli is a must-know name in Wisconsin’s emerging 2028 class. Would finish the weekend 9-for-18 with four doubles, two triples, two home runs, eight RBIs, nine runs scored, and one walk. With wiry strength and bat-to-ball skills, Magli has the makings of above-average hit and power tools. A sub-6.9 runner in past events, athleticism is also a present asset of Magli’s profile. 5-foot-8, 168-pound frame.”

+ Tate Hagen, MIF/RHP, Lake County Lutheran: FROM 7/31/25: “Hagen showed well on the mound, attacking the zone with his arsenal in this look. He's an athletic mover on the mound, and showed a fastball in the low-80s that worked up to 84.1 mph with carry through the zone. His slider showed quality 11/5 shape at 69-73 mph while also mixing in a change-up at 74-75 mph. At the plate, the right-handed hitter has smooth swing with some feel for the barrel, reaching a max exit velocity of 88 mph throughout the event. Defensively Hagen plays with athletic actions with arm strength at 84 mph.”

+ Tyson Resch, 1B/RHP, Menomonee Falls: FROM 7/31/25: “Resch would continue to cement himself as a two-way name to follow within the state's 2028 class. On the mound showed up-tempo movements with explosive movements down the mound while working from a whippy, low-3/4s arm action. The fastball would sit in the low-80s with carry through the zone. Showed a pair of breaking balls, including an upper-60s curveball with up to 2325 rpm and a low-70s slider with 10/4 shape and up to 2686 rpm. Also showed an upper-70s changeup with arm-side fade and up to 16.1" of horizontal movement. Would also show a quality right-handed swing with easy barrel strength and pull-side tendencies. Took a quality round of batting practice, producing a max exit velocity of 93 mph with an average of 87.2 mph. Strong 5-foot-10, 214-pound frame.”

+ Ben Schultz, RHP, Milton: FROM 7/31/25: “Schultz owns an upside 6-foot-3, 178-pound frame. On the mound, he showed a loose and repeatable delivery with a clean and easy arm path. His fastball was up to 84.6 mph, and showed feel for his curveball that played with 11/5 shape, averaging -13.3 inches of horizontal movement and -1.5 inches of induced vertical break. He rounded out his three-pitch mix with a change-up that sat 73-75 mph, while throwing it for strikes. The right-hander would find success during gameplay tossing two scoreless innings striking out three batters while filling the zone and attacking hitters with his entire arsenal.”

+ Brady Lauer, RHP/INF, Germantown: FROM 7/31/25: “Lean, athletic 5-foot-11,150-pound build with room to add strength. Athletic mover with an easy, repeatable delivery. Medium leg lift into a directional drop-and-drive move down the mound. ¾ slot with a short, quick arm. Attacked with his fastball at 81-83 mph touching 84 mph with ride and run. Maxed out at 27.3 inches of induced vertical break and 19.7 inches of horizontal break. Added a breaking ball with gyro shape at 70-72 mph with an average spin rate of 2,326 and a developing changeup at 76-78 mph. Struck out two batters over two innings.”

TOP-50 NEWCOMERS

+ Toay Ragatz, C/3B, Lancaster: FROM 7/31/25: “Standing at 5-foot-9, 198 pounds with strength throughout his frame. At the plate the right-handed hitter swings a strong bat with feel to drive the ball on a line reaching a max exit velocity of 95.4 mph throughout his round of BP. Defensively Ragatz is a quality defender behind the dish with arm strength up to 79 mph and a consistent pop-time to second around 2.00.”

+ Ty Rohde, OF, D.C. Everest: FROM 7/3/25: “A built and athletic 5-foot-10, 180-pound frame, Rohde impressed in his Saturday afternoon game. The left-handed hitter went 2-for-2 with two doubles, two walks, and two RBIs. Rohde is a mature and confident all-around player, which is obvious after watching just one game. The left-handed hitter sets up with an open base, followed by a long leg kick, extending down the box. The hands work well with the ball, able to do damage to any pitch, showing this by driving a ball at his feet for a standup double. A natural athlete, able to back it up with confident actions in center as well. As Rohde continues to develop, the lefty will be a name to know in the Badger State.“

+ Cole Pettijohn, INF, East Troy: FROM 7/31/25: “Strong 5-foot-11, 178-pounds with more room left in his frame. He started off the day running a 7.04 60-yard dash, and then put up a strong round of BP, maxing out at 97.2 mph on the day. There is little movement in his actions pre-swing, as the rising sophomore operates with a slight toe-tap trigger, works his weight back heavily during the load, and has serious bat speed through the zone. Pettijohn has active feet leading up to receiving the ball, fielding with confidence and soft hands repeatedly.”

+ Mason Chittendon, OF, Chippewa Falls: FROM 7/15/25: “Chittendon is a 6-foot-2 right-handed hitting athlete with twitch and room to add to the frame. Chittendon started his day running a 6.90 60-yard dash before taking a standout round of batting practice reaching 91.2 mph on his hardest hit ball while using the entire field. Defensively the outfielder has steady and reliable actions, fielding the baseball in stride with arm strength up to 81 mph.

+ Landon Hagland, LHP/1B, Germantown: FROM 6/18/25: “Presenting a wiry 6-foot, 157-pound frame with room for added strength, Hagland showed an athletic left-handed swing throughout the weekend with an all-fields approach and developing feel for the barrel. Name to follow in Wisconsin’s 2028 class as he continues to physically develop and add polish to his all-around game.”

+ Ian Justman, OF, Ashwaybenon: FROM 6/18/25: “Justman would offer an intriguing left-handed bat throughout the weekend, with an above-average feel for the barrel and the ability to hit all different levels of pitching. A quiet presence in the box with a line-drive oriented approach and opposite field tendencies, Justman would finish the weekend 5-for-10 with a triple, seven RBIs, seven runs scored, and eight walks. Athletic 6-foot, 171-pound frame with room for added strength.”

+ Wyatt Marten, C, Oshkosh West: FROM 6/18/25: “Vocal leader behind the plate. Soft hands, advanced block and throw. Selective at the plate, showed consistency to find the barrel.” TWEET

+ Cash Olsen, INF/RHP, Tomahawk: FROM 7/3/25: “Possessing a wiry 5-foot-9, 155-pound frame, Olsen gave our staff an interesting two-way look during Friday’s 20-3 win. The right-hander got the start on the mound, tossing a three-inning complete game with four strikeouts. Mechanically, he worked out of a controlled, tall/fall delivery, utilizing a whippy ¾ arm slot. He was able to induce weak contact with his three-pitch mix, consistently missing barrels throughout the game. His fastball was 79-82 mph with arm-side run. He also flashed a sharp curveball at 68-69 mph, and a fading changeup at 68-60 mph. At the plate, Olsen also added a two-run double into the left-center field gap to finish 1-for-1 on the day.”

+ Brayden Scalf, RHP/3B, Horlick: FROM 6/18/25: “Scalf would emerge as a must-know two-way prospect in Wisconsin’s emerging 2028 class. On the mound, the right-handed arm would get the Friday evening start and would only allow one earned run across three and two-thirds innings. The rising sophomore would come at hitters with a fastball up to 85 mph with some carry. At the plate, the right-handed bat showcased an aggressive, loft-based approach throughout the weekend with a developing feel for the barrel. 6-foot-1, 181-pound frame with some present strength.”

+ Samuel Patterson, LHP/OF, Sauk Prairie: FROM 7/31/25: “Physical 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame. The rising sophomore showed an intriguing look on the mound. Works exclusively out of the stretch with a closed-off setup and a simple, repeatable delivery. Utilizes a drop-and-drive move, landing slightly across his body. High ¾ slot with a smooth, fluid arm-action. Fastball came out clean with ride, sitting in the low-80s topping at 83 mph. The breaking ball sat 68-70 mph with sweep and depth with a max of 2,612 spin rate. Mixed in a changeup with depth at 74-77 mph with an average of 2.1 inches of IVB. Finished the day tossing 1 ⅔ scoreless innings while not allowing a hit. A left-handed pitcher to follow moving forward. At the plate the left-handed hitter found the barrel during gameplay while reaching 93.0 mph max exit velocity throughout his round.”

+ Carter Hoeffler, RHP/INF, Muskego: FROM 6/18/25: “An athletic, high-waisted 5-foot-9, 135-pound frame with room to grow, Hoeffler showed well on both sides of the diamond this weekend. First showing out on the mound, the right-hander tossed a gem going seven innings, allowing only four hits and one walk, while striking out nine. It’s an easy fluid motion, with clean and quick short-arm action. All game, he was working with confidence, keeping a fast pace and pounding the zone, getting ahead early and collecting whiffs. The fastball was sitting 77-79mph with slight ride, and the curveball was 65-67mph, with 11/5 shape, able to keep hitters off-balanced. The frame and movement patterns leave the potential to keep on growing and have velo follow. With the bat, Hoeffler didn’t break out till his Saturday morning game, with a loud line drive double down the left-field line. The righty sets up in the back of the box with a two-tap load and hands with rhythm. He stays compact and works through the ball, able to drive them pull-side with ease. At shortstop, it's the same story as on the mound: an easy, fluid mover with clean actions. As Hoeffler continues to grow into his frame, it will be an interesting follow for the Badger state class of 2028.”

+ Jack Bunyan, 1B, Port Washington: FROM 6/18/25: “Bunyan would show an intriguing right-handed bat throughout the weekend, with a loft-based approach and developing strength that allowed his present offensive toolset to play up. Finished the tournament 3-for-9 with a double, an RBI, two runs scored, and three walks. Athletic 5-foot-9, 150-pound frame with some present strength.”

+ Aaron Zimmer, 1B/OF, Winneconne: FROM 6/18/25: “Long-levered 6-foot-3, 190- pound frame. Showed minimal swing and miss batting out of the leadoff spot. Smooth, level left handed swing.”

+ Jeffrey Stefanich, OF, Random Lake: FROM 4/28/25: “Uncommitted, a pop-up freshman to follow in the Badger State, standing at 6-foot-1, 150 pounds with clear room to add to the frame. Stefanich played center field and hit sixth in the Random Lake lineup, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a walk. The right-handed hitter takes a direct path to the baseball, staying inside and impacting the baseball outfront showing feel to use the entire field. Defensively the freshman patrolled center field taking aggressive routes to the baseball and looking the part at a potential center fielder at the next level.”

+ Mitchell Owen, OF, Oak Creek: FROM 6/18/25: “A long-limbed, wiry, 6-foot-3, 160-pound frame, Owen gave an intriguing look Saturday morning. The right-handed hitter was making loud contact, and when on the barrel, was driving balls, with a line out and a two-strike opposite field double. It’s a quick bat that stays short to the ball, and when on can drive the ball to deep parts of the field.”

+ Dominic Barbosa, RHP/OF, Brookfield East: FROM 3/28/25: “Barbosa is a talented two-way prospect that we viewed on the mound on Saturday. We saw him earlier in the winter working out as an outfield prospect at the South Milwaukee Preseason ID where he established himself as a follow. He did the same thing off the bump on Saturday. Barbosa was 81-83 mph with the heater, and paired it with a tight two-plane breaker and a change up thrown with fastball intent. He threw strikes with all three and the stuff is only going to tick up in the near future as he adds to his frame. It was another good look at the freshman.”

+ Tavin Nass, C, Franklin: FROM 3/28/25: “Nass is a strong and sturdy backstop who opened some eyes at Saturday’s workout. The freshman hit with a well-sequenced and flat swing through the baseball consistently throughout the round and drove a ball with a max exit velocity in the upper 80s. Nass showed feel and acumen behind the plate and clocked a 2.01 seconds pop time with a clean transfer and an accurate arm. His hands are soft and he showed impressive feel to handle pitchers during bullpen work.”

+ Mason Molitor, MIF, Reedsburg Area: FROM 3/19/25: “Molitor measured in at 5-foot-6, 124 pounds with good proportions and more size and strength coming in the future. He continues to impress with smooth infield actions, making both routine and rangy plays with ease. Molitor's left-handed swing is efficient and well-sequenced, and as he matures physically, our staff believes he will consistently drive the ball with his line drive swing. Molitor remains a favorite to develop into a guy who will make an impact at the next level.”

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