Prep Baseball Report

Chicago Preseason I.D.: Statistical Analysis


By Illinois Staff

On Sunday, the PBR Illinois team hosted its second annual Chicago Preseason I.D. showcase at Pullman Community Center where over 70 prospects participated in this open event. On Tuesday, we published rapid analysis coming out of the three events from last weekend, including Chicago’s. Today, we’re detailing the top statistical performers from Chicago’s event specifically.

Keep an eye out in the next few weeks as we edit and post videos in player profiles and publish position-by-position analysis from this event. For now, take a look at the measured data collected in Chicago.

MAX FASTBALL VELOCIty

Rank Name State School Class Pos Max FB
1 Nick Walczak IL Maine South 2021 RHP 85 mph
2 Sava Dupor IL Glenbrook South 2021 RHP 84 mph
3 Wilken Benjamin III IL Mundelein 2021 OF 83 mph
^ Marty Boyle IL St. Ignatius 2021 LHP 83 mph
4 Asa Waites IL Morgan Park 2021 SS 82 mph
^ Patrick Ford IL Rolling Meadows 2022 RHP 82 mph
5 Drew Horne IL Fenwick 2022 RHP 81 mph
^ Will Hayes IL New Trier 2022 RHP 81 mph
^ Ryan Koehler IL Barrington 2021 2B 81 mph
^ Vince Waterman IL Homewood-Flossmoor 2023 LHP 81 mph

Juniors paced this leaderboard, with Maine South’s RHP Nick Walczak sitting at the top, at 85 mph. His upside frame and tight slider made him one of the day’s biggest winners, and he’s still uncommitted. Five-foot-10, 175-pound righty Sava Dupor (Glenbrook South) sat 82-83 mph, and touched 84, with some feel for his offspeed, too. Mundelein two-way junior Wilken Benjamin III has a highly projectable 6-foot-4, 175-pound frame with a loose arm that topped 83 mph on Sunday. From Rolling Meadows, RHP Patrick Forde led the sophomores who took the mound by topping 82, though fellow 2022s Will Hayes (New Trier) and Drew Horne (Fenwick) were right behind him.

TOP 60-YARD DASH

Rank Name State School Class Pos 60-yard
1 Brandon Rogers IL Mount Carmel 2022 OF 6.65
2 Kamrin Cox IL Homewood-Flossmoor 2023 RHP 6.86
3 Giacomo Fanizza IL Lake Park 2021 3B 6.98
4 Sam Petersen IL Lane Tech 2021 OF 7.00
5 Julius White IL Warren Township 2021 OF 7.04
6 Cristian Santiago IL Mundelein 2021 C 7.13
7 Jatonne Sterling Jr. IL Morgan Park 2021 C 7.16
^ Peyton Burgh IL Prospect 2022 3B 7.16
^ Sam Gossard IL New Trier 2022 OF 7.16
8 Anthony Sykes IL Bradley Bourbonnais 2021 OF 7.18

Brother Rice’s Brandon Rogers is among the best uncommitted sophomores in the state, and he was all over this event’s leaderboards. He ran a 6.65 in the 60, which easily led this group, and you’ll see for yourself where else he shined on Saturday. Freshman Kamrin Cox (Homewood-Flossmoor) motored to a 6.83 mark, an advanced time for his age. Lake Park junior Giacomo Fanizza (uncommitted) is a physical right/right prospect who burst onto leaderboards all over this showcase.

TOP EXIT VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos Exit Velo
1 Giacomo Fanizza IL Lake Park 2021 3B 95
2 Will Meyer IL Maine South 2021 OF 94
3 Benji Ries IL Stevenson 2021 C 92
^ Brandon Rogers IL Mount Carmel 2022 OF 92
4 Darryl Loyd III IL Morgan Park 2021 1B 91
^ AJ Gaca IL St. Charles East 2022 C 91
5 Harrison Kennicott IL Barrington 2021 1B 90
^ Julius White IL Warren Township 2021 OF 90

Like here… Fanizza’s 95 mph high off the tee led the way. He applied it to his round of batting practice, too, where he took aggressive, fast hacks on the barrel. Maine South OF William Meyer (2021; uncommitted) had a strong statistical day and was just one tick off Fanizza in this category. Rogers’ bat strength reared itself here, at 92 mph, tied with junior Beni Ries (Stevenson; uncommitted).

TOP INFIELD VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos INF Velo
1 Giacomo Fanizza IL Lake Park 2021 3B 83
2 Ryan Koehler IL Barrington 2021 2B 82
^ Alexander Gonzalo IL Maine South 2021 SS 82
3 Darryl Loyd III IL Morgan Park 2021 1B 80
^ Peyton Burgh IL Prospect 2022 3B 80
4 Iyari Hill IL Simeon 2021 1B 79
^ Will Hayes IL New Trier 2022 RHP 79

Here’s the third straight chart in which Fanizza is on top of, showing his overall physicality plays on defense, too. Another Maine South prospect landed near the top of a chart, too, after Alexander Gonzalo (2021; uncommitted) topped 82 mph from across the infield, tied for second with Ryan Koehler (Barrington, 2021; uncommitted).

TOP OUTFIELD VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos OF Velo
1 Brandon Rogers IL Mount Carmel 2022 OF 89
2 Sam Petersen IL Lane Tech 2021 OF 88
3 Will Meyer IL Maine South 2021 OF 87
4 Marty Boyle IL St. Ignatius 2021 LHP 85
5 Kamil Joshi IL Maine South 2021 OF 84
6 Kamrin Cox IL Homewood-Flossmoor 2023 RHP 83
^ Julius White IL Warren Township 2021 OF 83
7 Jatonne Sterling Jr. IL Morgan Park 2021 C 82

Rogers, again, stands out in a big way with some huge arm strength for a sophomore, reaching an 89 mph high on his throws home. Right behind him was Lane Tech’s Sam Peterson (2021; uncommitted), who came in second with an 88 mph high. This is also another area in which Maine South’s Meyer stood out, topping 87 mph throws home.

TOP CATCHER VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos C Velo
1 Aaron Barrera IL Lakeview 2021 C 76
2 Cristian Santiago IL Mundelein 2021 C 75
3 Colin Horneman IL Mount Carmel 2022 C 74
^ Benji Ries IL Stevenson 2021 C 74
4 AJ Gaca IL St. Charles East 2022 C 73
^ Aydin Wright IL Thornwood 2022 C 73
^ Jorge Garcia IL Chicago Bulls College Prep 2021 C 73

Lakeview junior Aaron Barrera (uncommitted) led a deep, talented group of backstops with a 76 mph high through the infield. He’s quick and clean out of the crouch with an aggressive lefty bat, too. Mundelein’s Cristian Santiago (2021; uncommitted) was the best runner inside this group (7.13) and he also swings a quiet bat with good athleticism behind the plate that works well with his arm strength. A couple more catchers were tied with a 74 mph high, including sophomore Colin Horneman (Mount Carmel; uncommitted), who also swings a simple right-handed, upside bat.

TOP POP TIMES

Rank Name State School Class Pos Pop Time
1 Aaron Barrera IL Lakeview 2021 C 2.05-2.18
2 Kyree Alexander IL Thornwood 2022 C 2.06-2.20
3 Colin Horneman IL Mount Carmel 2022 C 2.07-2.25
4 AJ Gaca IL St. Charles East 2022 C 2.08-2.28
5 Colin Leslie IL Chicago Lab 2022 C 2.11-2.15
6 Jorge Garcia IL Chicago Bulls College Prep 2021 C 2.12-2.18
7 Benji Ries IL Stevenson 2021 C 2.13-2.26
8 Matt Dworsky IL Deerfield 2022 C 2.15-2.29

Barrera’s natural backstop actions and instincts helped him average the lowest pop time of the showcase. Kyree Alexander (Thornwood, 2022; uncommitted) was among the most interesting athletes in attendance, and he has quickness and twitch attached to his entire game, including his actions out of the chute. Fellow sophomores Horneman and A.J. Gaca (St. Charles East; uncommitted) were also neck and neck, next up on the leaderboard. Gaca also swings a physical right-handed bat with aggressive intentions.

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