With the spring season right around the corner, we wanted to take the time to go through some of the players from around the state that will likely be in consideration for Player of the Year when it's all said and done.

We are strictly speculating and making educated guesses, as there are countless talented players from around the state that will have a chance to win the award.

Continue reading below to see who our staff came up with in this rendition.

FRONTRUNNERS

OF/1B Dominic Santarelli (St. Joseph, 2026) Louisiana State recruit: Coming off a loud Super 60 performance, the reigning WIAA Player of the Year will look to build off a standout junior season where he led the state in home runs while leading his team to a state championship. The Lancers will be tested this year moving into Division 2 but return a strong group led by Santarelli’s bat at the top of the lineup.

RHP Tyson Grulkowski (Muskego, 2026) South Florida recruit: Broke out last year as a top arm in the state and has only cemented his status in our look since then. Will return atop of the rotation for Muskego after striking out 86 batters across 53.1 innings as a junior and will also provide a physical and impactful right-handed bat to the middle of the lineup to pair with the obvious talent on the mound.

SS Jace Mataczynski (Hudson, 2026) Auburn recruit: Was one of the leaders for a potent Hudson lineup last spring. After a standout year where he was named First-Team All-State while playing some of the best infield defense in the state, Mataczynski could reasonably build off his junior season as the Raiders look to make their way back to the State Finals.

SS Chance Ruby (Wilmot Union, 2026) Illinois-Chicago recruit: Has done nothing but perform since stepping on a varsity field as a freshman. The athletic 6-foot shortstop will again be a key piece for Wilmot Union this spring as a two-way standout. A competitor no matter what position he’s playing with a history of producing as a two-way.

OF Ben Kuglitsch (Muskego, 2026) Florida State recruit: Is a true wildcard here, one of the top athletes across the nation but also has one of the deepest set of tools in the state. There’s been a history of performance and bat-to-ball and now a really exciting and more polished defensive skillset in center. Will be one of Muskego’s top arms to pair and could push for serious consideration with an improved feel for the zone across extended outings.

DARK HORSE PICKS

INF/RHP Cal Moreau (Monona Grove, 2026) Central Florida recruit: Will look to lead a Monona Grove squad after some big departures. One of the top athletes in the state with ceiling as a two-way prospect and has pitched a number of key games already while being an impact bat inside the lineup. As a senior, Moreau will be relied on once again to lead the staff and if the production at the plate ticks up that would put the two-way in serious contention.

RHP Cameron Carter (Arrowhead, 2026) Illinois-Chicago recruit: The talent on the mound stands out and is more than equipped to handle a larger workload with the departure of Peter Kussow. Also an athletic outfielder with an accurate and strong barrel at the plate with minimal swing and miss to the swing and will be relied on as an impact bat.

C Jack Brenner (Fond du Lac, 2026) Oklahoma recruit: Twitchy athlete that has really ticked up at the plate and could see the production translate over into the spring. Both the present hit and power have been impressive along with the strides defensively behind the dish and will impact the game on the basepaths as well. More than capable of filling in anywhere on the diamond defensively due to his athleticism and can provide steady defense at shortstop.

OF Matthew O’Grady (Badger, 2026) Army recruit (football): Was a key piece for Badger last year as the production at the plate stood out in a big way last spring while making his impact felt defensively and on the basepaths. Another high-end athlete that could reasonably match or exceed his performance from last season.

SLEEPER ‘27s

Outside of last season, it has historically taken a combination of standout individual production and meaningful team success for a junior to capture Player of the Year honors, something that has only happened a handful of times since the award’s inception. With that in mind, here are four juniors we believe have the talent and opportunity to enter the conversation by season’s end.

OF/RHP Ira Hilbelink (Cedar Grove-Belgium, 2027) Uncommitted: Does it all for the Rockets and has been an impactful member of both the lineup and the staff since his freshman year. A top bat for them that will look to build on his production at the plate while providing quality defense at a number of spots. The impact could be even more meaningful on the mound as well, there’s feel for three pitches that could continue to elevate his value this spring.

LHP Cal Schneider (New Berlin Eisenhower, 2027) Louisville commit: Would have arguably been the “Pitcher of the Year” last spring after tossing seven complete games and striking out 92 batters across 63.1 innings. Competes and pounds the zone with all of his pitches and did it at 79-84 mph and the velocity has started to tick up later in the summer as he is clearly just scratching the surface in regards to his development.

C/OF Logan Hagman (Hudson, 2027) Minnesota commit: Could challenge the aforementioned Santarelli in some power numbers while doing it in a bigger conference and while catching. Already known for his ability to hit some towering home runs with some present and still growing feel for the barrel, the potential for a huge season offensively is there.

OF/LHP Kingston Grisolono (Kewaskum, 2027) Evanston commit: Toolsy L/L two-way that was a standout last spring being named First-Team All-State as an outfielder after hitting .500 on the year with 21 extra-base hits. Also a standout on the mound going 10-0 with two saves and 81 strikeouts across 59.2 innings with growing ability both on the mound and at the plate that could help translate into even more team success for an already strong Kewaskum squad.

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