The Wisconsin high school baseball season kicks off on March 31, opening day for regular season action under WIAA regulations. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we'll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2026 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, counting down through the official Prep Baseball Wisconsin Preseason Power 25 Rankings.

Our 2026 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: Germantown Warhawks
Preseason Rank: No. 13
Head Coach: Jay Wojcinski
WIAA Division: D1
Conference: Greater Metro
Key Players Lost: Tyson Baker (Winona State), Ian DeMichiel, Ben Groeschl, Evan Lauer (Bryant & Stratton JC), Logan Zaverl (Iowa Western JC),

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ROSTER PREVIEW

No. of Returning Players: 8
No. of Returning Pitchers: 1
Team Strengths: Offense, experience, athletes.

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DATA CENTER

TEAM RANKS:

This data is sourced from the 2026 Wisconsin winter showcase circuit and select 2025 events, compiled by Prep Baseball. We took the top-three metrics recorded by players from each high school in the following categories. Here is how Germantown's top-three performers averaged across each category:

Category	Top-3 Avg.	State Rank	Out of
Max FB Velocity	87.0 mph	T-No. 13	of 71
Top 60-Yard	6.98 s	T-No. 24	of 102
10-Yard Sprint	1.66 s	T-No. 21	of 102

INDIVIDUAL DATA STAND-OUTS:

• Liam Hagland (6-foot-1, 186 pounds)
  • max fastball: 92 mph (T-No. 9 overall in Wisconsin)
  • FB spin: 2,215 rpm (86th state percentile)
  • CB spin: 2,654 rpm (No. 7 overall in Wisconsin)
  • bat speed: 73.4 mph (92nd state percentile)
  • 60-yd. dash: 6.87s (91st state percentile)
  • vert. jump: 27.5 in (96th state percentile)
• Grady Cheever (6-foot-1, 169 pounds)
  
  • max EV: 102.0 mph (T-No. 14 in state's 2027 class)
  • avg EV: 94.5 mph (No. 17 in state's 2027 class)
  • bat speed: 71.6 mph (85th state percentile)
  • vert. jump: 25.4 in (88th state percentile)
• Brady Keller (6-foot, 164 pounds)
  
  • 60-yd. dash: 6.96s (No. 15 in state's 2028 class)
  • 10-yd. split: 1.65s (T-No. 18 in state's 2028 class)
  • vert. jump: 24.4 in (82nd state percentile)
• Brady Lauer (5-foot-10, 161 pounds)
  
  • max fastball: 84 mph
  • IVB (rise): 19.2 in (No. 6 in state's 2028 class)
  • CB spin: 2,326 rpm (No. 13 in state's 2028 class)
• Nolan Vogt (6-foot-1, 200 pounds)
  
  • 60-yd. dash: 6.81s (No. 2 in state's 2028 class)
  • 10-yd. split: 1.61s (T-No. 4 in state's 2028 class)
  • vert. jump: 26.5 in (No. 14 in state's 2028 class)

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X-FACTOR

C/INF Grady Cheever (2027, Toledo commit) currently ranked No. 10 in the state and No. 352 nationally, Cheever has proven to be a name to know in the Badger State’s junior class. As  sophomore, Cheever drove in 15 runs and posted a .995 fielding percentage. Cheever impressed this past summer as a member of Team Wisconsin at the Future Games, posting a peak exit velocity of 102 MPH. The switch-hitting backstop has shown strong instincts behind the plate as well, navigating a talented Team Wisconsin pitching staff, and posting a peak pop time of 1.87 at the Future Games. Overall, Cheever will be a crucial piece of the puzzle for this Germantown squad on both sides of the ball this upcoming season.

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NEWCOMER TO WATCH

LHP Landon Hagland (2028) currently ranked No. 30 in the Badger State’s sophomore class, will look to take a big leap this upcoming spring season, providing a quality left-handed arm to the rotation. Topping out at 84.8 mph with his fastball at the recent Milwaukee Preseason ID, Hagland showed feel for four pitches, making him a strong candidate to provide quality innings on the mound for the Warhawks, and a name to keep an eye on as one of the premier left-handed arms in the State. 

LHP Landon Hagland (Germantown, 2028) was mentioned as one of the top winners in the Badger State's sophomore class, currently ranked No. 29 in the state.

▪️ 6-foot, 157-pounds.
▪️ FB: 76-79.5 mph, T80.
▪️ CB: 63.1-64.2 mph, 16.1 in avg movement.
▪️ CH: 70.7-74.5 mph.

📖:… https://t.co/GgUclmzwUR pic.twitter.com/NhxUReOItL

— Prep Baseball Wisconsin (@PrepBaseballWI) December 1, 2025

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TEAM OUTLOOK

Jay Wojcinski needed one season to steady the ship and two to take Germantown to the sectional finals. Now in his third year at the helm, the hall of fame coach has 24-win proof of concept and a lineup loaded enough to push this program even further. The Warhawks return the core of a lineup that was among the most productive in the Milwaukee area a season ago, and that offensive identity figures to carry them through what projects to be another grind of a schedule in the talent-packed Greater Metro Conference. The challenge ahead is not the lineup. It is the mound, where Wojcinski must replace upward of 120 innings vacated by graduated right-handers Logan Zaverl and Evan Lauer, two of the more reliable arms this program has leaned on in recent memory.

The good news is that the answer to Germantown's ace question is already on the roster. RHP/OF Liam Hagland (2026; South Dakota State) was exceptional in a setup role as a junior, posting a 0.63 ERA across 22.1 innings with 36 strikeouts, and he steps into the ace role with every tool necessary to thrive in it. Hagland gives the Warhawks a legitimate top-of-the-rotation presence, and how quickly the rest of the staff develops depth around him will largely determine how deep into June this team can play. On the other side of the ball, Hagland hit .318 last spring and contributes wherever Wojcinski needs him. The player who may provide the biggest offensive punch, however, is C/SS Grady Cheever (2027; Toledo), a junior who continues to emerge as one of the premier position prospects in the state. Cheever batted .286 with 16 RBIs in 2025 and profiles as a centerpiece of this lineup for the next two seasons.

The lineup depth behind Cheever and Hagland is genuine and experienced. Senior MIF Tyler Olszewski (UW-Whitewater) is one of the more reliable table-setters in the conference, returning after a .387 average and 21 stolen bases as a junior. OF Vinny Inga (2026) slugged .727 with 20 RBI last season, OF Jon Murkowski (2026) swiped 26 bases, and OF Alex Reinke (2026) hit .333 while providing consistent run production from the bottom of the order. Those three multi-sport athletes bring the kind of athleticism and baseball instincts that give Germantown lineup flexibility and speed at multiple spots. Adding to the intrigue is DH Carter Gordon, one of the strongest right-handed sluggers in the state. He connected for six home runs as a sophomore and whose power from the right side could be a significant weapon even as he works through an absence from the mound this spring.

Beyond the veteran core, there is a wave of underclassmen beginning to push for meaningful roles. OF/LHP Nolan Vogt (2028) is a physically imposing sophomore with legitimate breakout potential, and a group of 2028 prospects including LHP/1B Landon Hagland, RHP/INF Brady Keller, INF/RHP Gavin Knight, and RHP/INF Brady Lauer give Wojcinski options as he pieces together his pitching depth. Germantown is not rebuilding, it is reloading on the mound while running back one of the deeper lineups in Division 1, and with Wojcinski navigating the process, the Warhawks have the coaching pedigree and the talent to make another deep postseason run.

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BOTTOM LINE

If Hagland anchors the rotation and the offense performs to its considerable potential, Germantown has the pieces to reach the state tournament for the first time under Wojcinski. The floor is another 20-win season and a postseason berth; the ceiling is a program-defining run in June.

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Find more information on the 2026 Germantown program below:

+ Follow them on social media @GermantownBSB
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Wisconsin Preseason Power 25 homepage

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POWER 25 COUNTDOWN