On Feb. 19, the PBR Illinois staff traveled to the Pullman Community Center in Chicago to host the Chicago Preseason ID. This event provided us an ample opportunity to check-in on some of the area’s top high school prospects and identify several new names to know as we prepare for the IHSA season, as well as future invite-only events on the PBR Illinois calendar, like Saturday’s Preseason All-State events. 

Now, at the event’s conclusion, our staff will begin the post-event process by highlighting some of the day’s standouts in this Quick Hits piece. More content from this event will be available as the week progresses, so be on the lookout for that.

For now, here are a few names that caught our attention this past Saturday.

QUICK HITS

BIG WINNERS

A trio of the top overall performances from the event came from the outfielders in attendance.

+ At the top of the list is a former Team Illinois representative at the 2021 PBR Future Games, OF William Hill (Brooks, 2023). Hill offers all kinds of upside to his game, including his long-limbed 6-foot-1, 170-pound, high-waisted frame fit with high athleticism. Hill cruised to an event-low 60-yard dash time (6.57), doing so with minimal effort. He then proceeded to show off the twitchy, upside right-handed swing we have become accustomed to seeing. Hill’s round was inconsistent at times but, when it syncs up, there is all kinds of twitch, bat speed and the ball jumps off his barrel. Hill topped at 97.2 mph off the barrel, along with a max distance of 332 feet. Hill also registered the top max bat speed at the event (76.8 mph) and third in average hand speed (22.9). On top of that, the smooth outfielder showed off easy/athletic actions and a loose arm with carry on his throws that reached an 88 mph high to home. When it comes to uncommitted position players in the Illinois’ 2023 class, Hill features one of the higher ceilings.

+ Another high-end outfielder from the event looks to be freshman Lance Moon (Brother Rice, 2025). Moon, a former PBR Junior Future Games participant, flashed dynamic athleticism and twitch in his 5-foot-9, 155-pound frame. In the outfield, Moon stood out amongst the rest, due to the bounce, quick feet, and highly athletic actions on the move that complemented the plus arm strength he flashed. Moon covered ground with ease, played through the baseball and showed off a lively arm that topped at 90 mph with all kinds of life and carry. At the plate, the right-handed hitter swings with controlled aggression, flashing loose, quick hands and sneaky pop off the bat. He registered a max exit velocity of 85.3 mph with a sweet spot rate of 60 percent. Also, Moon ran a 7.22 laser-timed 60 on what seemed to be a slightly slower track. High-follow freshman outfielder.

+ Another freshman outfielder to make his presence felt at the event was left/left Kolin Adams (Mount Carmel, 2025). Adams put together one of the more polished rounds of BP on the day, made even more impressive due to his age. Adams stays balanced through a highly repeatable swing with advanced feel for the barrel and loose, athletic hands. He sprayed hard contact to all fields while staying simple and within himself. Adams’ peak exit velocity was recorded at 83.5 mph with his average at 79.6, underscoring how much he was on the barrel throughout his round, underscored by a sweep spot rate of 72 percent, the third highest of the event. Adams' hit tool should only continue to ascend as he adds strength and physicality to his young 5-foot-8, 144-pound frame. Defensively, he showed clean, efficient actions, receptive hands and a clean, accurate arm that topped at 79 mph, and he began the day with a 7.51 time in the laser-timed 60-yard dash. This was a strong PBR event debut for the 2025 left/left prospect, and he’s a name to know moving forward.

+ Another prospect to make an impression in his first-ever PBR event was INF Brenden Beals (Barrington, 2023). The uncommitted junior put together one of the more complete showings of the event. Offensively, Beals creates more physicality in his swing than his 5-foot-8, 140-pound frame would suggest. It is a compact, contact-oriented right-handed swing with strong hands, present bat speed (72.1 mph average), and the bat stays through the hitting zone a long time, resulting in a lot of hard line-drive contact. Beals proceeded to show some of the best infield actions of the event with easy range to both sides as well as soft, confident hands and a clean arm action that plays well on the move; topped at 75 mph across the diamond and ran a 6.98 at the start of the event. Impressive PBR debut for the uncommitted junior.

+ Here’s another former PBR Junior Future Games participant who stood out on the infield: freshman Phillip Thigpen (Kenwood, 2025). Thigpen – a 5-foot-7, 155-pound, well-proportioned prospect – showed advanced footwork on the infield; plays light on his feet with proper routes, as well as playing through the baseball in rhythm with soft, sure hands. Thigpen also showed a confident, hitterish look in the right-handed batter’s box. It's an intentful, aggressive, compact swing with the ability to stay on balance throughout while consistently working the middle of the field. Follow 2025 infielder.

TWO-WAY PROSPECTS

+ INF/RHP Jeremy Yanow (Deerfield, 2023) turned in a solid two-way performance at the Pullman Center. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound prospect has a quiet, simple right-handed swing with strength through contact. Yanow stays direct to the baseball and was on the barrel to both gaps throughout his round of BP. Yanow registered a 70 percent sweet spot rate, which was top-five at the event, all while producing an average of 71.6 mph bat speed, another one of the event’s highest. Defensively, he is a steady/sound infielder with clean/athletic actions and plays with body control on the move; arm played at 83 mph across the infield. On the mound, Yanow has a stretch-only delivery that works with rhythm and a quick/athletic arm.

+ Strong-bodied, 6-foot, 190-pound, RHP/OF Marcus Wolfe Jr. (University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, 2025), showed well with the bat and on the mound. On the mound his arm works loose and quick from a ¾ slot, sitting 79-80 mph with an average of 11.5 inches of horizontal movement. His curveball and slider tend to blend into a similar offering but both are thrown with conviction and the ability to land for a strike. The change up plays out of a similar window as the fastball with late fade. Offensively, Wolfe showed a quiet, compact swing with lifted contact to both gaps. He has above-average bat strength for his age as well, recording a 90.4 mph peak exit velocity as well as a max distance off the bat at 322 feet.

+ INF Mac Collins (Blue Springs South, MO, 2024) came away as one of the more intriguing right-handed hitters in attendance. With a wide base, Collins works with a short path to the ball, staying flat through the zone and strong through contact. He drives the ball with authority from gap to gap, registering a max exit velocity of 94.0 mph as well as a max distance of 349 feet (second best of the event). The Missouri native also flashed some arm strength, reaching an 80 mph high across the infield. On the mound, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound, strong-bodied right-hander ran his fastball up to 82 mph with late arm-side-life. He also threw an aggressive, sharp curveball that flashed depth in the upper-60’s. 

CATCHERS 

+ C Marco Luna (Brooks, 2024) took impressive reps behind the plate on Saturday, coming away as one of the top catchers in attendance as only an underclassman. Luna showed soft/confident hands behind the plate that pair well with a quick/clean transfer. He also showed to handle the run game well, working directionally out of the crouch with athletic footwork; top pop time of 2.04 with a 71 mph high throw to second. At the plate, the left-handed hitter stays short to the baseball with easy/loose hands. He works with rhythm throughout his swing while putting backspin on the ball from a gap-to-gap approach.

+ C/OF Keshaun Parker (Simeon) is yet another member of the 2024 class who showed especially well defensively. From behind the plate, Parker is highly athletic with quick feet and an efficient glove-to-hand transfer out of the crouch. Parker gets rid of the ball in a hurry and gets plenty of arm behind his throws as well; throws played accurately with carry, recorded at a 75 mph high. Parker also flashed a low pop time of 1.95, with a number of throws coming in right around the 2.00 mark. He also showed the ability to block balls in the dirt with ease, dropping quickly to deaden the ball out in front. In the outfield, Parker uses quick/athletic footwork to play through the ball, showing athletic actions throughout all aspects, and his soft hands stood out yet again. His arm strength translates easily to the outfield as well, recording a max velocity of 79 mph from a crow-hop. At the plate, the right-handed hitter uses a simple/fluid swing on top of a quality approach; showing the mature ability to let the ball travel deep into the zone while controlling the barrel to drive balls to the whole field. Also standing at 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, Parker possesses plenty of room to add additional strength in the coming years.

+ Two of the more offensive catchers in attendance were Antwan Jackson (Leo, 2025) and Luke Mejdrich (Hampshire, 2024). Jackson – listed at a compact and strong 5-foot-8, 180 pounds – is a right-handed hitter who swings with easy effort, loose hands and he stays controlled and balanced throughout. Jackson registered a max exit velocity of 87.2 mph, a well above-average measurement for his age. Mejdrich also has a strong frame, listed at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, and he swings for hard, loud contact. Mejdrich does not get cheated at the plate, swinging with anger, showcasing present bat strength while staying on top of the ball, creating loud backspin contact to the whole field. Medjrich registered a max exit velocity of 94.2 mph to go along with an average bat speed of 72.1 mph.

INFIELDERS

+ MIF Shemar Harris (Thornwood, 2023) created some intrigue among our scouting staff after his strong showing on Saturday. The 6-foot, 180-pound prospect has seen his frame tick up over the past year and his entire game has risen as a result. The right-handed hitter possesses quick/strong hands that stay short to the baseball, maintaining a consistent rhythm while using the middle of the field with some bat strength (90 mph max exit velocity). He also showcased a strong arm on the infield, reaching 85 mph across the diamond with carry.

+ MIF Nicholas Mangano (Marian Catholic, 2023) had a strong all-around showing at the Pullman Center. The 5-foot-10, 155-pound infielder moves athletically to both sides of his glove, helping him to cover ground easily. His hands work soft with a clean transfer, also using fluid footwork around the ball to pair with a strong arm (85 mph) that can play on the move. On the other side of the ball, the right-handed hitter took a quality round of BP, working with a fluid tempo into a quick/uphill path that has sneaky jump off the barrel with a 94.9 mph max exit velocity. Mangano also registered a max batted distance of 323 feet and he was on the sweet spot at a 70 percent clip, among the day’s best rates.

+ 3B/C DaSaan Lee (Crete Monee, 2024) presents some offensive intrigue to go along with his physical 6-foot, 193-pound frame. The right-handed hitter moves with fluid rhythm and it’s an easy/loose swing that works uphill through the zone with strong hands. Lee also creates some easy pop off the bat, registering a max exit velocity of 91.0 mph alongside noteworthy bat speed (70.6). On the infield, Lee flashed sure hands, and clean transfers out of the glove; arm played at 78 mph across the diamond.

+ Parkland JC commit INF Jayden Cummings (Simeon, 2022), currently a top-200 prospect in the state, had another strong showing at this event. Cummings, listed at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, ran one of the top 60s of the event (6.82) and he showed quality infield actions on the left-side to go along with an 83 mph arm. Offensively the right-handed hitter showed quick, strong hands that work off a short/direct path, registering a 90.7 mph max exit velocity. Cummings features upside to all parts of his game and should be able to stick on the infield moving forward. 

+ 1B Nicholas Rayyan (Stevenson, 2024) is a strong-bodied, 6-foot-1, 220-pound prospect who showed the ability to lead an infield on Saturday. As a vocal leader throughout the event, Rayyan also possesses soft hands with fluid footwork around the ball, paired with a strong arm; 75 mph on the infield and 80 mph on the mound. As a right-handed hitter, Rayyan uses strong hands to guide the ball to the middle of the field, finishing with a controlled follow-through and max exit velocity of 93.0 mph. 

+ Another strong-bodied physical infielder who put up noteworthy metrics was Tyler Patterson (Simeon, 2023). Patterson – listed at a broad-shouldered, well-proportioned 6-foot-1, 210 pounds – made a lot of hard, loud contact with his right-handed swing. Still raw in certain areas, Patterson’s sheer bat strength was hard to ignore. Patterson led the event with a max exit velocity of 97.5 mph, average exit velocity of 90.1, and a max batted distance of 353 feet. Patterson also showed off advanced bat speed, coming in at an average of 76.3 mph, second highest of the event.

OUTFIELDERS

+ OF Dellvyn Williams (Kenwood, 2025) stands at a wiry 5-foot-10, 147 pounds, and he looks to have plenty of promise in the batter’s box as he adds on additional strength. The right-handed hitter works off a simple, uphill path to the ball with a balanced/loose finish while working gap to gap. He also showed to have fluid outfield actions, playing through the ball with a clean transfer and top outfield velocity of 77 mph.

+ OF Jaidyn Harrell (Brooks, 2023) is a strong, 6-foot-2, 190-pound right-handed hitter who showed prowess with the bat on Saturday. With a fluid, on-balance swing, Harrell works into a direct path through the zone, staying on top of the baseball with strong hands and using the middle of the field; recorded a max exit velocity of 92 mph. The outfielder pairs a strong arm (84 mph) to go along with athletic outfield actions, using fluid footwork to play through the ball.

PITCHERS

+ RHP Owen Ruff (Barrington, 2023) has shown a six mph jump in velocity since last winter. The 5-foot-11, 155-pound, wiry right-hander showed a quick, lively arm and ran his fastball up to 86.5 mph (2,237 average rpm) at the event. The fastball jumps out his hand with late hop and life through the zone, especially as he located it up in the zone. He throws an aggressive curveball that worked between a 12/6 and 11/5 plane, playing off the fastball at 72-73 mph, with tight spin and late action; 2,150 average rpm. He rounded out his three-pitch mix by killing the spin on his 78-80 mph change that showed control at the bottom of the strike zone. He’s a quick-armed right-hander with a quality three-pitch mix and seemingly more velocity to tap into down the road.

+ One of the biggest winners on the mound from Saturday’s event was RHP Kenneth Jackson (Simeon, 2023). The strong right-hander stands at 6-foot, 175 pounds with evenly distributed strength. From a compact/repeatable delivery, Jackson utilizes a flexible drop/drive lower half to create momentum down the mound, striding in-line to the plate. He worked his fastball up to 85.1 mph with a loose/quick high ¾ slot, running to his arm-side naturally. His breaking ball looked to be his best secondary offering, playing off a sharp 11/5 plane with depth and feel for the zone at 65-69 mph. Jackson also featured a true splitter to round out his arsenal, diving to the bottom of the zone repeatedly while sitting at 69-70 mph.

+ The Stinson brothers (Kenwood), Brandon and Evan, are two members of the 2025 class who showed well throughout Saturday’s event. Brandon, standing at 6-foot, 178 pounds, caught our staff’s attention on the mound with an ultra-loose arm that produced a running fastball up to 81.6 mph with occasional tilt and angle. He then went to an 11/5 breaking ball that flashed depth at times, thrown with intent, 64-68 mph. To fill out his three-pitch mix, Brandon went to a fading changeup that he was able to keep down in the zone at 67-68 mph. Evan also showed an upside repertoire on the mound while currently sitting in the mid-70s with his fastball. Given the long-levered frame and looseness in the arm, Evan should see some velocity gains down the road, making the two each players to follow moving forward.

+ RHP Mason Lei (Freeport, 2023) is an intriguing arm to keep tabs on this coming spring. The long-limbed 6-foot-2, 170-pound right-hander is easy to dream on with his highly projectable frame and fluid moving arm. Down the mound, Lei works with an athletic drop/drive lower half to stride in-line with the plate, landing with a slightly closed front foot before transitioning into an over-the-top slot. His fastball reaches the plate at a tough angle due to his arm slot, topping out at 84.0 mph, sitting mainly 80-83. He then went to a 12/6 downer breaking ball to pair off his fastball, showing depth and kept down in accordance with the zone at 63-64 mph. Lei then ripped off sliders at 66-67 mph, possessing short 10/4 shape and adding yet another quality offering to pair off his fastball. Last and definitely not least, the right-hander featured a changeup that sat mostly 71-72 mph, maintaining near-fastball arm speed while keeping it down in the zone, flashing heavy arm-side sink at times. 

+ RHP Caleb Martinez (Wheeling, 2023) showed some promise on the mound during Saturday’s event. The athletically built 6-foot-2, 190-pound right-hander uses a repeatable and efficient delivery down the mound to pair with his clean arm, producing a fastball that reached up to 82 mph with action to the arm-side. His breaking ball worked off a slurvy 10/4 plane, but possessed depth and some feel, thrown at 70-71 mph and playing from a similar fastball release point. Martinez then went to a changeup which he threw in the 73-75 range, maintaining fastball intent with life to the arm-side, kept primarily down.

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