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.
Perennially, we've submitted a preseason questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state. Their responses have been flooding in and we're using the detailed insight they've provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis.

Our 2026 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: Hortonville Polar Bears
Preseason Rank: No. 14
Head Coach: Greg Yeager
WIAA Division: 1
Conference: Fox Valley Association
2025 Record (Finish): 22-8
Key Players Lost: Turner Kuhnke (UW-Milwaukee), Taiven Gass, Griffin Jens

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ROSTER PREVIEW

No. of Returning Players: 3
No. of Returning Pitchers: 1
Team Strengths: The ace returns; tradition, defense.

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DATA CENTER

INDIVIDUAL DATA STAND-OUTS:

• Braylon Brantner (5-foot-9, 160 pounds)
  
  • max fastball: 86 mph (80th state percentile)
  • CB spin: 2,492 rpm (No. 23 overall in Wisconsin)
  • SL spin: 2,439 rpm (88th state percentile)
• Elijah Yeager (6-foot, 180 pounds)
  
  • max fastball: 86.0 mph (80th state percentile)
  • FB spin: 2,294 rpm (94th state percentile)
  • CB spin: 2,275 rpm (80th state percentile)
• Garrett Smith (6-foot-3, 193 pounds)
  
  • max EV: 100.0 mph (93rd state percentile)
  • avg EV: 89.7 mph (87th state percentile)
  • bat speed: 75.3 mph (97th state percentile)
  • max fastball: 90 mph (T-No. 14 in state's 2027 class)

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X-FACTOR

RHP Braylon Brantner (2026; Iowa Central commit) is set to lead the rotation for Hortonville this season. Coming off a junior year where he took home conference pitcher of the year honors after tossing 55.1 innings, to a 1.65 ERA, allowing 13 earned runs, 18 walks, and striking out 59. The clear ace for this staff, he will lead a young rotation and be a stable presence all year long. The right-hander shows a mid-80s arsenal with high-spin secondaries shaping out to be true swing-and-miss pitches. Hitters will undoubtedly have trouble in the box once again this spring. 

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NEWCOMER TO WATCH

RHP/OF Garret Smith (2027; uncommitted) will see his first appearance on the varsity roster this spring. Argubley is one of the biggest winners from the winter showcase circuit. Smith showed an impressive velo jump on the mound, now touching 90 mph, with well-rounded secondaries to pair. Now you’ll see his main impact coming out of the bullpen for Hortonville as the rotation looks set in place, but don’t be surprised to see him earning high-leverage innings this spring. Now the 6-foot-4, 193-pound frame doesn't only toss it, but has also shown the ability to be a two-way threat. Now it's unlikely to see him in the starting nine, but look for him to play a pivotal role off the bench. The left-handed bat reached EVs up to 100 mph this winter, showcasing the raw power from the frame.

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TEAM OUTLOOK

The Polar Bears finished the 2025 season at 22-8, claimed the Fox Valley Association runner-up spot behind perennial conference champion Kimberly, and then did something the Papermakers could not: they won their sectional, knocking off No. 4 Kimberly and No. 1 De Pere back-to-back to punch a ticket to state. That kind of October-style postseason resume, built in May, is exactly the brand of baseball head coach Greg Yeager has cultivated at Hortonville. Now 23 wins shy of 200 career victories at the program, Yeager enters 2026 with a senior-heavy roster and a junior class with genuine breakout potential.

The anchor of everything for Hortonville is RHP/OF Braylon Brantner (2026; Iowa Central CC), the reigning FVA Pitcher of the Year. Brantner went 8-1 last season across 55.1 innings, posting a 1.65 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP while striking out 59 batters, earning first-team all-FVA honors in the process. He is the kind of competitor who sets the tone for an entire staff, and Yeager did not mince words about what he brings: "He is a bulldog on the mound. Great work ethic, " Coach Yeager noted.

The challenge for the Polar Bears is replacing the arms that departed in pitchers Taiven Gass and Griffin Jens, both of whom graduated. Setting up for the backend of the rotation in need of some help. OF/RHP Mason Burrichter (2026) and OF/RHP Isaac Behnke (2026) are both projected starters on the hill, with Yeager noting Behnke as a returning starter with big expectations this spring.

The most significant void to fill is behind the plate, where four-year starter Turner Kuhnke graduated. SS Gary Wuest (2026) returns as a steady defensive presence at shortstop after a strong season in the field, while OF Jack Tennie (2026) moves into a full-time center field role after splitting time there in 2025. The junior class adds genuine intrigue. SS/P Elijah Yeager (2027) is returning from a knee injury and is expected to contribute both on the infield and on the mound. OF/RHP Garrett Smith (2027) profiles as one of the more physically imposing two-way players in the junior class statewide. And 1B/RHP Tristan Berrens (2027), recovering from a football injury, figures to factor in at the plate and on the mound once fully healthy.

"We have a number of seniors that are ready to get their opportunity, as well as a talented junior class," Yeager said. "We have a lot of competition at spots, which can only make us better."

The Fox Valley Association will be as tough as ever in 2026, with Kimberly having claimed six straight conference titles and no sign of slowing down. But Hortonville has consistently proven it belongs in that conversation, and the Polar Bears demonstrated last postseason that a conference runner-up finish is no ceiling for how far they can go. The catcher position and pitching depth behind Brantner are the primary questions to answer this spring, but this is a program built on toughness and defensive reliability, and those qualities do not graduate.

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BOTTOM LINE

With Brantner leading the way while the pitching depth takes shape, Hortonville has the postseason pedigree and senior leadership to make another deep run in a loaded FVA. The floor is yet another competitive season in one of the state's premier conferences, and the ceiling is another sectional banner and a shot at state.

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Find more information on the 2026 Hortonville program below:

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

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POWER 25 COUNTDOWN