2018 Overall Rankings: Illinois Analysis

December 11, 2015

By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director

Following the 2016 and 2017 rankings updates and analysis we moved onto the 2018 rankings in the state of Illinois last week. The 2018 Illinois rankings were not only updated but also expanded from 20-35 prospects. We completed our in-depth look at the state of Illinois by looking at risers and also the newcomers in the state rankings.

With the 2018 state rankings ironed out and completed, the updated 2018 overall rankings were next on the docket. The overall rankings span our current 27-state coverage area and Florida has made its presence felt in all of the overall rankings. The top three ranked prospects in the 2018 class are from Florida and 5 of the Top 10.

As the PBR coverage area continues to expand it is increasingly difficult to hold a spot in the rankings. Illinois has 11 prospects in the Top 200 of the overalls this time around. The No. 1 ranked player from Illinois is OF Alek Thomas (Mount Carmel, 2018) who finds himself in the Top 5 of the overall rankings. L/L Thomas is a smooth athlete who makes everything look easy on the diamond. Runs a 6.74 60 and has easy juice in his bat.

Two 2018’s from Illinois are currently committed with one of them being RHP Jake Rosing (Richmond-Burton) who is heading to Louisville. Rosing is the No. 2 ranked player in the state and No. 61 overall. He is an athletic right hander with a quick arm, a fastball that’s been up to 89 mph and spins a good breaking ball with feel.

There were several newcomers that jumped into the overalls for the first time. Left-handed hitting catcher Chase Stanke (Marmion) is the top newcomer from Illinois and in the Top 150 of the overalls. Stanke has a smooth left-handed stroke that stays in the hitting zone a long time and creates bat speed. At the recent Southwest Suburban Prospect I.D. he flashed pop times of 1.98-2.01, was 79 mph from the crouch and was ranked as the top overall prospect at the event.

Two other newcomers to the overall rankings were the top two prospects at the Underclass Showcase held in October. LHP/OF Steven Sanchez (Mundelein) and UTIL/RHP Scott Youngbrandt (Andrew) come in at No. 155 and No.181 overall. Sanchez is an extremely interesting 6-foot-7 L/L prospect that sat 81-82 mph and featured a big bending curveball at 67-68 mph. He also showed a compact left-handed swing with strength. Youngbrandt showed some of the best tools at the event. Offensively, simple swing with quick hands, advanced bat path and an 88 mph exit velocity. Defensively, was clocked at 86 mph from the outfield, 84 mph across the infield and was also 84 mph off the mound with a four-pitch mix. Legitimate two-way prospect at the next level.

CLICK HERE for complete 2018 overall rankings.

2018 Overall Rankings: Illinois Analysis

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