Wisconsin 2025 Winners: 2028 Position Players

November 17, 2025
By: Josh Fields
Wisconsin Staff

As the 2025 season comes to a close, new standouts have emerged inside the state’s sophomore class, players who didn’t just perform, but positioned themselves for even bigger roles ahead.

Last week, we broke down the position players and pitchers from the senior class that stood out. Today we will continue to break down the winners over the year looking at some of the 2028 position players that took the biggest jumps.

Braedon Paczocha C / 1B / Mukwonago High, WI / 2028

Rankings StateRank: 1 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 298 / POS: 27

The tools have really ticked up since Paczocha’s prep debut, already an advanced defender in all facets but has also been tapping into more power. The EVs back it up, reaching 97 mph at the Wisconsin State Games, the right-handed hitter swings a smooth and strong bat with feel to lift the ball. Developing athlete with any gains potentially resulting in louder gains to his current tools.

From (7/31/25): “would continue to showcase a quality, developing toolset. At the plate, presents a balanced base with some pre-pitch rhythm while utilizing a short stride to get into a position of launch. Showed an easy, repeatable right-handed swing with some present feel for the barrel and an ability to hit to all fields. Showed some present barrel strength, producing a max exit velocity of 96.8 mph during his round of batting practice. One of the top defenders in the state behind the dish with athletic actions to pair, making consistently accurate throws from the chute with poptimes in the 2.09-2.16 second ranges while looking like an asset receiving and blocking. Developing 5-foot-11, 167-pound frame with some present athleticism.”

Maddex Welzien SS / RHP / West Bend West, WI / 2028

Rankings StateRank: 2 / POS: 1

Advanced feel for the barrel, sprays the ball across the entire field and makes consistent contact throughout our looks. The glove will stick in the dirt long term, with a chance to provide quality defense at shortstop at the next level. Clear room to continue to add to the frame, twitchy athlete to pair, high follow heading into the winter.

From (7/31/25): “would continue to show quality actions on the dirt that make him a must-follow name. A natural defender with easy athleticism, Welzien would get up to 82 mph from across the diamond with carry on his throws. At the plate showed an athletic right-handed swing with a developing feel for the barrel and pull-side tendencies. Took a quality round of batting practice, producing a max exit velocity of 91.3 mph and an average of 86 mph. Would also run a 6.85-second 60-yard dash. Athletic 5-foot-11, 157-pound frame. On the mound Welzien showed feel for three pitches across a 1.2 innings outing.”

Camden Jeske OF / LHP / Oak Creek, WI / 2028

Rankings StateRank: 4 / POS: 1

Advanced feel to hit from the left-side, showing feel to handle velo and spin beyond his years. The bat-to-ball stands out, potential top-of-the-order toolset with the ability to fight off and barrel spin while doing damage and tapping into some in-game power. Defensively the twitchy athlete takes quality and efficient routes in center and looks to stick at the spot with added foot speed.

From (7/31/25): “Athletic table setter standing at 6-foot, 154-pounds with feel to hit from the left-side. The incoming sophomore reached a max exit velocity of 97.1 mph throughout his round of BP going for multiple hits throughout gameplay. Defensively the outfielder has athletic and steady actions to play at all three spots in the outfield moving forward.”

Ian McClure OF / RHP / Reedsburg Area, WI / 2028

Rankings StateRank: 5 / POS: 2

One of the top athletes in the state with an upside and physical 6-foot-3 frame to pair. Already showing strength at a young age, coming in at 198-pounds but still has an immense physical and athletic ceiling yet to tap into as he matures. At the plate the right-handed hitter swings a smooth bat with easy strength that looks to only tick up as he ages. Defensively the outfielder has the tools to handle each spot and enough foot speed and range to field to either gap in center field.

From (7/31/25): “Is one of the top athletes in the class standing at 6-foot-3, 198-pounds with more room to continue to add to his frame as he continues to mature. At the plate the right-handed hitter showed both strength and feel for the barrel reaching a max exit velocity of 98.8 mph throughout his round while averaging 91.9 mph throughout, found the barrel for a double in gameplay. Defensively McClure has the actions and footspeed to play any spot in the outfield with arm strength up to 85 mph.”

Benjamin Smet-Cooper 3B / 1B / Westosha Central, WI / 2028

Rankings StateRank: 8 / POS: 1

The left-handed swing really plays at a high-level already. The power is already near, if not at the top of the class with feel to drive the baseball out to all fields. Defensively the infielder has quality hands and actions with arm strength to play on the left-side. The bat is the carrying tool, with already loud results against quality competition.

From (10/23/25): “continues to shine in front of our staff. The sophomore infielder has a serious knack for the barrel and showcased his natural hitability by hitting rockets throughout his round of batting practice. Smet-Cooper’s max exit velocity of 99.4 mph and average exit velocity were both far away the best of the day. His smooth and quick left-handed swing plays both in the showcase setting and in game. In the infield, the feet and hands worked in rhythm with fluidity through the ball showing quality actions that paired well with plenty of arm strength across in the infield (84 mph) to be able to stick at the hot corner. There is a reliability and confidence that comes with watching Smet-Cooper field a groundball in the infield. Overall, it was another impressive look at the 2028 grad who is poised for a big winter showcase season.”

INF/OF Kallen Magli (Sun Prairie West) From (3/19/25): “was one of the biggest winners of the day on Sunday. The freshman’s athleticism was on display by running a 6.85 seconds 60 yard dash which was the best mark of the day among the freshman group and the 5th best mark overall. He also jumped an impressive 28.9 inches for his vertical jump which was the best mark of the day. Magli showcased all kinds of feel for the barrel with his quick right-handed swing and produced solid exit velocities in the upper 80s throughout his round. On the mound, Magli was pounding the zone with the fastball in the upper 70s and two different breaking balls. Magli is shaping into a name to know in the state for the 2028 class.”

OF Braxton Thiede (Jefferson) From (7/31/25): “was one of the top performers of the Wisconsin State Games. The left-hander stands in as a lean 5-foot-8, 166-pound frame. At the plate the right-handed hitter shows feel for the barrel and the ability to make consistent contact while playing quality defense at all three spots in the outfield. On the mound, working out of a downhill, high kick motion with clean, quick arm action, getting full extension in the back half, working from a ¾ slot. Showing a two-pitch mix, the fastball was sitting 78-81 mph, T82 mph, playing with lots of ride and slight cut, averaging 18 IVB (23 IVB max). The curveball was sitting 62-65 mph, with sweep, averaging 12.3 HM. Through his two-inning outing, Thiede was generating soft contact, attacking with the fastball, and generating whiffs with the curveball, while working with a high pace on the mound.”

C Toay Ragatz (Lancaster) From (7/31/25): “Standing at 5-foot-9, 198 pounds with strength throughout his frame. At the plate the right-handed hitter swings a strong bat with feel to drive the ball on a line reaching a max exit velocity of 95.4 mph throughout his round of BP. Defensively Ragatz is a quality defender behind the dish with arm strength up to 79 mph and a consistent pop-time to second around 2.00.”

INF Jacob Madlung (Arrowhead) From (7/31/25): “Stands at 6-foot-4, 187-pounds with room to add to the frame. At the plate the right-handed hitter takes a direct path to the baseball reaching a max exit velocity of 94.9 mph throughout his round while also finding the barrel for a hit in gameplay. On the mound the right-hander showed upside across two innings showing a three pitch mix topping out at 83.8 mph showing a low-70s curveball with tight action and an upper-70s changeup.”

1B Tyson Resch (Menomonee Falls) From (7/31/25): “Resch would continue to cement himself as a two-way name to follow within the state's 2028 class. On the mound showed up-tempo movements with explosive movements down the mound while working from a whippy, low-3/4s arm action. The fastball would sit in the low-80s with carry through the zone. Showed a pair of breaking balls, including an upper-60s curveball with up to 2325 rpm and a low-70s slider with 10/4 shape and up to 2686 rpm. Also showed an upper-70s changeup with arm-side fade and up to 16.1" of horizontal movement. Would also show a quality right-handed swing with easy barrel strength and pull-side tendencies. Took a quality round of batting practice, producing a max exit velocity of 93 mph with an average of 87.2 mph. Strong 5-foot-10, 214-pound frame.”

OF Ty Rohde (D.C. Everest) From (6/28/25): “A built and athletic 5-foot-10, 180-pound frame, Rohde impressed in his Saturday afternoon game. The left-handed hitter went 2-for-2 with two doubles, two walks, and two RBIs. Rohde is a mature and confident all-around player, which is obvious after watching just one game. The left-handed hitter sets up with an open base, followed by a long leg kick, extending down the box. The hands work well with the ball, able to do damage to any pitch, showing this by driving a ball at his feet for a standup double. A natural athlete, able to back it up with confident actions in center as well. As Rohde continues to develop, the lefty will be a name to know in the Badger State.”

INF Cole Pettijohn (East Troy) From (6/28/25): “Strong 5-foot-11, 178-pounds with more room left in his frame. He started off the day running a 7.04 60-yard dash, and then put up a strong round of BP, maxing out at 97.2 mph on the day. There is little movement in his actions pre-swing, as the rising sophomore operates with a slight toe-tap trigger, works his weight back heavily during the load, and has serious bat speed through the zone. Pettijohn has active feet leading up to receiving the ball, fielding with confidence and soft hands repeatedly.”

OF Mason Chittendon (Chippewa Falls) From (7/15/25): “is a 6-foot-2 right-handed hitting athlete with twitch and room to add to the frame. Chittendon started his day running a 6.90 60-yard dash before taking a standout round of batting practice reaching 91.2 mph on his hardest hit ball while using the entire field. Defensively the outfielder has steady and reliable actions, fielding the baseball in stride with arm strength up to 81 mph.”

INF Ryan Reesman (Eau Claire Memorial) A follow infielder that has continued to improve throughout the year. Saw time on varsity as a freshman, playing a number of innings in the middle infield while holding his own with the bat during the spring. The summer the bat ticked up and seemingly his athleticism to pair, the contact started getting loud with consistent production and quality at-bats throughout the summer and fall seasons.

1B/OF Ethan Colstad (New Glarus) Upside 6-foot-2, 165-pound left-handed hitter. Balanced left-handed swing with feel to elevate. Feel to drive the ball in the air to the pull side with some present strength and in-game results to pair.

OF Ian Justman (Ashwaubenon) From (6/15/25): “would offer an intriguing left-handed bat throughout the weekend, with an above-average feel for the barrel and the ability to hit all different levels of pitching. A quiet presence in the box with a line-drive oriented approach and opposite field tendencies, Justman would finish the weekend 5-for-10 with a triple, seven RBIs, seven runs scored, and eight walks. Athletic 6-foot, 171-pound frame with room for added strength.”

C Wyatt Marten (Oshkosh West) From (6/18/25): “Vocal leader behind the plate. Soft hands, advanced block and throw. Selective at the plate, showed consistency to find the barrel.”

OF Nolan Meyer (Hudson) swings an upside left-handed bat standing at an athletic 6-foot, 151-pounds. Fluid mover with actions that play in the outfield and arm strength. Easy to see more gains with the bat as he matures into the frame.

OF Sebastian Lopez (Homeschool) From (10/5/25): “measured in at a projectable 5-foot-8, 146 pounds and displayed some bursty athleticism at the start of the event by running the quickest 60-yard dash of the event at 6.93 seconds. He then hit with a compact swing with a flat bat path that produced a max exit velocity of 89.6 mph. On defense, Lopez displayed clean and athletic actions during his outfield work and was up to 82 mph with backspin and carry through the target. This was the second time we’ve seen Lopez in the showcase setting and we came away impressed with the overall profile and will keep a close eye on him and look forward to future developments in the winter at the preseason ID.”

INF Kaleb Oeth (Edgewood) From (3/19/25): “stands at 6-foot-3, 164-pounds, with plenty of physical projection. Worked downhill with his delivery from high 3/4 slot and showed feel to get the ball to spots in the zone. Curveball with 10/4 shape and break 67-69 mph, a slider 71-72 mph with lateral break to it and a changeup 71-72 that he shows the ability to land. Hitterish feel to the swing and will certainly add more pop to the bat once he fills out.”

1B Jack Bunyan (Port Washington) From (6/14/25): “Bunyan would show an intriguing right-handed bat throughout the weekend, with a loft-based approach and developing strength that allowed his present offensive toolset to play up. Finished the tournament 3-for-9 with a double, an RBI, two runs scored, and three walks. Athletic 5-foot-9, 150-pound frame with some present strength.”

OF Bode Falkner (Mondovi) Athletic left-handed hitting outfielder with a chance to stick in center field. Was one of the top freshman performers this past WIAA season, also QB in the fall speaks to the raw athlete.

1B Aaron Zimmer (Winneconne) From (6/13/25): “Long-levered 6-foot-3, 190- pound frame. Showed minimal swing and miss batting out of the leadoff spot. Smooth, level left handed swing.”

OF Jeffrey Steffanich (Random Lake) From (4/28/25): “Uncommitted, a pop-up freshman to follow in the Badger State, standing at 6-foot-1, 150 pounds with clear room to add to the frame. Stefanich played center field and hit sixth in the Random Lake lineup, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a walk. The right-handed hitter takes a direct path to the baseball, staying inside and impacting the baseball outfront showing feel to use the entire field. Defensively the freshman patrolled center field taking aggressive routes to the baseball and looking the part at a potential center fielder at the next level.”

INF JonDavid Jacobs (Pewaukee) From (3/12/25): “is a two way prospect with upside. The 5-foot-11, 178 pound prospect was impacting the baseball throughout his round with a flat and efficient bat path through the ball with some max exit velocities in the upper 80’s. On defense, he worked through his groundball work with athleticism and quickness and was up to 82 mph across the infield. On the mound, he drove the fastball through the glove up to 82 mph, a sharp slider and a deceptive change-up. Overall, it was a good look from Jacobs.”

C Tavin Nass (Franklin) From (6/14/25): “A physical presence, standing in a muscular 5-foot-9, 185-pound frame, which at past events measured in at 10% body fat & 96 lbs of skeletal mass, Nass would show an intriguing right-handed bat throughout the weekend with above average feel for the barrel and a developing power tool. Finished the tournament 3-for-10 with a double, two runs scored, and a walk.”

INF Simon Schmitz (Sparta) From (10/5/25): “is an athletic and projectable two-way player who showcased some tools and skills on both sides of the ball on Sunday. Schmitz measured a projectable and athletic, 5-foot-11, 158 pounds with plenty of room to add size and strength. He started his day by running the third fastest 60 yard time of the day with a 7.07 seconds sprint. He then showed solid feel for the barrel with a well-sequenced swing and was spraying the ball throughout his round. On the mound, he showed feel for three pitches for strikes with a clean and repeatable delivery. Schmitz is on our staff’s radar after his performance on Sunday.”

INF Saxton Wiest (Stoughton) An athlete with two-way ability that can pick it in the dirt. At the plate the right-handed hitter has some feel for the barrel, was on the barrel throughout the entire fall in front of our staff with multiple standout performances in-game.

C Aaron Smith (Eau Claire Memorial) Unique R/L catching profile, at the plate the right-handed hitter has found the barrel a number of times in front of our staff, even on varsity this past spring as a freshman. The defense, albeit unique plays, has handled advanced velo and spin having caught a number of quality arms last spring while handling the run game and constantly throwing out would-be basestealers.

OF/C Hudson Bremberger (Pewaukee) From (3/12/25): “is a strong 5-foot-8 right-handed hitter. At the plate, Bremberger showed feel to elevate, the ball jumped off the bat from an explosive and balanced swing. Defensively in the outfield Bremberger showed quick feet and arm strength up to 82 mph from the outfield, behind the plate, Bremberger showed athleticism from the crouch with an accurate arm up to 72 mph.”

C Jurenth Tiedemann (Watertown) True switch-hitting catcher with a defensive ceiling behind the dish. Compact frame but still projectable at 5-foot-6 129-pounds with plenty of room to add to his frame. Was on the barrel in front of our staff across multiple stops along the summer circuit.

OF Aiden Berg (Turner) Strong left/left outfielder with some tools and feel to drive the ball to the pull side. Defensively there's easy and athletic actions with some range and arm strength.

INF Dominic Bombien (Franklin) Wiry left-handed hitter with advanced bat-to-ball traits with feel to use the entire field. It’s easy to envision more impact on the way as he adds strength to his 5-foot-10, 160-pound frame. Defensively the infielder has made a number of quality plays in front of our staff looking like a versatile defender that can play the left-side.

MIF Jake Fuchs (Westosha Central) From (6/25/25): “showcased apparent athleticism on both sides of the ball. Natural, effortless movements in the infield, consistently able to get the ball out of the glove and get the throw off without wasting any movement both to the forehand and backhand. Simple, repeatable right-handed swing with line drive tendencies. Athletic 5-foot-9, 139-pound frame with plenty of room to continue to fill out.”

OF Tyler Schwalbach (Kaukauna) Athletic 6-foot-2 left-handed hitter with twitch and more strength coming to his frame. The bat plays from the left-side as well, confident look at the plate with twitch at launch, working on the barrel in front of our staff this summer.