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Wisconsin 2025 Rankings Update

April 17, 2025
By: Josh Fields
Wisconsin Staff

This update to the class of 2025 comes after a busy winter with a couple of high-level events, such as the Super 60 and Preseason ProCase, as well as the first couple weeks of their final spring season. This shakeup to the class will be also one of the final updates to the 2025 class.

The top of the class remains unchanged, however each prospect has made gains in their game and prospect status over the winter and early part of the season.

RHP Peter Kussow (Arrowhead; Louisville) remains the top prospect in the class after a Super 60 performance where he touched 95 mph with his fastball, mixing in two complimentary secondaries. Where he stole the show with a power arsenal and nearly 100% strikes throughout one of the top ‘pens of the event.

The added velocity has carried itself over in game to pair with more strikes, maintaining low to mid 90s velocities throughout his outing peaking at 95 mph early this spring, while spinning one of the top breaking balls in the state, a true swing and miss offering thrown at 83-86 mph, and flashing a changeup.

3B/RHP Carter Kutz (Hartford Union; Nebraska) keeps separating himself as one of the top bats in the state, after a confident workout at the Super 60 showing the same natural, and hitterish swing from the right-side. Kutz took an impressive round up defense, showing improved and athletic actions with confident and soft hands with more than enough arm strength to stick on the left-side long term.

The Nebraska recruit continues to perform in game throughout our looks this spring on the barrel across each at-bat with leverage and the intent to do damage with every swing. The in-game look on defense ticked up looking like an asset on that side of the ball moving forward.

LHP Ryan Brennecke (Oconomowoc; Wake Forest) is the top lefty in the class and one of the top left-handers in the region, running his fastball up to 92 mph while filling the zone with his entire arsenal. Strong 6-foot-1, 214 pound left-hander, with a lively fastball that he consistently lands in the zone, a starters look with two breaking balls and a changeup, offerings that regularly find the zone. Always attacking, no matter the count, confident in his arsenal and earning swing and miss on his fastball.

RHP Ethan Bauerschmidt (Tremper; Penn State) is an arrow up prospect in the Midwest, more physical this spring after adding lean mass this offseason. The right-hander added both velocity and entire new pitches to the arsenal, now running his fastball up to 93 mph and one of the top breaking balls in the state, showing three new pitches this spring, an upper-80s sinker, mid-80s cutter and flashing a low-80s changeup.

On top of the changes to the arsenal, the pitchability and command of the zone has maintained, potentially even ticking also. The 6-foot-3 right-hander has stacked together multiple strong performances to start the spring including a no-hitter last week and a complete game shutout just last night picking up a majority of his out via strikeout along the way.

RHP Cooper Jesperson (Eau Claire Memorial; Uncommitted), SS Jack Lutz (Whitnall; South Florida), RHP Auden Pankonin (River Falls; Nebraska), SS Preston Yaucher (Edgewood; Penn State), OF Trevor Vande Hey (Wrightstown; Iowa) and RHP Sawyer Deering (Kimberly; Tennessee) round out the Top-10 inside the state.

Lutz has proven himself time and time again against top arms while looking the part of a next-level defender at shortstop. A two sport standout that split his time between the hardwood and the diamond throughout his prep career. Upside to the 5-foot-10 frame with clear room for added strength gains, with an equally high athletic ceiling on the diamond as a left-handed hitting shortstop that defends at a high-level.

Many notable prospects break into the Top-20, LHP Mason Sommer (West Bend East; Bryant & Stratton JC) who jumps up to No. 12 after breaking out at the Milwaukee Preseason ID, after he ran his fastball up to 91 mph and landed two secondary pitches for strikes. The 6-foot-5 left-hander is a high ceiling prospect with low-mileage to the arm and is garnering late MLB Draft looks.

A pair of seniors from Monona Grove, both left-handed hitters, catcher Terek Verhage (St. Thomas MN) and infielder Kaden Connor (North Dakota State) each have had strong starts to there season, impressing at the plate when our staff has seen them.

Verhage is a natural catcher that will stick behind that plate, one of the top defenders in the region behind the plate with an above average skillset defensively. The ability to string together quality at-bats, while getting his best swing off and on time has improved greatly and the impact offensively has picked up along the way.

Connor can truly play anywhere in the infield, having spent time at second, third and shortstop while playing capable defense at each spot. The 6-foot-1 broad shouldered athlete has an immense physical ceiling at just 172 pounds. At the plate, the swing is natural and simple, making contact out front with leverage, driving the baseball in the air with backspin.

RHP Sam Hoeft (Port Washington; Xavier) jumps nine spots up to No. 25 after a standout performance at the Preseason Procase. The 6-foot-2 right-hander ran his fastball up to 93 during his ‘pen sitting 91-92 mph throughout the entire pen. The breaking ball ticked up, flashing swing and miss action and showed a low-80s splitter.

CLICK HERE for a look at the complete Wisconsin 2025 rankings

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