The 2025 draft is just around the corner, with rounds 1-4 set for July 13th and rounds 5-20 scheduled for July 14th, down in Atlanta, as part of this year's All-Star game festivities. As we look at the state of Wisconsin, we will break down the players making waves up draft boards from both the Prep and Collegiate levels, and keep an eye on where they land as the draft finishes up.

PREP PROSPECTS

RHP Peter Kussow⏐Arrowhead⏐Louisville

From 4/15/25: “Louisville recruit, one of the top MLB draft prospects in the state, currently the No. 1 ranked prospect in the state’s senior class, standing at 6-foot-5, 210 pounds with strength throughout the frame. Kussow struck out seven batters across four innings, walking two while locating each pitch in the one for strikes. Deceptive delivery, working crossfire to the plate with a loose/funky arm action hiding the ball. The fastball reached 95 mph holding 91-94 mph throughout the outing, locating the pitch to different spots throughout the zone, spinning one of the best breaking balls in the state at 83-86 with two-plane action, go-to offering when ahead inducing multiple swings and misses throughout. Showed a fading change up 84-85 to left-handed batters, still developing, flashed heavy action looking like a future usable pitch.”

RHP Ethan Bauerschmidt⏐Tremper⏐Penn State

From 4/03/25: “Penn State recruit, currently ranked No. 4 in the state. Premier athlete, standing at 6-foot-3, 178 pounds with added physical strength. Started the game on the mound with multiple MLB scouts in attendance, struck out six across four innings, diving up six hits and two earned runs. Despite the statline, this was the best our staff had seen Bauerschmidt to date with a near 70% strike rate. The fastball cruised in the low-90s throughout the outing, maintaining velocity late, while touching 93 mph in the first inning. The breaking ball stands out, 79-82 mph with sharp two-plane break and unwavering confidence in the offering, inducing multiple swings-and-misses in and out of the zone. Rounding off his arsenal was a 88-89 mph sinker that he used exclusively against left-handed hitters, while flashing both a mid-80s cutter and low-80s changeup.”

3B/RHP Carter Kutz⏐Hartford⏐Nebraska

From 4/19/25: “The top position player in Wisconsin's senior class would act as the prominent offensive catalyst for his Hartford squad, showing a controlled, aggressive approach across six plate appearances, going 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs, four runs scored, and three walks. Kutz would also show above-average tendencies and awareness on the bases, collecting two stolen bases against the no. 1 backstop in Wisconsin's senior class. 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame with present strength…Kutz would provide our staff with an interesting look on the mound during his two innings save, in which he collected four strikeouts while allowing no runs and only one hit. The right-handed arm would showcase a two-pitch mix that would include an upper-80s-low-90s fastball that would top out at 92 mph and was paired with a mid-70s breaking ball.”

LHP Ryan Brennecke⏐Oconomowoc⏐Wake Forest

From 4/15/25: “Wake Forest recruit, one of the top left-handed pitchers in the Midwest, currently ranked No. 3 in the state’s senior class, standing at 6-foot-1, 214 pound with strength throughout the frame. Got the start on the mound in front of multiple pro scouts in a big pitching matchup against Kussow. Struck out five batters across four scoreless innings, walking one batter, allowing one hit, filled up the with four pitches, running his fastball up to 92 mph early while working in the 88-91 mph bucket throughout. Spun two different breaking balls, a curveball at 74-76 mph with feel to land and an upper-70s slider with two plane action, showed a changeup at 83-84 mph.”

COLLEGIATE PROSPECTS

2B Gavin Kilen⏐Milton⏐Tennessee

Kilen enters this year's draft with quite potentially the most impressive resume out of all the Wisconsin natives. Ending his three-year collegiate career slashing .323/.381/.554 with a .935 OPS, 24 home runs, 105 RBIs, and 45 doubles. Ending his final year in Tennessee, after two productive years at Louisville, Kelin would take home All-SEC first team and Baseball America All-American 1st team honors, while being named a Dick Howser Trophy Semifinals. The second baseman has set himself up for a promising position to be taken on day one of this year's draft.

2B Mitch Voit⏐Whitefish Bay⏐Michigan

After showing as a potential two-way player during his first two years on campus, Voit officially retired on the mound and did not disappoint in his first season as a full-time second baseman. Appearing in all 56 of the Wolverines' games, Voit slashed .346/.471/.668, with a 1.159 OPS, 14 home runs, 17 doubles, 60 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases. Along with the bat, Voit only committed four errors at second, leading to a .986 FLD%. His outstanding 2025 season would lead him to take home All-Big Ten first team and D1Baseball All-American Third team, while also being named a Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist.

RHP Nate Snead⏐South Milwaukee⏐Tennessee

A 2024 College World Series Champion, Snead has been a crucial part in the Vols' trip to glory and a strong 2025 season. Looking back on the Vols' championship, Snead threw in five of the six World Series games, coming away with a save in game two and a clutch one and ⅔ innings in game three of the finals against Texas A&M. The right-hander didn’t stop there, being named to the 2025 Baseball America Preseason All-American first team and Preseason All-SEC first team, and appearing on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. After one year at Wichita State, Snead would end his final two years with the Vols, tossing 125 innings with a 3.67 ERA, 103 strikeouts, and 11 saves.

RHP Rory Fox⏐Catholic Memorial⏐Notre Dame

With a breakout junior year, Fox found himself taking home All-ACC third team honors after an up-and-down sophomore year. In his junior year for the Fighting Irish, the right-hander tossed 65.1 innings, with a 3.58 ERA, 64 strikeouts, allowing only 27 walks, and started 14 games, with one of them being a complete game against Stanford.

RHP Alex Breckheimer⏐Chilton⏐Kansas

The Bryant & Stratton product would transfer to Kansas for his junior year season and help solidify the back-end of the Jayhawks' bullpen. The right-hander tossed 48 innings in 33 appearances, collecting seven saves with a 3.56 ERA and 50 strikeouts to only 14 walks. Coming out as a bullpen piece, it will be interesting to see where exactly Breckheimer lands in this year's draft.

C Will Vierling⏐Homestead⏐Murray State

After transferring from Louisville to Murray State for his senior year, Vierling would be a key piece in the Racers' Cinderella run to the College World Series, as they became only the fourth four-seed ever to make it this far. While their season would end quickly with two straight losses, it doesn't take away from the impact Vierling had on Murray State and the baseball world. With the bat, Vierling slashed .310/.413/.528 with a .941 OPS, ten home runs, 16 doubles, and 51 RBIs. Then, behind the plate, he would only commit one error while tossing out 17.

RHP Tyler Schmitt⏐Madison Memorial⏐Illinois

In his first year with Illinois after transferring from Wisconsin-La Crosse, Schmitt would take over the Friday job, starting in 15 games, going 5-2. The right-hander tossed 80.2 innings with a 4.80 ERA and 58 strikeouts. Schmitt would end his season strong with two quality seven-inning starts against Ohio State and Michigan, where he tossed to a 2.57 ERA, striking out 14, while walking only three.

LHP Ethan Plog⏐Bay Port⏐LSU

Exploding onto the JUCO scene was left-hander Ethan Plog. The Iowa Central arm would begin this year announcing his commitment to LSU, but still has draft interest as he is eligible after just one year of JUCO ball. While starting the year out weak, Plog would find himself and put together a strong season. The lefty threw in 13 games, with three shutouts and eight games allowing two or fewer runs. He tallied 42 strikeouts with a 10.40 K/9 and a 5.94 ERA.

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The 2025 class has now graduated and this update will be the final one for the class. The list expanded from 250 to 275 for the final update.

At the top RHP Kussow remains the top prospect in the state and is looking more and more like one of the top pitching prospects in the Midwest as the spring carried on. Holding velocity throughout his starts while collecting strikeouts in bunches while showing feel to locate multiple pitches in the zone. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound right-hander looks the part on the mound and has more room to add to his frame, the fastball reaches the mid-90s routinely with one of the best breaking balls in the Midwest, if not the country, while showing a changeup that looks like a usable offering moving forward

Bauerschmidt takes over the second spot in the class after a standout spring, striking out 120 batters across 62.1 innings. Twitchy athlete with still room left to fill out on his 6-foot-3 frame, the fastball reached 93 mph his first start this spring while operating in the low-90s throughout the spring with a swing and miss breaking ball that has long been his go-to secondary. The changeup has taken strides this spring and also added a mid-80s cutter that plays like an average pitch at times.

Kutz and Brennecke come in at No. 3 & 4 respectively. Kutz was nails for Hartford Union on the mound the entire spring while manning a spot in the middle of the order while playing multiple positions defensively, and playing them well on top of it. Brennecke is one of the top left-handed pitchers in the Midwest, physical and strong frame, looking like he can take on a significant workload already on the mound. Armed with a low-90s fastball that plays up when located in the zone and multiple quality secondaries that each have ceilings of potential above-average offerings.

SS Jack Lutz (Whitnall, 2025) moves into the top-5 for the first time. One of the top athletes in the class with natural bat-to-ball traits while showing more impact this spring at the plate and the ability to play shortstop at an above-average level. Still projectable at 5-foot-10 with clear room to add strength to his frame.

Right-handers Cooper Jesperson (Eau Claire Memorial), Auden Pankonin (River Falls) and Sawyer Deering (Kimberly) come in right behind Lutz.

Jesperson was one the the biggest helium names heading into the spring, the fastball sits in the low-90s reaching 95 mph last fall with two secondaries that project as swing and miss offerings moving forward.

Pankonin is an athletic right-hander with a unique look from a lower slot. The Nebraska commit routinely sits in the low-90s with heavy sink and a tight and firm breaking ball out of the same window.

Deering saw his velo tick up early this spring, reaching 93 mph and holds velo to pair with one of the best breaking balls in the region. Long history of pitchability and strikes with his arsenal, with command of both his fastball and breaking ball.

OF Trevor Vande Hey (Wrightstown) is one of the best athletes in the state with easy strength and twitch that translates to the field. The tools stand out for Vande Hey, a well above-average runner with arm strength and enough feel and range to stick in center field long term. Easy strength at the plate with feel for the barrel.

C Marek Bolson (Oconomowoc) rounds out the top-10, the left-handed hitting catcher looks like a future asset both behind the plate and with the bat. At the plate, Bolson showed increased strength at the plate while walking nearly 28 times to just eight strikeouts in one of the most competitive and talented conferences in the state. Behind the plate Bolson is a fluid and confident defender with enough arm strength to keep runners in check.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 RANKINGS

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