High School

Inside Braylon Brantner's Perfect Game and The Calm That Fuels Him

The behind the scenes look at a special outing by a junior baseball star at Hortonville High School in Wisconsin

Sam Heyn

Braylon Brantner steps on the mound at Commercial Club Park, home of the Hortonville Polar Bears.
Braylon Brantner steps on the mound at Commercial Club Park, home of the Hortonville Polar Bears. / Braylon Brantner

Before Hortonville High School's Braylon Brantner stepped foot on the mound Tuesday night, he had no clue what was about to happen.

"Nothing was really different on this day until my pregame bullpen," Brantner said. "I felt like I was able to put the baseball wherever I wanted to with every single one of my pitches, and from that moment on I knew it would be a good day."

It turned out to be a historic one.

Brantner retired all 21 batters he faced against Appleton West, throwing a perfect game on just 71 pitches, 52 of them for strikes. Striking out 10 batters along with it, he solidifies his name into Hortonville history with one of the cleanest starts you can imagine.

But when asked about what stood out most to him, Brantner didn't start with his own stuff; he praised his defense immediately.

"Without those guys in the field I wouldn’t have been able to throw the game I did, he said. They’ve been super consistent all year and we wouldn’t be winning as many games as we are without them."

Brantner has been on the radar in Wisconsin’s 2026 high school class for awhile. His arsenal consists of a mid-to-upper-80s fastball along with a curve and changeup in the low-80s, with the changeup being a common use against left-handed hitters.

His mindset and overall approach to pitching isn't fueled by the usual hype or intensity a game simply allows for, or even the modeling of another player, but it is rather built around the small things that make him feel grounded.

"I've really tried to find those things that work best for me and make my own game and pitching style out of it," he said.

His personal routine includes subtle but meaningful rituals, like drawing a cross in the dirt behind the mound before every start.

"Seeing it gives me a sense of calmness and helps me get through various struggles I may be having during that day," he said. "But it is also a reminder to honor my faith with everything I do."

He also warms up to the music of country artist Megan Moroney; not out of superstition, but simply because he's a fan, and her music helps him stay loose before the game.

Brantner's growth has also been shaped by roughly five years of training at Impact Sports Academy in Green Bay, a facility that hosts offseason training and summer tournaments for youth looking to develop and sharpen their skills. He has worked closely with professional players such as Erik Cordier, Ryan Fritze, and Jason Berken.

"They have greatly contributed to my development as a pitcher and I definitely wouldn't be the pitcher I am today without them," he said.

And while the box score will remember perfection on that day, his favorite moment came after the last out, sharing a quiet and personal celebration with the person who's been there from the start.

As soon as the game ended, he made his way to the stands.

"The first thing I did after the game was that I went and gave my dad a hug," he said. "He's always been there for me since I started playing baseball many years ago, so it was a special moment that I got to share with him."

Brantner's perfect game may have turned heads across the state, but for him, it was just another step in a long process that is built on routine and trust in his people around him. The numbers were flawless, but the mindset behind them is what makes his story worth telling.

He's not locked in on any specific college just yet, but he's keeping his eyes open.

"I am excited for any and all opportunities that come my way," he said.

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- Sam Heyn | samuelheyn@gmail.com | @sam_heyn

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Sam Heyn
SAM HEYN

Sam Heyn is a sports reporter based in Iowa City, IA, currently in his fourth-year at the University of Iowa. Along with reporting for The Daily Iowan, their student newspaper, he previously wrote for Iowa's News Now in Cedar Rapids, IA and live commentated for Fuller Digital Solutions in Cherokee, IA. Sam has been writing since 2025.

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