Wisconsin has become an underrated state for producing high-quality baseball players in recent years. The 2024 MLB draft features several promising prospects from Wisconsin, showcasing the state’s growing talent in baseball.
This year, Wisconsin could have three prep players drafted in the first seven rounds of the draft, depending on signability.
Here are three Wisconsin prep players to watch for the 2024 MLB draft.
JD Dix, SS, Whitefish Bay H.S.
JD Dix has been a standout prospect throughout his high school career. Scouts have watched Dix closely over the last three years, as he has developed into an intriguing prospect.
Dix is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound switch-hitting shortstop with an exciting toolset. He’s a quality hitter from both sides, but his left-handed swing looks slightly more advanced right now. He has prioritized taking plenty of reps from both sides of the plate in his training after almost exclusively taking in-game reps from the left side in his freshman year.
At the plate, Dix uses a slightly crouched stance and smooth swing to make hard contact and drive the ball into the gaps. He displays quality plate discipline and a mature approach. He will continue to add more power to his game as he matures physically.
Dix is a quality athlete who can impact the bases due to his speed. Scouts also rave about his work ethic and makeup. Defensively, Dix is a premium defender with the tools to stick at shortstop.
Scouts project Dix, a Wake Forest commit, as a potential second-round pick.
Read an in-depth draft profile to learn more about Dix and his skill set here.
Eddie Rynders, SS, Wisconsin Lutheran H.S.
Eddie Rynders has generated a ton of buzz this spring. The Wisconsin Lutheran High School shortstop has rapidly moved up MLB draft boards due to his well-rounded toolset and intriguing potential.
Rynders is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound left-handed-hitting shortstop with a well-rounded toolset at the plate. He has simple mechanics with little movement and uses a swing built to hit line drives and power to all fields. He also has an advanced approach with a notable eye for the strike zone.
Rynders is athletic and has improving speed, which allows him to steal bases and make an impact on the bases.
Defensively, Rynders exhibits athleticism and smooth fielding, with a notable ability to cover significant ground at shortstop. He has improved his arm strength over the last year and believes he will continue to improve in that area to develop above-average arm strength.
Scouts project Rynders, a Kent State commit, as a potential early-round pick in July’s draft.
Read an in-depth draft profile to learn more about Rynders and his skill set here.
Jack DeTienne, RHP, Verona H.S.
Jack DeTienne is a 6-foot-3, 180-pound right-handed pitcher who throws a four-seam fastball, two-seamer, curveball and changeup from an over-the-top arm slot. He boasts a lot of upside and figures to work as a starter in pro ball.
His fastballs are quality offerings that touch 96 mph with ease. His two-seamer shows really good late life. DeTienne’s spike curveball tunnels well off of his fastballs. It’s a 12-to-6 breaking pitch that projects as an above-average strikeout pitch at the next level.
DeTienne’s skill set and potential have put him in the draft spotlight. He also is a Xavier commit.
High-school right-handed pitchers are the riskiest demographic in the draft. That didn’t matter last year, though. The Minnesota Twins selected righty Dylan Questad out of Waterford High School in the fifth round of last year’s draft.
DeTienne is a special arm with tons of potential. It’s hard to project where high school right-handed pitchers will go because the demographic doesn’t have a high success rate. Scouts believe DeTienne will hear his name called in the fourth through seventh rounds if he’s signable.
Read an in-depth draft profile to learn more about DeTienne and his skill set here.
Read more in-depth stories on top 2024 MLB draft prospects at Baseball Prospect Journal.
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for nine years. He has interviewed 518 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
