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-term preseason analysis.  

Our 2026 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: Menomonee Falls Phoenix
Preseason Rank: No. 7
Head Coach: Tim Gotzler
WIAA Division: 1
Conference: Greater Metro
2025 Record (Finish): 19-7 (regional champions)
Key Players Lost: Henry Lynde, Jayden Forbes, Tyler Sense, Logan Kohnert, Riley Kempf

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ROSTER PREVIEW

No. of Returning Players: 7
No. of Returning Pitchers: 4
Team Strengths: Deep pitching staff, varsity expereince.

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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 Menomonee Falls's top-three performers averaged across each category:

Category	Top-3 Avg.	State Rank	Out of
Avg. Exit Velocity	91.8 mph	No. 11	of 102
Max Exit Velocity	99.0 mph	T-No. 14	of 102
Max FB Velocity	88.3 mph	T-No. 4	of 71

INDIVIDUAL DATA STAND-OUTS:

• Cail Geiger (6-foot, 189 pounds)
  
  • max fastball: 91.4 mph (T-No. 10 overall in Wisconsin)
  • FB spin: 2,324 rpm (T-No. 19 overall in Wisconsin)
  • CB spin: 2,489 rpm (93rd state percentile)
  • SL spin: 2,603 rpm (No. 11 overall in Wisconsin)
• Logan Vande Zande (6-foot-4, 196 pounds)
  
  • max EV: 100.0 mph (93rd state percentile)
  • avg EV: 91.9 mph (92nd state percentile)
  • rot. accel.: 21.0g (95th state percentile)
• Matthew Nemec (6-foot-1, 199 pounds)
  
  • avg EV: 89.7 mph (87th state percentile)
  • bat speed: 72.9 mph (90th state percentile)
• Tyson Resch (5-foot-10, 218 pounds)
  
  • max EV: 101.5 mph (No. 2 in state's 2028 class)
  • avg EV: 93.9 mph (No. 4 in state's 2028 class)
  • bat speed: 72.2 mph (88th state percentile)
  • max fastball: 91.1 mph (No. 1 in state's 2028 class)
  • FB spin: 2,268 rpm (91st state percentile)
  • CB spin: 2,325 rpm (85th state percentile)
  • SL spin: 2,369 rpm (82nd state percentile)

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X-FACTOR

+ RHP Cail Geiger (2026, Valparaiso signee) one of the top returning pitchers in the conference and has tossed a number of big games for the Phoenix througout his prep career. Geiger could conceivably top his 5-1 record and 1.15 ERA performance as a senior this upcoming spring, showing a more dynamic arsenal with mulitple secondary options to go-to in game in strikeout scenarios. It's an arsenal that will be tough for any hitter to barrel up when located in the zone.

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IMPACT UNDERCLASSMEN

+ RHP/UTL Tyson Resch (2028) A potential dynamic two-way skillset, with an advanced arsenal on the mound to pair with a polished approach and skillset at the plate offensively. Resch could impact the Phoenix in a number of ways this season, capable of impacting the pitching staff in a number of roles with a pitch mix that could be compared against the aforementioned Geigers arsenal stuff wise. The bat is also more polished and could potentially provide some run production type impact to this lineup, there's a history of taking polished and quality swing decisions at the plate to back up the potential impact at the plate to pair.

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TEAM OUTLOOK

Six seasons into the Tim Gotzler era, Menomonee Falls has established itself as one of the more reliable programs in Division 1. The Phoenix won 19 games in 2025, finished tied for second in the Greater Metro Conference at 12-4, claimed a regional championship over Oconomowoc and pushed deep into the postseason before falling to GMC rivals Hamilton in the sectional semifinals. They did it by winning 17 of their final 20 games, a stretch that underscored exactly the kind of resilient team identity Gotzler has built in Menomonee Falls. Now, with seven returning position players and four returning pitchers, the program enters 2026 positioned to take another step.

"In my six seasons at Menomonee Falls, this might be the most talented pitching staff we have had," Gotzler said. "We have some top-end talent as well as depth to manage the unpredictable weather of the spring. If we pitch and play defense to our potential, it gives us a chance to stay competitive in every game."

That pitching staff begins and ends with RHP/OF Cail Geiger (2026; Valparaiso), one of the most accomplished arms in the WIAA. Geiger spent his junior season as a go-to presence atop the rotation, logging 54.2 innings with a 1.15 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP and 74 strikeouts, numbers that speak to both his dominance and his durability. He is the kind of pitcher whose calm, composed approach on the mound sets a tone for the entire staff. Behind him, senior RHP Anderson Stehli, committed to UW-Stout, is one of the primary reasons Gotzler is so bullish on this group, bringing reliability and experience as the second arm in the projected rotation. And then there is RHP/1B Tyson Resch (2028), a sophomore who turned heads with an electric late-February bullpen session and figures to slot into the rotation while also contributing on the offensive side of the ball. In the bullpen, OF/RHP Matthew Nemec (2026; McHenry County JC) and CIF/RHP Cade Kosnick provide a capable bridge, giving Gotzler multiple levers to pull in high-leverage situations.

Offensively, the Phoenix graduated a handful of contributors but return enough bats to keep the lineup threatening from top to bottom. Nemec, who doubles as a corner outfielder, brings legitimate power to the middle of the order, as does 1B/OF Logan Vande Zande (2026; McHenry County JC), a 6-foot-4 presence whose raw strength makes him one of the more imposing hitters in the conference. INF Andrew Browne (2026) is another veteran who should be among the more consistent producers in the lineup, and INF RJ Rossi (2027) and senior INF Cade Kosnick give Gotzler additional length in a lineup that also includes senior OF Nick Alburg. The biggest adjustments will come at shortstop and catcher, two positions where the program graduated key contributors from last year's squad. The good news is that there are experienced players available to compete for those spots, and the depth around them should ease any transition.

The path to a third Greater Metro Conference title in four years runs through one of the most competitive leagues in Wisconsin. The GMC is expected to be as deep as it has been in recent memory, with multiple programs earning preseason Power 25 consideration from Prep Baseball Wisconsin where several of the best pitchers in the state reside. For Falls, the formula is straightforward: keep the rotation healthy, let the pitching staff set the table early in the season while the defensive alignment around short and catcher solidifies, and trust the lineup's power potential to produce when it counts. If this staff performs anywhere near its ceiling, Menomonee Falls will be a difficult opponent for anyone on the schedule.

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BOTTOM LINE

Menomonee Falls has the pitching staff to compete for a conference title and make a deep postseason run, and Cail Geiger alone gives them an advantage in any given game. Gotzler has helped Falls win more with less, so the combination of a deep rotation and experienced lineup helps imagine a scenario in which the Phoenix are state-bound in June.

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Find more information on the 2026 Menomonee Falls program below:

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

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POWER 25 COUNTDOWN