In
the weeks leading up to the draft, Perfect Game will be providing a
detailed overview of each state in the U.S., including the District
of Columbia, as well as Canada and Puerto Rico. These overviews will
list the state's strengths, weaknesses and the players with the best
tools, as well as providing scouting reports on all Group 1 and 2
players as ranked in Perfect Game's state-by-state scouting lists.
Contributing:
Allan Simpson
Wisconsin State-by-State List
2011 Wisconsin Overview
Wisconsin
Overview:
Dairyland
slugger Mikolas stands out in prep class
Unlike
the past few years, Wisconsin's influence in the draft lies in the
prep ranks. Kenosha slugging first baseman Nathan Mikolas has been
pegged as a top-10-round pick since early in his high-school career,
while Chippewa Falls righthander Kyle Cody could also sneak into the
same range based on his lofty potential.
Wisconsin-Milwaukee,
the state's only Division I program, is expected to have only one
meaningful draft pick, closer Jordan Guth, who should be selected
anytime after the top 10 rounds. Another promising righthander, Josh
Uhen, is poised to become a premium pick next year after undergoing
Tommy John surgery in March 2011, which limited him to just 10
innings this spring.
Though
Wisconsin high schools rarely produce an abundance of draftable
talent, the decided lack of D-I colleges in the state that field
baseball teams has often led many of Wisconsin's better prep
prospects to look for greener pastures, particularly in
warmer-weather climates. There is no out-of-state college that has
tapped into Wisconsin talent more than Jacksonville University, which
features two prominent Wisconsin-bred players for this year’s draft
in outfielder Dan Gulbransen and first baseman Adam Brett Walker.
Neither play was drafted out of high school three years ago.
The
power-hitting Walker (.343-12-42), who has been on a tear lately
after starting the season slowly, is expected to be taken in the top
two or three rounds, while the less-physical but more well-rounded
Gulbransen (.324-6-33)should also go in the top 10 rounds. A third
Wisconsin product of note at Jacksonville, freshman righthander Alex
McRae (4-7, 3.43), is one of the team's most reliable starting
pitchers.
The
strength of college baseball in Wisconsin has historically been at
the NCAA Division III level. Wisconsin-Whitewater (2005) and
Wisconsin-Oshkosh (1985, 1984) have both won national championships
in the past, and though Wisconsin schools are perennial threats to
win the event, held annually in Appleton, no team advanced to this
year’s D-III World Series. There also isn’t a prominent draft
pick at any of Wisconsin’s contingent of D-III schools this year,
either, as there often has been in the past, including current
Washington Nationals starter Jordan Zimmerman.
Wisconsin
in a nutshell:
STRENGTH:
High-school talent.
WEAKNESS:
High-end talent.
OVERALL
RATING
(1-to-5 scale): 2.
BEST
COLLEGE TEAM:
Wisconsin-La Crosse.
BEST
JUNIOR-COLLEGE TEAM:
Madison College.
BEST
HIGH SCHOOL TEAM:
Bradford HS, Kenosha.
BEST
OUT-OF-STATE PROSPECT, Wisconsin Connection:
Adam Brett Walker, of/1b, Jacksonsville University (Attended high
school in Milwaukee).
Top
2013 Prospect:
Josh Uhen, rhp, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Top
2014
Prospect:
Not yet determined.
HIGHEST
DRAFT PICKS
Draft
History:
Kevin Brandt, of, Nekoosa HS (1979, Twins/1st round, 11th pick).
2006
Draft: Anthony
Butler, lhp, Oak Creek HS (Mariners/3rd round).
2007
Draft: Jordan
Zimmermann, rhp, U. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (Nationals/2nd round).
2008
Draft: Adam
Frost, ss, St. Norbert’s College (Tigers/21st round).
2009
Draft: Kevin
James, lhp, Whitefish Bay HS, Milwaukee (Rays/9th round).
2010
Draft: Tyler
Jones, rhp, Madison JC (White Sox/21st round).
2011
Draft: Cody
Koback, of, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (Red Sox/10th
round).
2011
DRAFT OVERVIEW
College
Players Drafted/Signed:
2/2.
Junior
College Players Drafted/Signed:
1/0.
High
School Players Drafted/Signed:
2/0.
TOP
PROSPECTS, GROUPS ONE and TWO
GROUP ONE (Projected
ELITE-Round Draft / Rounds 1-3)
None
GROUP TWO (Projected
HIGH-Round Draft / Rounds 4-10)
1. NATHAN MIKOLAS,
1b/of, Bradford HS, Kenosha
After
getting pitched around extensively as a high-school sophomore, rarely
getting a pitch to hit, Mikolas decided to participate in Perfect
Game's Wisconsin Spring League last year prior to joining Georgia’s
nationally-renowned East Cobb program for its extensive summer
schedule to receive more experience against increased levels of
competition. He has returned to his high-school team this spring, and
has played an important role as that team has become the top prep
team in the state. Mikolas has one of the more-mature approaches to
hitting in the country, with a disciplined eye at the plate. He
rarely gets fooled. He also exhibits very good bat speed and
consistently squares up balls with good pull power and the ability to
smoke line drives from gap-to-gap. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds,
Mikolas isn't an especially imposing specimen, but with pronounced
sloped shoulders and long, strong arms and legs he looks like a
professional hitter. He profiles best at first base, and may see
extensive time as a DH as he continues to progress. He has committed
to play in college at Louisville, but is also a candidate in rounds
4-8 in the draft.
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