The summer circuit gave our staff an extended look at the state’s junior class, and it brought plenty of shakeups with it. This update to the 2026 rankings features movement throughout the board, with multiple new faces making their mark and a handful of risers climbing into top spots. We’ve also expanded the list to 275 prospects, offering the most comprehensive look yet at this talented group.

SUMMER STARS

Dominic Santarelli 1B/OF / St. Joseph, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 1 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 33 / POS: 1 Santarelli has been parading around the country this summer as part of the national circuit, appearing at the major high-profile events that help kickstart the road to the ‘26 MLB Draft, soon to be including our very own Prep Baseball All-American Game down in Miami next month. It’s been exciting to watch – both up close and from afar – Santarelli showcase the skill set that earned him the Prep Baseball Wisconsin Player of the Year title as a junior following the conclusion of the WIAA season. He guided SJCA to a state championship with his left-handed bat that belted 11 homers, 10 doubles, and three triples in just 77 at-bats. His herculean strength hit the main stage in the summer, standing out at several of the key pit stops along the way, including the 2025 MLB High School All-American Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles where he earned the game’s MVP honors. Santarelli is the exception to the rule. Cold-weather first basemen don’t generally generate the attention of MLB front offices, but they do when they’re built at a brawny 6-foot-1, 223 pounds, and register EVs scraping 110 mph from the left side in batting practice and in-game. Santarelli has also worked to become an above-average defender at first base with an athleticism (6.74 runner) that could potentially blossom out in a corner outfield spot one day, even. He retains the top spot in this crucial end-of-summer update with an arrow that’s still pointed due north.

Tyson Grulkowski RHP / Muskego, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 9 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 124 / POS: 37 Grulkowski stands in at a powerful 6-foot-5, 228 pounds, and it’s a prototypical starter’s physique with a full arsenal behind it. The big right-hander ticks a ton of the boxes that it takes to receive the earnest attention of the pro scouting community, and we have him vaulting all the way to the No. 2 overall spot on our board as a result, up from No. 9 in May. It’s a monumental leap, considering there are some other significant “arrow-up” prospects ranked just behind him, too. The Muskego righty starred for them this spring and he earned a place on our First Team, All-State roster after helping guide the Warriors to a state title as its de facto ace. Grulkowski’s stature makes it easy to envision him frontlining a college pitching staff down the road, if not someday in pro ball, and it gets even easier when you review his pitch mix. He uses a low-90s fastball that leaves a low arm slot, picking up natural hard, late arm-side run/sink on its way to the plate. Off that same plane, his sweeping slider spins at over 2,700 rpm with large horizontal action, and the changeup is capable of being his best secondary, too, depending on the day. After checking all of the major boxes in 2025 – from performance to control/command – Grulkowski would become one of the best pitching prospects in the region with an uptick in velocity over the winter. Should Grulkowski maintain these traits while climbing into the 94-95 mph range on occasion next year, then he’ll drum up even more attention for himself.

Jace Mataczynski SS/RHP / Hudson, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 14 / POS: 3 OverallRank: 193 / POS: 52 This was the summer of Jace Mataczynski. After a stellar spring in which he was named to our First Team, All-State roster, Mataczynski lived up to the lofty expectations he set for himself on the travel ball circuit over the last couple months. Most notably, the Hudson athlete earned an invitation to join Team Heartland at the second annual Prep Baseball Senior Future Games and he capitalized on the opportunity in a massive way. At the event down in Georgia, Mataczynski started the workout off running a 6.69 in the 60-yard dash and jumping 26.7 inches at the vertical testing station. During BP, he was all over the barrel with bat speed (74.4 mph avg.) and an average exit speed of 94.4 mph (101.5 max), and he also recorded throws across the infield at 98 mph. Needless to say, he sparked some buzz for himself ahead of gameplay. From there, all he did was put his imprint on the game across all facets throughout the two days at LakePoint, slugging a no-doubt home run in game two that helped him earn the title of Senior Future Games MVP. He exited the SFGs with some obvious attention from the college recruiting coordinators that increasingly crowded over his at-bats in the two days down there, and it culminated in a commitment to Auburn just recently. Oh, and he pitched the final inning of game three in which he was up to 93 mph with a breaking ball that flashed sharp. He catapulted himself to No. 3 in the state this update and it might just mark the start of his continued climb up the national rankings between now and the end of his senior year.

+ Chance Ruby, MIF/RHP, Wilmot Union; Illinois-Chicago: Wisconsin’s impressive Class of 2026 is underscored by the placement of Ruby at No. 6 overall on this list. Technically, that’s down a spot on the state rankings since May, but that really doesn’t indicate how things are trending for him. Nationally, Ruby rose over 250 spots on our overall board, and he feels like a genuine “sleeper” follow for the MLB Draft. If you look at the 2025 MLB Draft, it’s evident the kind of premium teams are paying for prep shortstops. We’re believers in Ruby’s acumen for the position for the short- and long-term, and that’s hugely important considering he’s been one of the highest offensive performers of any player on this list through each of his three years at the high school varsity level.

Athletically, he fits a pro mold, and his right-handed hit/power traits will make him attractive to pro scouts if they believe he’s a real deal shortstop right now.

+ Jack Brenner, C/OF, Fond du Lac; Kent State: Brenner is another one of Wisconsin’s top pound-for-pound athletes, and one who plays a critically important position at catcher. The latest in a growing line of Wisconsin backstops connected to Kent State University, Brenner makes loud right-handed contact, more than you’d project for at his 5-foot-11, 170-pound build. He does so by generating bat speed (73.2 mph avg.) in game from a simple, efficient swing that works off a natural incline as well, which promotes the possibility of average game power as he develops.

The chart below shows how athletic Brenner is relative to all the catchers from the 2026 and 2027 classes who took part in a Prep Baseball event so far this calendar year.

 

All of a sudden, Brenner looks the part of a real athlete with up-the-middle defensive skills (if not at catcher, then maybe even center field) who could run into enough homers to feature regularly inside a lineup at the next level.

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ATHLETES & UPSIDE

+ Ben Kuglitsch, OF/RHP, Muskego; Florida State: Kuglitsch remains ranked inside a loaded top-five in this update, as part of a group that feels like it could graduate as one of the most special in the history of Wisconsin’s prep baseball scene. Although the profile is pretty different, Kuglitsch might just be the best overall athlete to come through Wisconsin since LHP/OF Christian Oppor (Columbus, 2022; 2023 MLB Draft, White Sox, fifth round). Oppor was an electric athlete in high school with arm speed and untapped potential on the mound, and today he’s a budding prospect in the Chicago White Sox’s system who’s recently been up to 101 mph in his first full year of affiliated ball.

Kuglitsch is an equally exceptional athlete, as a lean 6-foot-2, 182-pound right/right prospect capable of running 21.8 mph with elite 10- and 60-yard splits (1.59; 6.47). He’s also armed with premium velocity on the mound (94.4 mph max) and secondary ball feel than Oppor had at this same time, and a better hit tool as well. In fact, he might even be worth investing in developmentally as a position player first and foremost, as a prospective center fielder with an offensive profile that keeps improving and producing.

Here are Kuglitsch’s run tool percentiles relative to all class of 2026 and 2027 athletes to have taken part in a Prep Baseball event this calendar year, and who are also listed in Kuglitsch’s height/weight range:

There isn’t an athlete of this caliber available in Wisconsin on an annual basis, and he’s exactly the kind of prospect who can explode after a crucial offseason headed into his final spring of high school ball.

Ezra Liggon OF / Vel Phillips Memorial, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 7 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 296 / POS: 52 Liggon shared the dugout at the Senior Future Games with the aforementioned Mataczynski, and the two are arrow-up players in the state following the event, as is Ezra’s twin brother Caleb, who we’ll get to a little further down. As for Ezra specifically, it’s hard to recall a player in Wisconsin’s high school ranks with this combination of athleticism and remaining projection. He’s a 6-foot-4, 191-pound left/left prospect with 6.41 speed, a 101.2 mph max EV, and potential center field defense. Here are Ezra’s run tool percentiles relative to all class of 2026 and 2027 athletes to have taken part in a Prep Baseball event this calendar year who are also listed in his height/weight range: That profile alone should attract undercover pro scouts this spring looking for under-the-radar players to sign in July. Additionally, Ezra and his brother Caleb just recently announced their commitment to Bradley.

+ Cal Moreau, INF/RHP, Monona Grove; Central Florida: Yet again, here we have a special combination of size and athleticism that is simply not of the norm in Wisconsin annually – Moreau and his classmates on this list set this class apart from recent ones athletically. The UCF recruit is a 6-foot-3, 187-pound two-way with the kind of ability that could mold itself to becoming the very best player in the class, whether that’s next year or in five. We’ll see where the athlete fits best defensively long-term, but the work ethic he’s displayed over the years means he’ll have plenty of options, if that’s still on the infield or out in center field, potentially. We’re also not out on his abilities from the mound, either, as we’ve seen him thrive from the rubber on multiple occasions.

Like Kuglitsch, this is the type of talent that can benefit from another dedicated offseason and we’re excited to see him on the other side of it in 2026.

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IMPACT ARMS

+ Colton Semmelmann, LHP, Brookfield Central; South Carolina: Remaining the fourth ranked prospect inside the state, the athletic left-hander has seen his stock rise over the course of the summer, flashing feel for four pitches. All armed with upside as he continues to gain velocity and confidence in each offering.

He regularly uses a low-90s fastball with carry while being able to locate the pitch to different spots in the zone and a mid-70s curveball that has been his go-to secondary and has shown to be a swing and miss option across multiple outings. The changeup is another potential option against both handed batters, the low-80s offering features heavy and late fading action while being thrown out of the same window as the fastball. The cutter has been a new addition to the arsenal being used in the zone with late life and cutting action.

The control/command has ticked up since the spring giving Semmelmann a starters look equipped to handle opposing batters at the next level. Already one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in the area, an uptick in velocity would firmly place Semmelmann in draft discussions heading into the spring.

+ Cameron Carter, RHP/OF, Arrowhead; Illinois-Chicago: Moving inside the Top-10, the 6-foot-4 athlete the combination of present stuff paired with further upside. Armed with a lively low-90s fastball that flashes carry from a high slot with a swing and miss breaking ball that he throws at velocity creating significant depth sitting in the low-80s and reaching 84 mph with the pitch. The changeup is thrown in the mid-80s.

(2024 Future Games)

The ability to create depth at velocity with his secondaries separates the right-handers stuff while giving him multiple options to get hitters out. Continuing to gain feel to locate each pitch in the zone on top of additional physical development would firmly place Carter among the top right-handers in the region.

+ Montgomery O’Brien, LHP, Wauwatosa East; Notre Dame: Athletic left-handed pitcher with a live arm and a fastball that beats hitters in the zone. The 6-foot-2 lefty offers remaining projection to the frame to go along with a quick and twitchy arm and a lively low-90s fastball that routinely beats hitters when thrown in the zone, the breaking ball has flashed swing and miss action when used as well. An increased ability to locate and command his arsenal would allow O’Brien to pitch deeper into games ultimately giving the left-hander a better chance to start at the next level.

+ Cail Geiger, RHP, Menomonee Falls; Yale: An arrow up prospect following the summer circuit with recent standout performances at both the Senior Future Games and the Wisconsin State Games. The right-hander competes in the zone with three pitches including a low-90s fastball with a firm two-plane breaking ball that has been a swing and miss pitch the entire summer while flashing a heavy fading changeup with upside as another potential weapon in the arsenal. The strikes and ability to locate the pitches throughout the zone had ticked up throughout the summer circuit, now looking like a useful arm right away at the next level.

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IMPACT BATS

+ Winston Alonso, INF, Reedsburg Area; uncommitted: An advanced left-handed hitter with feel to hit against both velo and spin, also one of the youngest prospects in the class to pair. Looking to do damage at the plate with easy twitch and visible bat speed and a knack for finding the barrel and continued gains in the power department. An improving defender in the dirt with quality actions and experience at multiple spots across the field.

+ Trey Kerkhoff, INF, Burlington; Purdue: Kerkhoff has been one of the top performing bats over the summer circuit and a steady presence in the middle of the order while playing quality defense at multiple spots in the infield. Strong 6-foot-1 athlete with easy speed and twitch testing near the top of the class across every athletic test with feel to hit from the right side with an increased feel to elevate and drive the ball in the air.

+ Caleb Liggon, INF/OF, Vel Phillips Memorial; Bradley: Sharing nearly identical athletic traits as his twin brother Ezra, Caleb is also a twitchy athlete with 6.42 speed with improving feel to hit and impact the baseball. The right-handed hitter has been a constant presence at the plate throughout the year with an uptick in extra base hits driving the baseball more consistently. The athletic profile helps Caleb defensively giving him a number of potential homes across the diamond, a left-side of the infielder by trade with athleticism and footspeed to play at nearly any position of the field including centerfield.

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THE TOP-15

VIEW THE COMPLETE WISCONSIN 2026 RANKINGS HERE

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