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Kaukauna senior Kaden Kress has been voted High School On SI Wisconsin Baseball’s Player of the Year after a fan poll held July 2–16. The second baseman’s clutch play helped Kaukauna capture the WIAA Division 1 title this spring, and the award recognizes a season that ended a seven-decade championship drought for the program.
The fan vote put Kress well ahead of the field: he received 52% of ballots, while Verona pitcher Landon Lassahn finished second with 32%. Three players tied for third at 2% apiece.
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Kress delivered one of the defining performances of the season in the D1 title game at Fox Cities Stadium, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs as Kaukauna beat Madison Memorial 11–5 on June 18. The win gave the Galloping Ghosts their second program championship and their first since 1953.
Across the season Kress was a Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association third-team all-state pick and was a key contributor to Kaukauna’s 24–7 record, a second-place finish in the Fox Valley Association, and the state crown.
Top vote-getters
- Kaden Kress, Kaukauna (Sr., 2B) — 52% of the fan vote; standout in the WIAA Division 1 championship and a WBCA third-team all-state selection.
- Landon Lassahn, Verona (Sr., P) — 32%; WBCA first-team pick who helped Verona to a strong conference finish and postseason run.
- Jace Mataczynski, Hudson (Sr., SS) — tied for third (2%).
- Brett Paulsen, Kewaunee (Sr., P) — tied for third (2%).
- Dominic Santarelli, Kenosha St. Joseph (Sr., OF/1B) — tied for third (2%).
Beyond the vote totals, the selection reflects a season where team results mattered: voters rewarded players who led deep playoff pushes and conference titles across Wisconsin’s four divisions.
Other nominees and their 2026 seasons
Below are the remaining nominees considered in the fan poll, along with the on-field accomplishments that defined their seasons.
- Jack Brenner, Fond du Lac (Sr., C) — WBCA first-team; Fond du Lac finished third in the Fox Valley Association and reached the D1 quarterfinals (21–9).
- Cayden Burtness, Pewaukee (Jr., INF) — WBCA second-team; shared Woodland Conference (West) and won the WIAA Division 2 state title (30–2).
- Ira Hilbelink, Cedar Grove-Belgium (Jr., DH/UTL) — WBCA first-team; Big East Conference champion and D3 state champion (23–5).
- Parker Lawson, Bay Port (Sr., P) — WBCA second-team; Fox River Classic Conference champ, sectional finals berth (24–4).
- Maddux Lessard, Muskego (Sr., C) — WBCA second-team; Classic 8 champion and D1 state semifinalist (25–5).
- Dawson Luther, Pittsville (Sr., OF) — WBCA first-team; Central Wisconsin Conference (South) winner and regional finals berth (22–5).
- Jon Murkowski, Germantown (Sr., OF) — WBCA first-team; Greater Metro Conference champ and deep postseason run (27–1).
- Calvin Roth, Stevens Point (Sr., INF) — WBCA first-team; Wisconsin Valley Conference champion and sectional semifinal berth (25–6).
- Mason Schmidt, Somerset (Sr., P) — WBCA second-team; Middle Border runner-up and D2 state semifinalist (20–10).
- Cooper Sievert, Wisconsin Lutheran (Jr., INF) — WBCA third-team; Woodland Conference (West) runner-up and sectional finals berth (20–7).
- Braun Wotruba, Pulaski (Jr., INF) — WBCA second-team; second in the Fox River Classic and a regional finals appearance (18–10).
- Brett Paulsen, Kewaunee (Sr., P) — WBCA first-team; Packerland Conference champion and sectional semifinalist (28–1).
- Dominic Santarelli, Kenosha St. Joseph (Sr., OF/1B) — WBCA first-team; share of the Metro Classic Conference and a D2 state title-game berth (25–7).
- Jace Mataczynski, Hudson (Sr., SS) — WBCA first-team; Big Rivers Conference champion and sectional semifinal berth (22–4).
- Others — nominees included standouts from programs across the state who earned WBCA honors and led conference or postseason runs.
Why this matters now: high school postseason awards shape recruiting visibility, community recognition and, in many cases, players’ next steps in college baseball. Kress’s Player of the Year honor highlights both individual performance in a pressure moment and the broader program milestone for Kaukauna.
Selection of the full all-state list used information provided by the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association and Bound.com; the fan poll reflected public voting conducted July 2–16, 2026.
