The final update of 2025 for our Class of 2026 Player Rankings is here, featuring a modest expansion from 275 to 280 players. This deep class has attracted significant attention for its potential MLB Draft implications, whether as preps this spring or during their college careers. Beyond the rankings, this story provides a deeper understanding of the class as a whole, specifically highlighting uncommitted prospects and potential sleepers.

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DAY-ONE HOPEFULS

Dominic Santarelli 1B / OF / St. Joseph, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 1 / POS: 1 Has been a name our staff has been following even before he stepped foot on a high school campus. Everyone knows about the eye popping power from the left-hander, and the fact that he still gets to it while using the entire field. Easy bat speed with obvious strength to his hulking 226-pound frame, above-average athlete and run times to pair. The overall quality of the hit tool and the swing decisions and performance against pitches diving down out of the zone could ultimately determine how high he could potentially go when it comes to the draft.

Tyson Grulkowski RHP / Muskego, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 2 / POS: 1 Does a lot of things you want to see as an evaluator. The size already stands out, physical 6-foot-5 workhorse frame, athletic with clean and easy moves down the mound. Starters upside and already some feel to sync up his delivery over longer outings. Easy to dream on more velo coming from the right-hander, currently topping out in the low-90s with life and plane, with release metrics that help it play up even more and three other upside pitches to the arsenal. How much more velo Grulkowski taps into and maintains this spring will determine how much buzz Grulkowski will generate come next July.

Jace Mataczynski SS / Hudson, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 3 / POS: 1 Mataczynski has been on a tear since the start of 2025 and could see himself climb even higher in the rankings both inside the state and nationally. True shortstop with actions, range and a motor to pair with an arm that plays better than plus at times. Above-average runner and athlete, flashing plus run times with an upside 6-foot-3 frame. The bat has really played and plays up with the level of competition with multiple 103+ mph batted balls in game at the Senior Future Games. The level of defender Mataczynski is and could develop into takes some pressure off the bat, but proving he will be able to handle his own at the plate at the next level could place the infielder firmly in the mix Day One.

UP-THE-MIDDLE ATHLETES

What helps to make this class a potentially special one to come through the state is the number of high upside, athletic bats that follow up the ones at the top that could garner some MLB Draft consideration whether this spring as a prep or during their college career. CF/RHP Ben Kuglitsch (Muskego; Florida State) and OF Ezra Liggon (Vel Phillips Memorial; Bradley) are both top of the class athletically across the nation with upside frames and are both potential center fielder defenders. Kuglitsch has the athleticism and arm to play all three spots with ease, the reads have been promising as a potential impact defender at center. Liggon is a similar high-end athlete with similar run and arm tools that give him a chance at all three spots defensively. Both swing upside bats, Kuglitsch from the right side and Liggon from the left-side while flashing some impact presently.

INF/RHP Cal Moreau (Monona Grove; UCF) is more of the same athletically, physical and yet still upside to the 6-foot-3 frame with a high-end athletic profile. Still a two-way with upside on the mound, but a capable defender at multiple spots in the dirt with upside to stick at short. The impact stands out on the right side with more to come, a more consistent hit tool would allow the power to come through on a more frequent basis.

INF/CF Chance Ruby (Wilmot Union; Illinois-Chicago), C/OF Jack Brenner (Fond du Lac; Oklahoma) and MIF Ian Kawczynski (Catholic Memorial; Wisconsin-Milwaukee) compare similarly athletically and all have the high likelihood of sticking at their respective position defensively. The bats have ticked up substantially as well, Ruby has a history of hitting already having produced in front of our staff for a number of years now. The power numbers have shot up, consistently getting to game power against velo and spin. It’s easy to like the hacks Brenner consistently gets off, high motor bat speed with twitch with more in-game power to show of it over the summer circuit. Kawczynski has seen his hit tool tick up in a different way, more physical now, spraying harder contact across the field while maintaining the same overall bat-to-ball ability.

INF Trey Kerkhoff (Burlington; Purdue) and INF/OF Caleb Liggon (Vel Phillips Memorial; Bradley) continue the similar theme of upside athletes with advanced bats. Kerkhoff has really hit over the past few years with growing power production throughout the years. The impact continued to trend up this spring/summer doing more damage consistently at the plate while playing steady defense at either corner. Caleb Liggon can be mentioned in the same breath as some of the other top of the class athletes and has repeatedly impacted velo against either handed arms throughout the year with feel to elevate the baseball with ease. Athletically has the chance to stick in the dirt defensively or slide into the outfield with a chance to even play center.

IMPACT HITTERS

The level of hitters continue to stand out going further down our rankings OF Callen Tomsyck (Muskego; South Dakota State) and OF Jimmy Angle (Kettle Moraine; Eastern Illinois) were standouts for their performances throughout the year. Tomsyck is another high-end athlete with a ceiling defensively as an outfielder, the bat ticked up in a big way, ability to manipulate the barrel and elevate the baseball hard. Also a two-way with an upper-80s fastball with feel to spin. Angle performed similarly to Tomsyck throughout the year, repeated loud contact over the course of the summer. The bat has consistently shown up against velo and spin over the course while looking like a capable defender at either corner outfield spot.

OF Joe Meeter (Holmen; North Dakota State) was a toolsy outfield prospect that represented Wisconsin for Team Heartland for the Senior Future Games. Presently there's advanced run, power and arm tools with a ceiling defensively in the outfield. Upside right-handed swing at the plate with plenty left to dream on if the bat-to-ball and swing decisions play in college.

Former Future Gamers INF Winston Alonso (Reedsburg Area; Madison JC) INF/OF Sam Abrahamson (Hudson; St. Thomas) and MIF Brayden Alivo (St. Thomas More; Wisconsin-Milwaukee) add on to the depth of bats inside the class. Alonso swings a strong bat with an approach at the plate to pair with clear bat speed, the impact has been there over the year consistently producing power in game. The defense is quality in the infield with a chance to play a number of spots in the dirt. Abrahamson is an athletic defender that can stick in the dirt at the next level and provide some power from the right-side. Alivo has consistently performed at the plate showing bat-to-ball and quality swing decisions throughout our looks while generating more power and showing as a likely defender in the infield at the next level.

ARMS

After Grulkowski at the top, LHP Colton Semmelmann (Brookfield Central; South Carolina) fits into the top-5 as one of the top left-handers in the area. Chance to start and the frame has taken strides as he’s matured. The stuff will play and has more velo on the way to get either handed batters out. The stuff will play up even more in the bullpen if the strikes never come around as well.

A group of right-handers follow and add a ton of depth and talent throughout. The ability to spin stands out across them all, Cameron Carter (Arrowhead; Illinois-Chicago) spins one of the top breaking balls in the area coming from an athletic 6-foot-4 frame with a ton of room to add. The fastball can really miss bats at times and has flashed some ability to kill spin.

Cail Geiger (Menomonee Falls; Valparaiso), Liam Hagland (Germantown; South Dakota State) were a pair of arms that represented Wisconsin for Team Heartland throwing promising fastballs to pair with the spin. Geiger showed a bigger action downer breaking ball around 80 mph with a promising changeup. Hagland spun a firm slider that looked like a pitch that can potentially be a swing and miss weapon in the zone in the near future with a firm fading changeup.

Brett Biondich (Kettle Moraine Lutheran), Vince Bitter (Brookfield Central; Illinois State), Mason Schmidt (Somerset; Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Tanner Effertz (Whitnall; Wisconsin-Milwaukee) round off the group as physical right-handers. Biondich is a strong armed right hander with some feel to spin a firm slider. Schmidt and Effertz are a pair of Wisconsin-Milwaukee commits that have weekend starter upside if everything comes together. Schmidt is an imposing 6-foot-5 right-hander with a potential power arsenal and more velo on the way as he matures into the frame. Effertz is similarly built at 6-foot-4, a top QB prospect inside the state with the chance to spin some of the better stuff to come out of the state in some time.

Bitter has really come on late this summer heading into the fall. The fastball is thrown with more life now with more velo on the way while flashing two upside secondaries. The stretches of consistent and sustained strikes over some longer outings.

Montgomery O’Brien (Wauwatosa East; Notre Dame) and Paxton Schuh (Kaukauna; State College of FL) follow Semmelmann as hard throwing lefties with some upside stuff. Athletes with quick arms, O’Brien’s fastball has the chance to really be a weapon for him when located around the zone pairing with a downer breaking ball. Schuh has the chance to throw hard with some quality release traits that help his fastball play up to pair with feel for a sweeping breaking ball.

Bron Schaefer (Kaukauna) and Bryce Mischler (Kimberly) are a pair of uncommitted former Future Gamers for Team Wisconsin. Schaefer can really pitch, showing feel for three pitches but rarely needing to throw his changeup. Mischler impressed recently at The Rock this fall, easy to like, 6-foot-5 frame with clear upside to the frame. Lively fastball with more velo on the way with feel to spin a firm breaking ball.

This trio of left-handers Tanner Buhlmann (Arrowhead; Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Jacob Coopman (Appleton North; Winona State), Joseph Tamboli (Sun Prairie East; Madison JC) have a history of standout performances dating back to their early prep careers. Buhlmann has shown feel for three pitches for sometime now, the command has only ticked up as he matured with more velo to project on. Coopman was one of the top performers at the Wisconsin State Games where his stuff really played up during gameplay. Collecting whiffs on all three pitches while working in the zone throughout his outing with still more in the tank. Tamboli, similar to the other two lefties had a history of performing, more of a pitchability arm until he grew into a little velo this past winter. The entire arsenal ticked up with the same pitchability and even more velo to project on.

Noah Melby (Brookfield East; Northern Illinois), Bryce Loker (Omro; South Dakota State), Luke Parkinson (Whitnall; Bradley), Ryan Rasmussen (Cedarburg) round off the group of high end arms inside the state. Melby has tossed a number of quality outings throughout the spring and summer, the frame stands out with upside to the arsenal with a chance to start. Loker is an athletic right-hander with two-way ability, the fastball has a chance to play in a big way, life out of the hand topping out in the low-90s with feel to spin a sharp swing and miss breaking ball. Parkinson is a clean and athletic arm with clear arm talent and more velo to dream on, the breaking ball is still developing but flashed like a usable option against both handed batters at times. Rasmussen was a Future Gamer for Team Wisconsin, still uncommitted and showed an upside arsenal from a larger 6-foot-3 frame, the fastball has been up to 90 mph in the past for our staff with reports it it ticking up even more into the mid-90s now.

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VIEW THE COMPLETE WISCONSIN 2026 RANKINGS HERE

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