On Nov. 12th, thousands of high school baseball players across the country signed to lock in their commitments to their respective schools, with many of these signings hailing from Wisconsin.

Over the next few days, we will spend some time highlighting the names from Wisconsin that signed to play baseball at the Division I level. We’ll do so by breaking these names up by conference, continuing today with the Horizon League.

WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE

The Panthers continued to secure notable in-state talent, leading all Division I programs with seven recruits from Wisconsin. There is no shortage of arms in this signing class, as the Panthers add three key pitchers to bolster their staff: RHP Mason Schmidt (Somerset), RHP Tanner Effertz (Whitnall), and LHP Tanner Buhlman (Arrowhead).

Tanner Buhlmann LHP / Arrowhead, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 43 / POS: 6                                  Buhlmann, an athletic 5-foot-10, 172-pound left-hander with room to fill out, offers significant upside with the ability to consistently fill the zone with three pitches. Currently ranked No. 43 in the state, Buhlmann played a key role on a strong Arrowhead pitching staff that featured RHP Peter Kussow (Louisville) and Cameron Carter (Illinois-Chicago). The left-hander presents an intriguing three-pitch mix, frequently missing barrels with his mid-80s fastball. He complements it with a big-breaking, sweeper-style curveball and a heavy changeup that dives at the plate. From 4/12/25: “Wisconsin-Milwaukee commit, currently ranked No. 44 in the state’s senior class, listed at a strong and athletic 5-foot-10, 172 pound frame. Started on the mound and struck out six batters over four shutout innings, walking three batters. Fluid delivery on the mound with feel to locate his entire arsenal in the zone, the fastball worked 82-85 mph with life out of the hand, while spinning a low-70s breaking ball in the zone and a firm heavy changeup in the mid-70s.”

Tanner Effertz RHP / Whitnall, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 25 / POS: 8                 Effertz, the No. 25-ranked player in the state of Wisconsin, turned heads on the mound at the Senior Future Games for Team Heartland, showcasing a lively four-pitch arsenal with swing-and-miss potential. Displaying a long-levered 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame with strength throughout, the right-hander is also a standout athlete on the gridiron as a quarterback. On the mound, he displays a strong feel for spin and movement across his arsenal, featuring an upper-80s to low-90s fastball (topping 92 mph) with arm-side run and a max horizontal movement of 18.8 inches. He also features a high-spin curveball/slider combination, averaging 2,600-2,700+ rpm with both pitches, along with a deceptive changeup that he can consistently locate for strikes. From 11/3/25: “Currently ranked No. 20 in Wisconsin’s 2026 class. Presenting a strong-bodied, imposing 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame, Effertz displayed some feel for spin with his fastball-curveball combo. His fastball was 87-91 mph with a 2,430 rpm max spin rate, and a 19.3” IVB max. He also employed a sharp curveball at 72-76 mph with a 2,770 rpm max, and a -21.1” horizontal movement max. Effertz finished with only one hit and one run allowed, securing two strikeouts through his two innings of work.”

Mason Schmidt RHP / Somerset, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 22 / POS: 7                                     Schmidt, a former member of Team Wisconsin at the Future Games, is a lively arm who has remained firmly on our staff’s radar. Currently ranked No. 22 in the state, the right-hander has consistently proven to compete at a high level in front of our staff, earning Third Team All-State honors. Listed at a physically imposing 6-foot-5, 204-pound frame with room to continue filling out, the projectable right-hander will be an intriguing arm to follow as he develops. On the mound, Schmidt features an effective four-pitch arsenal that has demonstrated the ability to produce whiffs. He works primarily with a fastball/sinker combination in the upper-80s (topping 91 mph), with the sinker tunneling effectively off the fastball. His mix is rounded out by a sweeping slider and a heavy, fading changeup that has reached 19.5 inches of max horizontal movement. From 7/31/25: “A lean, long-levered 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame with more room to fill out. The Wisconsin-Milwaukee commit works from an up-tempo, fluid delivery with a high leg kick with coil and tuck. Drop-and-drive move into a cross-fire throwing motion creating deception. ¾ slot with a long, clean arm-action. True three-pitch mix. The fastball had above average extension sitting 87-89mph and topped 89.7 with ride and run generating swing and misses at the top of the zone. Added a sweeping slider at 75-76 mph with a max spin rate of 2,294 and a changeup with ASR and fade at 77-78 mph with a max of 19.5 inches of horizontal movement. Finished the day throwing two scoreless innings while striking out two batters and allowing no hits.”

The Panthers also deepened their infield depth by adding three key signees to the position group in SS Ian Kawczynski (Catholic Memorial), SS Brayden Alivo (St. Thomas More), and SS Jake Cummins (Milton).

Brayden Alivo SS / St. Thomas More, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 30 / POS: 6                                       Alivo, another Future Games alum, is a projectable middle infielder who provides defensive depth for the Panthers while also offering strong bat-to-ball skills. With a durable 5-foot-10, 183-pound frame and strength already present throughout, Alivo still has room to continue adding to his build. At the plate, the right-hander features some easy pull-side power with the ability to leverage the ball, posting a 95.8 mph max exit velocity with an 84 mph average. Defensively, he offers reliable range up the middle, complemented by a steady glove and a solid arm that has reached 86 mph across the diamond. From 9/24/25: “INF Brayden Alivo (St. Thomas More, 2026; Wisconsin-Milwaukee) currently ranked No. 38 in the state’s senior class, standing at 5-foot-10, 183-pounds with mature strength throughout his frame. Started the day running a 7.24 60-yard dash, improving his previous time from last year. At the plate, the right-handed hitter took a loud round of BP with consistent elevated contact to the pull side, launching a number of home runs during his round. Alivo consistently worked in rhythm with feel to repeat with ease, the ball jumped off the barrel reaching a max exit velocity of 95.8 mph off the bat. Defensively the infielder played with confident and steady actions with fluid feet while flashing range to his glove side, arm played from the left-side of the diamond with accuracy while topping out at 84 mph.”

Jake Cummins SS / 2B / Milton, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 39 / POS: 7                                               Cummins, an athletic middle infielder, offers plus fielding and strong barrel control, making him a valuable addition for the Panthers. Presenting a compact 5-foot-9, 161-pound frame with plenty of room to add on strength, the right-hander shows plenty of upside as he continues to mature into his frame. At the plate, the right-handed hitter employs a contact-oriented approach that makes him a tough out for opposing pitchers. The Future Games alum has registered a max exit velocity of 89 mph with an 85 mph average in-event. On the defensive side, Cummins displays notable defensive prowess up the middle, covering ground to both sides with ease while pairing a clean glove with accurate throws across the diamond. From 4/22/25: “Wisconsin-Milwaukee recruit, currently ranked No. 27 in the state’s junior class, listed at an athletic and lean 5-foot-9 161 pound frame with room for added strength. At the plate, the right-handed hitter went 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI, including a double on a fly ball to left field in the top of the third inning that drove in a run from second base. He displays quick hands and a compact swing with strong barrel action. In the field one of the top defenders in the class, showing natural actions up the middle and soft hands and an accurate arm.”

Ian Kawczynski SS / 2B / Catholic Memorial, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 14 / POS: 5                                             Kawczynski, the No. 14-ranked player in the state, has seen a steady rise in the rankings since his emergence in 2023. a long-limbed, trim 6-foot, 180-pound frame with room to add strength, Kawczynski possesses notable tools across all facets of the game. He showcases twitchy athleticism on the basepaths, recording a 6.73-second 60-yard dash in-event. He also displays a mature approach at the plate, consistently producing quality at-bats in-game. Kawczynski registered a 93 mph max exit velocity with an 89.6 mph average. In the field, the right-handed shortstop shows easy range to both sides, a clean glove, and an above-average arm across the diamond at 85 mph. From 2/26/25: “One of the biggest winners of the day was UW-Milwaukee Panthers commit INF Ian Kawczynski (Catholic Memorial, 2026; UW-Milwaukee). The middle infielder looked as if he added considerable strength to his lower half and it resulted in one of the event best 60 yard dash times (6.73 seconds) and hard consistent contact throughout his round of batting practice. The right-hander’s quick and twitchy hands through the baseball resulted in rockets to all fields from an aggressive yet controlled swing. He maxed out his exit velocity at 93 mph and had an average exit velocity of 90 mph. On defense, Kawczynski continues to show burst and athleticism in the infield to go along with his soft hands and has enough arm strength to stick on the left side and/or play multiple positions around the field. Kawczynski proved why he is a name to know in the state after his performance.”

Rounding out the list of local recruits in this class for the Panthers is OF Brayden Banyai (Vel Phillips Memorial) 

Brayden Banyai OF / RHP / Vel Phillips Memorial, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 49 / POS: 11                                                 A true competitor in the outfield who should provide quality depth and energy to the roster. It’s been some time since we last saw Banyai at an event, but the tools have been evident during in-game looks by our staff. Defensively, the compact 5-foot-9, 165-pound outfielder features quick jumps and efficient routes along with a lively, accurate arm. At the plate, the right-hander shows a handsy swing with the ability to drive the ball gap to gap. Banyai also offers intrigue on the mound for the Panthers, featuring a lively upper-80s fastball (touching 88 mph) and a sharp 11/5 curveball with swing-and-miss potential. From 4/22/25: “The Milwaukee recruit had an impressive performance last week finishing 7-for-12 with three walks, two doubles, a triple, a homer, five RBIs, and five stolen bases. Wisconsin-Milwaukee commit, currently the No. 48th ranked player in the state’s junior class, standing at 5-foot-9, 165 pounds with strength. Started on the mound and tossed five innings allowing two runs, four hits, two walks while striking out two batters. Competitor on the mound, always attacking, feel to repeat and locate two pitches around the zone. The fastball played up to 88 mph early on before settling in the mid-80s later in the outing, showing feel to locate to different areas. Spinning a bigger 11/5 breaking ball in the mid-70s while working off the same plane as the fastball.”

YOUNGSTOWN STATE

Charlie McIntyre OF / OF / Whitefish Bay, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 61 / POS: 15                                                 There’s plenty for the Penguins to be excited about in projectable OF Charlie McIntyre (Whitefish Bay), who has been a steady performer for the Dukes and earned First Team All-Conference recognition this past season. At a lean 6-foot-1, 160-pound frame with room to add strength, McIntyre projects to gain additional power while maintaining his athleticism and speed. Offensively, the left-hander displays an aggressive approach, consistently looking to attack early in the count and drive the baseball. On the defensive side, McIntyre displays above-average range and fluid actions in the outfield, consistently taking efficient routes to the ball. From 5/6/25: “Youngstown State commit, currently ranked No. 83 in the state’s junior class. Athletic left-left athlete that can really defend. Hit leadoff and played center field for the Blue Dukes, defensively McIntryre gets quick jumps and takes proper and efficient routes to the baseball looking like a center fielder at the next level. At the plate, hitting leadoff the left-handed hitter looks to ambush early in counts and rarely misses in zone. More than willing to go the other way with the baseball and uses the entire field.”

RELATED CONTENT