Minnesota’s top high school baseball players: Meet the state’s best pitchers
Over the next week, we’ll be taking a look at some of the top players across the Minnesota baseball scene this season. This list will cover the state’s premiere pitchers.
There are hundreds of standout baseball players in Minnesota and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive.
The following athletes will be included in our "Who is the top pitcher in Minnesota high school baseball" poll.
Note: Some statistics have been updated more recently than others by nature of variance in games played.
Mike Miller, senior, St. Thomas Academy
Miller, a Duke University commit, boasted a 2.49 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 39 innings last season.
“Miller has developed into one of the most dominant pitchers in Minnesota high school baseball,” coach Bobby Thompson said. “With a fastball sitting in the low 90s and a wicked curveball, Miller has competed in some of the biggest games for Saint Thomas Academy over the last two seasons.”
Thompson went on to say Miller has become a positive and energetic ambassador for the program.
Cale Haugen, senior, Esko
Cole Haugen is a three-year starter and Minnesota State commit. Last season he batted .465 with a .606 OBP and .901 SLG. He knocked in 32 RBIs and stole 21 bases with six homers.
On the mound last season he turned in a .8333 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 42 innings.
“Plays the game the right way: Hard, yet he keeps his emotions in check and carries himself as a baseball player should,” coach Ben Haugen said.
Cole Haugen broke several season records last year as a junior, both offensively and as a pitcher, and was named to the all-state teams. He also has a chance to break several career records this year, including strikeouts on the mound and home runs.
“He can run his fastball into the low 90's, can play anywhere in the field, and hits for power and average as well as demonstrating characteristics that makes him a prototypical leadoff hitter,” Ben Haugen said.
Nate Soelter, junior, Fairmont
The junior has pitched 29 1/3 innings and allowed 22 hits and 7 earned runs for a 1.67 ERA.
Oliver Giel, senior, Orono
Giel is a right-hander committed to playing at the University of Minnesota.
Tristan Augedahl, senior, Caledonia
Augedahl is a freak-of-nature lefty who stands at 6-foot-8. The senior racked up 84 strikeouts last season, finishing 4-1. This season, in 17 innings, he’s 3-0 with a .088 era and 38 strikeouts.
“Tristan has been an impact pitcher since he was a sophomore and this year is hitting elite numbers and he is looking to be one of the best pitchers in our area, but also the state,” coach Shawn Bauer said.
Augedahl is a South Dakota State commit.
Will Haas, sophomore, Rockford Area Schools
Last season as a freshman Haas had a 1.34 ERA in 41 innings pitched with 68 strikeouts and just 21 hits conceded. He was the ace and also manned the outfield.
“He has tremendous upside and the chance to go far in baseball,” coach Cody Hallahan said. He is highly recruited already as a sophomore and was recently listed by Prep Baseball Report as the No. 1 prospect for Minnesota in 2025.
Wesley Johnson, junior, Sartell-St. Stephens
Johnson, a righty, was Sartell St. Stephens’ ace last season as a sophomore. He went 8-1 as a starter last season with a 1.31 ERA.
“(He) has great movement on his fastball,” coach Jerome Nemanich said.
Tyler Phelps-Hemmesch, senior, Sartell-St. Stephens
Phelps-Hemmesch helped round-out a talented pitching group at Sartell St. Stephens last season and looks to continue to do the same this year.
He did, however, miss a good chunk of the year with injury last season, so this year will serve as a bounce back. He’s got a fastball that sits in the high 80s/low 90s, and he is committed to the University of Minnesota.
Trevor Lee, senior, East Ridge
Lee is committed to Wichita State and can throw a fastball, curveball and a slider. He is a top right hander in a top East Ridge team.
AJ Rasmussen, senior, Delano
Rasmussen can throw a fastball up to 89 miles per hour, and he's got a breaking ball and a changeup in his arsenal to match.
Will Whelan, senior, Centennial
Whelan is another University of Minnesota commit. He plays both pitcher and first base and in his first start this season went six innings with zero hits and 17 strikeouts.
He is also 2-of-6 at bat this season with a run, RBI and two walks.
Wilson Magers, junior, Mankato West
Both a pitcher and a shortstop for Mankato West, Magers is, “about as coachable of a kid you can ask for,” according to coach Scott Kaminski. He’s 1-0 as a starter this season, striking out 12.
“Whether it is playing catch or pitching in the biggest game, his attention to detail is phenomenal,” Kaminski. “As one of the captains on the team, he is the vocal one who the team listens to. When Wilson has mastered the simple things in baseball, he accepts new challenges. There is not an ask too small or a task too big for Wilson. He is a special player and a great young man who means a lot to West Baseball.”
Andrew Rakow, senior, Champlin Park
Rakow is one of the top lefties in the state, and he is committed to Creighton, and his fastball can push 90 miles per hour.
Ian Regal, senior, Rochester Mayo
Regal is committed to Nebraska, and he can also be proficient at the plate.
Adam Puder, senior, Blaine
Puder’s a three-year starter for Blaine. He batted .353 with a .895 slugging percentage last season. He turned in a 1.47 ERA on the mound as well and at shortstop, fielded at .998%.
“He has demonstrated exceptional leadership both on and off the field,” coach Ted Erickson said. “With three years of starting experience at Blaine he became the first two-year captain in the school's history.”
He will play next season at University of St. Thomas.
Max Arlich, junior, East Ridge
Arlich is committed to Texas A&M University. His fastball pushes 90 miles per hour, and his 200-pound frame makes his a powerful left-hander.
Nick Terhaar, sophomore, Proctor
At 15-years-old, coach Adam Shykes said Terhaar has, “one of the most electric arms in all of Minnesota.” He’s equipped with a fastball in the 87-90 mile-per-hour range, but Shykes said the gun has clocked him in the mid 90s in the outfield at times.
This upcoming summer he’ll be representing the U16/U17 USA National Team Development Program.
“He is probably the most gifted 15-year-old I have ever seen in my life,” Shykes said. “He stands about 6’3 and 215 lbs. With this frame he will only continue to throw harder and harder. He just isn’t a kid who throws hard and doesn’t know where the ball is going, he has great command with all of his pitches.”
Sam George, senior, New Life Academy
George is both an outfielder and pitcher who is committed to Iowa Central Community College. He’s already thrown a complete game shutout this season and in the same game he went 4-of-4 at the plate with two singles, a double and a home run with two RBIs.
Last season in 49 innings, he had 72 strikeouts with a 2.255 ERA and opponent batting average of .200. He also hit .345 with three homers. 17 RBIs and six stolen bases and an OBP of .519.
Sam Stockman, junior, Elk River
The left-hander is one of the best juniors in Minnesota, and he is committed to the University of Utah.
Isaiah Hasz, senior, Pine City
As a junior third baseman and pitcher last season, Hasz batted .492 with five doubles, two homers and on the mound turned in a .70 ERA in 40 innings with 78 strikeouts. He is a Gustavus College commit.
“Isaiah is a very good two-way player who has worked hard and put in a lot of time on the diamond,” coach Ted Hasz said. “Isaiah is our shutdown pitcher and bats three in our lineup. He is one of the best third basemen in the area.”
Jake Reigert, junior, East Ridge
Reigert is the No. 2 prospect in Minnesota in the class of 2024, and he's the top pitcher. Reigert is committed to Ole Miss.
Jack Morris, junior, Shakopee
Morris is committed to Clemson, and he is one of many top right-handed pitchers in the class of 2024.
Caleb Koskie, junior, Benilde-St. Margaret's
Koskie doubles as an outfielder, but he possess a strong arm on the mound as well. He is the the son of former Minnesota Twin Corey Koskie.
Cole Spitzer, senior, St. Paul Central
Last season as a pitcher, Spitzer saw 40 innings. He gave up 22 hits, striking out 79 with an ERA of .689 and WHIP of .934. As a hitter he was .344 on the plate with a .512 OBP and 1.043 OPS to go along with nine RBIs.
Spitzer also plays center field and is a University of Wisconsin Milwaukee commit — the first Division I commit out of Central in coach Adam Hunkins 17 seasons.
“Cole has made our entire program strive for more and to realize that hard work can get you to where you want to go,” Hunkins said.
Riley Leatherman, junior, Wayzata
Leatherman is committed to North Carolina and one of the top right-handers in the state.
Ashton Detloff, sophomore, Perham
Detloff is a force on the mound. A 6-foot-4, 200-pound lefty, he was an all-conference player last season going 4-0 in conference with a 1.42 ERA.
According to coach James Mulcahy, Detloff will likely be Perham’s ace throughout 2023, as well.
Isaac Morton, senior, Spring Lake Park
Morton is committed to Texas A&M University, and the right hander has a tall 6-foot-3 frame to work with on the mound.
Eli McCool, senior, La Crescent-Hokah
An all-conference player with “tremendous speed and an amazing arm,” according to coach Ryan Niedfeldt, McCool is La Crescent-Hokah’s ace. McCool is also a leadoff hitter and the team’s captain.
Last season at the plate he was .347 with .460 OBP, 17 total runs and 15 stolen bases.
Andrew Weber, junior, St. Agnes
Weber has started this season with an impressive 29 1/3 innings pitched and a 0.24 ERA.
Weston Russell, senior, St. Anthony Village
Russell is both a righty pitcher and a shortstop for St. Anthony has “above average arm skills and athleticism,” according to assistant coach Douglas Schildgen.
Next season he will attend Feather River Community College. Rusell boasts a 1.56 ERA with a total of 271 strikeouts in 171 innings pitched. At the plate he’s a .338 hitter with a .433 OBP.
“Weston is a quiet leader who prefers to let his on field play do his talking for him,” Schildgen. He has been all-conference three of his four seasons.
Matthew Totten, junior, Prior Lake
Totten is committed to Purdue, and he is a top-10 prospect in the Minnesota high school Class of 2024.
Jack Butler contributed to this article.
