The Illinois 2023 Prep Baseball Report First Team All-State squad features a talented group of prospects that helped their respective teams to successful seasons. Our All-State teams pull from the entire state and all classifications.

The players below, we believed, were the most dominant at their respective positions. Some positions were more loaded than others, especially outfielders and catchers this year. We took into account several different metrics: overall performance, statistics, and strength of schedule/competition.

The All-State teams are geared more towards statistical performance, otherwise they’d just be a direct reflection of our PBR Player Rankings, which rank players on pure ability/prospect status only. We’ve also strongly considered the defensive play of several players, something that gets thrown out the window at times during all-area or all-conference debates.

Over the next few days we will also unveil our second and third teams.

Without further ado, a look at the 2023 First Team All-State selections:

PITCHERS

Blake Wolters RHP / Mahomet Seymour, IL / 2023 POS IP W/L H K BB ERA WHIP POS AVE 2B HR RBI SB RHP  48.2 7-1 13 106 14 0.43 0.56 OF .440 10 9 39 24 The Arizona signee lands on our all-state list yet again after a dominant season, one that earned him our 2023 PBR Illinois Player of the Year award. Wolters hurled 48 ⅔ innings, punching out 106 batters, while walking only 14. He surrendered 13 total hits and allowed just three earned runs (0.43 ERA) while holding his opposition to a .079 batting average. Wolters threw three no-hitters, including a 13-strikeout masterpiece to secure back-to-back Apollo Conference titles for Mahomet-Seymour. Aside from his upper-90s heat and swing-and-miss slider, Wolters batted .440 on the year with nine home runs, 10 doubles, 39 RBIs, and he stole 24 bags, too. After drawing plenty of professional attention each time he took the mound this spring, Wolters is likely to hear his name called highly in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Josh McDevitt RHP / Effingham , IL / 2023 POS IP W/L H K BB ERA WHIP RHP  80.1 10-2 36 140 26 0.60 0.77 McDevitt was the anchor for an Effingham squad that made a run to the 3A state playoffs and he emphatically put the finishing touches on a decorated high school career this past season. The Missouri signee totaled 80 ⅓ innings, striking out 140 while surrendering 36 hits. He allowed just seven earned runs this season, pitching to a 0.60 ERA and 0.77 WHIP. McDevitt’s arsenal is loud; he features a low-to-mid-90s fastball with life up in the zone and a true biting breaking ball that can miss bats at the next level. He’s one of the top arms in the Illinois’ 2023 class.

Cole Van Assen RHP / Brother Rice , IL / 2023 POS IP W/L H K BB ERA RHP  78 10-4 71 90 19 1.77 Headed to Purdue in the fall, Van Assen finds himself on our first team yet again, earning these same honors last year as the ace of Brother Rice’s state playoffs squad. His frontline status didn’t change, and Van Assen took the rubber in each big game for a Crusaders squad that found themselves playing in this year’s 4A state championship game. His last career start helped Brother Rice get there - a magnificent complete game shutout of New Trier where he held the Trevians to two hits and struck out nine. He’s one of the higher pitchability arms in the state, turning to any offering in his four-pitch arsenal in all counts to any given hitter. On the year, Van Assen went 10-4 with a 1.77 ERA and he struck out 90 over 78 innings pitched.

Ethan Eberle LHP / Normal Community, IL / 2024 POS IP W/L H K BB ERA WHIP LHP  52 8-0 12 105 17 0.14 0.56 Eberle was nothing short of fantastic in his junior year and played a major role in Normal Community making it as far as their sectional semi-final. The Louisville commit, who’s one of the top arms in the Illinois’ 2024 class, allowed two runs in total this spring and just one of them was earned. Across 52 innings of work, Eberle finished 8-0 with a 0.14 ERA, 0.56 WHIP, and 105 strikeouts. He threw four complete games, all of them shutouts, and he allowed only 12 hits while walking 17. He features a low-to-mid-80s fastball with plenty of natural horizontal movement and compliments it with two above-average secondaries. Eberle is an early candidate to find himself on this again after next high school season.

CATCHER

Jimmy Janicki C / Downers Grove North, IL / 2024 POS AVE 2B 3B HR RBI K OBP SLG C .488 14 2 6 53 9 .496 .776 Janicki was the standout in a loaded Downers Grove North lineup, capturing the WSC Silver Conference Player of the Year award en route to putting together a loud offensive season in his junior campaign. In 125 at-bats, Janicki slashed .488/.496/.776 with 22 extra-base hits, including 14 doubles and six home runs. His 53 RBIs were amongst the highest in the entire state and a Downers Grove North school record. He also swatted a walk-off two-run home run in the regional championship game to keep the Trojans’ season alive. Aside from his efforts at the plate, Janicki is one of the top defensive backstops in the state, regardless of class. Committed to Troy, Janicki figures to be a force for Downers Grove North yet again next season.

FIRST BASEMAN

Riley Iffrig 1B / Edwardsville, IL / 2023 POS AVE 2B 3B HR R RBI BB K OBP SLG 1B  .369 7 1 8 41 51 36 15 .544 .667 For consecutive seasons, Iffrig was a key component of Edwardsville’s state championship squad. Hitting in the three-hole nearly every game for the Tigers, Iffrig slashed .369/.544/.667 with 16 extra-base hits, including eight home runs, and his 51 RBIs are towards the top of the state’s leaders. He walked 36 times, and was hit by nine pitches, and struck out just 15 times, scoring 41 runs as well. Iffrig delivered for Edwardsville on multiple occasions throughout the season, including in the sectional semi-final against O’Fallon, where he swatted a pull-side home run to ignite the Tigers’ offense and plated two more runs later in the contest. Headed to Indiana State in the fall, Iffrig concludes his high school career as an integral part of two 4A state championship clubs.

MIDDLE INFIELD

Tyler Bell SS / Lincoln-Way East, IL / 2024 POS AVE 2B 3B HR R RBI BB OBP SLG SB SS .446 9 6 9 54 46 36 .577 .843 32 Bell is quickly solidifying himself as a name-to-know 2024 grad on a national scale, riding a red-hot spring to land himself on our first team all-state. The Pittsburgh commit was the catalyst for a Lincoln-Way East team that spent a large chunk of the season towards the top of our Illinois’ Power 25, slashing .446/.577/.843 with nine doubles, six triples, and nine home runs. Bell drove in 46 runs and scored 54 times on his own, walking 36 times while also chipping in 32 stolen bases. He did all of that while also being an asset defensively, starting at shortstop for the Griffins and playing it at an advanced rate. Currently the No. 2 overall 2024 graduate in Illinois, and No. 69 nationally, Bell should draw plenty of professional interest throughout the summer circuit and into next spring.

Dayton Murphy SS / Crystal Lake South , IL / 2024 POS AVE 2B 3B HR R RBI BB K OBP SB SS .455 14 5 2 50 33 14 4 .541 34 The spark plug for the Gators’ offense, Murphy backed up a strong sophomore campaign at Crystal Lake South with an even better one, capturing all-state honors in his junior year. He slashed .455/.541/.723 in 112 at-bats, scoring 50 runs and swiping 34 bags. Murphy provided some thump, totaling 21 extra-base hits, and he brought home 33 runs on his own, too. Aside from his offensive efforts, Murphy is a savvy, sure-handed defender on the infield that’ll stick on the dirt at the next level. The PBR Future Games alum is one of the state’s top 2024 prospects and is committed to Michigan State.

THIRD BASEMAN

Jake Zitella 3B / St. Charles East, IL / 2023 POS AVE 2B 3B HR R RBI BB K OBP SLG 3B .484 13 1 9 32 39 19 7 .570 .945 Zitella’s carrying tool is his raw power, as the Illinois’ signee swings a highly physical right-handed barrel and showed that throughout the spring. The main offensive threat on a St. Charles East squad who comfortably slotted inside the Power 25 as the season progressed, Zitella slashed .484/.570/.945 in 91 at-bats, swatting nine home runs and driving in 39. He doubled 13 times too and walked (19) more than twice as much as he struck out (7). In a live look earlier this spring, Zitella looked the part defensively at third base, adding even more positive contributions for the Saints this season. Zitella is headed to Illinois in the fall and is currently the 14th overall prospect in the state’s 2023 class.

OUTFIELDERS

Dillon Head OF / Homewood Flossmoor, IL / 2023 POS AVE 2B 3B HR R BB K OBP SB CF .485 10 2 6 35 15 5 .568 31 Another star-level prospect in the state’s loaded 2023 group, Head finished his high school career at Homewood-Flossmoor with yet another successful season under his belt. One of the most well-known name’s on a national scale, Head slashed .485/.568/.814 with 10 doubles, two triples, and six home runs. He struck out five times all spring, as opposed to 15 walks, and scored 35 times, swiping 31 bags as well. Aside from his silky-smooth left-handed swing, Head’s an elite defender in center field, using his advanced speed to cover ground effortlessly in the outfield. A Clemson signee, Head is likely to hear his name called on the first day of the MLB Draft in July.

Luke Stulga OF / St. Laurence , IL / 2023 POS AVE 2B 3B HR R RBI BB OBP SLG SB OF .431 21 8 8 46 55 11 .490 .900 25 Stulga was the offensive headliner for a St. Laurence offense that helped the Vikings finish the season 30-9. He led the Vikings’ in multiple offensive categories and set the school record for doubles in a season while nearly breaking the hits, RBI, and triples marks, too. Stulga won the Anthony Lawless Chicago Catholic League MVP award, earned consecutive first team all-conference honors, and was also a PBR Illinois Player of the Week earlier in the year. In 130 at-bats, Stulga finished with 56 hits, slashing .431/.490/.900 on the year with 21 doubles, eight triples, and eight home runs. Stulga’s 55 RBIs were amongst the highest in the state, regardless of class, and he scored 46 runs on his own, swiping 25 bags as well. The Illinois State signee has cemented himself as a high-end offensive producer over the past few years.

Adison Worthman OF / Bloomington , IL / 2023 POS AVE 2B 3B HR R RBI BB K OBP SB OF .467 8 2 10 68 34 30 14 .627 36 Worthman put the finishing touches on a historic high school career at Bloomington in emphatic fashion. He captured his third Big 12 Conference Player of the Year award, leading the Raiders’ offense from the top of their lineup. In 92 at-bats, Worthman totaled 43 hits, slashing .467/.627/.924 with 30 walks, 10 home runs and 34 RBIs. He scored 68 runs, which is inside the top-10 in a single season in IHSA history, and was 36-for-37 in stolen base attempts. Worthman added even more value by playing center field at times, equating to an all-around productive profile on the diamond this spring. Signed to Missouri, Worthman’s one of the top prospects in the Illinois’ 2023 class.

UTILITY

Dominic Voegele RHP / Columbia , IL / 2023 POS AVE 2B 3B HR R RBI BB K OBP SB SS .488 20 2 12 57 51 29 10 .586 23 POS IP W/L H K ER ERA WHIP RHP 67.1 10-0 43 111 10 1.04 0.86 Voegele’s career at Columbia will be one to remember and, while the years beforehand were certainly explosive, his 2023 campaign was eye-popping in all aspects. Voegele was on a shortlist of ‘Player of the Year’ candidates, leading the Eagles to the 2A state championship with excellence on both sides of the ball. He finished 10-0 on the mound, punching out 111 batters over 67 ⅓ innings with a 1.04 ERA and 0.86 WHIP. He threw five complete games, including a no-hitter, and beat multiple high-end programs on the mound this spring, including Trinity (KY), Edwardsville, Father McGivney, and DePaul College Prep. Aside from dominating on the mound, Voegele was stellar at the plate, posting a .488/.586/.961 triple-slash with 20 doubles, 12 home runs, and 51 RBIs. He scored 57 runs of his own, swiped 23 bags, and also started at shortstop when he wasn’t on the hill. Voegele was arguably the best player on the field each time he played this spring and he did nothing but solidify himself as an elite prospect in the Illinois’ 2023 class come season’s end.

Brendan Tunink OF / Newman Central Catholic, IL / 2024 POS AVE 2B 3B HR R RBI BB OBP SLG SB OF .488 6 2 18 52 50 34 .650 1.268 26 POS IP W/L H K ER ERA WHIP RHP 63 10-0 30 104 9 1.00 0.85 Tunink helped lead Newman Central Catholic to the 1A state playoffs for the first time in program history this spring and was a terror on both sides of the ball for the Comets. He slashed .488/.650/1.268, good for a 1.919 OPS, in 82 at-bats with a state-leading 18 home runs and 50 RBIs to pair. He scored 52 runs, walked 34 times, and stole 26 bases, too. Though he’s known more for his left-handed bat, Tunink anchored the Comets’ pitching staff this season as well, pitching to a 10-0 record in 63 innings of work. He posted 1.00 ERA and 0.86 WHIP, punching out 104 batters and holding his opposition to a .138 batting average against. The Notre Dame commit and PBR Future Games alum is one of the top prospects in the state’s soon-to-be senior class.

Jaden Fauske C / Nazareth Academy , IL / 2025 POS AVE 2B 3B HR R RBI OBP SLG UTL .487 17 2 3 38 38 .585 .723 POS IP K ER ERA WHIP RHP 33 49 2 0.42 0.85 As a sophomore, Fauske helped lead Nazareth Academy to consecutive 3A state champions, serving as key middle-of-the-order bat while also providing plenty of positive production on the mound. Fauske slashed .487/.585/.723 with 17 doubles, two triples, and three home runs, driving in 38 runs and scoring 38 times himself. He’s capable of playing the outfield, on the infield, and catching too, providing plenty of defensive flexibility for the Roadrunners’ in that regard. Fauske also threw 33 innings, working mostly in relief, punching out 49 batters in that span with a 0.42 ERA. The Louisville commit is one of the premier prospects in the Illinois’ 2025 class and figures to be a name who should be in consideration for these honors each of the final two seasons in his high school career.

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