Prep Baseball Report

Illinois 2021 Rankings Updated


By Andy Sroka & Drew Locascio
Illinois Staff

Ahead of their senior spring season, we’ve updated the Illinois Class of 2021 Rankings. Consider this update a small one, as we last brushed up the board in early December, following the conclusion of a handful of fall events. We haven’t seen a ton of ‘21s in the time since, but there’s been enough intel to warrant a tweak to the rankings prior to the start of the IHSA season.

Our national team just published its latest update to the overall 2021 rankings, and here’s how the past few months have slightly altered the state’s Class of 2021 board.

AT THE TOP OF THE CLASS

Three Illinois natives represented the state at the 2021 PBR Super 60 Showcase, traveling just north to the Milwaukee area where they joined some of the top MLB Draft talent in the country. RHP Kaleb Applebey (Mt. Carmel, 2021; Wabash Valley JC commit), INF Noah Smith (Marist; Louisville), and RHP Noah Edders (Downers Grove South; Bradley) were the trio, and each remain among the top players in their home state’s updated Class of 2021 rankings.

+ Applebey, the No. 2-ranked prospect in the state, was on the rise during the second half of 2020 and parlayed it into an invite to the Super 60. The 6-foot-8, 230-pound right-hander continues to improve on every look. At the Super 60, the Wabash Valley JC commit showed off a more controlled, directional, repeatable delivery than we have seen in the past and progressing three-pitch mix. Applebey's fastball sat 92-93 mph, touching 94 showing control of the zone while creating extension and tilt.

+ Edders, a Bradley commit, was another Illinois arm to open eyes at the event. Edders continues to shape and strengthen his broad-shouldered, 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame and his stuff continues to ascend along with it. He sat at a live 91-93 mph at the Super 60, mixing in a sharp slider and firm change, which offers up some of this Illinois class’ highest upside. Edders climbed to No. 10 in the updated list.

Noah Edders (2/7/21)

+ Smith was the lone position player to represent Illinois at this year's loaded event. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound shortstop has long been one of the top position players in the state and continued to show why on Sunday at the Super 60. Smith was consistently on time in his round of BP, showing above-average feel for the barrel and present bat strength; 12 of his 14 swings registered an exit speed of 90-plus mph, with a max of 100.2. Smith also ran a 6.60 laser-timed 60 and was 90 mph across the infield.

+ The week after the Super 60, a handful of top-ranked Illinois prospects trekked east to Indiana to participate in the Great Lakes ProCase. There, the Notre Dame recruit INF/C Nicholas DeMarco (St. Charles North) continued to show as a high-level, versatile athlete. We’d not see DeMarco’s work from behind the plate ourselves, and our colleagues at PBR Indiana came away impressed with his work back there, substantiated by his 1.86-1.91 pop time range and 82 mph arm strength. At that same event, he averaged an exit speed of 89.7 mph, with a 98.5 max. DeMarco’s development as a backstop will be intriguing to watch this spring, as it only bolsters his appeal among pro scouts.

Nicholas DeMarco (2/15/21)

+ Another one of Illinois’ top-ranked catchers, Ben Hartl (Springfield; Heartland CC), used this Great Lake ProCase to make some preseason noise on these rankings. He’s a 6.86 runner in an athletic/strong 5-foot-10, 190-pound build – and his skillset as a receiver has always been advanced. Hartl’s right-handed swing has flashed pull-side pop for us in the past, and it continues to trend that way as he produced a 90.4 mph average exit speed at this event, with a 98.2 max. His arrow is once again pointed up.

RISERS

Donovan McIntyre OF / Marian Catholic, IL / 2021

The Kent State commit is a highly-athletic, left-handed hitting outfielder who continues to add strength to his long-levered frame. McIntyre has been stirring a lot of positive reports out of the offseason and should be an impact presence at the top of Marian Catholics lineup this spring.

Meade Johnson RHP / Mattoon , IL / 2021

Johnson burst onto the rankings following a quality ‘pen thrown last August at the Chicagoland Open, and he followed that up at the Unsigned Senior Showcase in February where he was up to 90.2 mph, sitting and easy 88-90, while mixing in two different, advanced breaking balls and a quality four-pitch mix. Johnson, still uncommitted, is arguably the top arm in the state still available.

(2/21/21)

Jayden Gonzalez 3B / 2B / De La Salle, IL / 2021

Gonzalez was among the top prospects at both Unsigned Senior Showcase events in October and February. He swings a loose, quick right-handed bat that is consistently on the barrel, working gap-to-gap with authority. He averaged an exit speed of 90.7 mph at this event and recorded a max estimated distance of 337 feet, which led the showcase. Defensively, he has smooth, confident infield actions and a strong arm that played at 87 mph across the diamond. Gonzalez is one of the top position players still on the market in Illinois.

(2/21/21)

Noah Klein RHP / Loyola Academy, IL / 2021

Klein’s arrow is up after the Unsigned Senior Showcase as well. listed at 6-foot-1, 205-pounds, has a strong frame, especially in the lower half. After sitting 83-84 mph last June, Klein came out sitting 88-90 mph at this event while working both sides of the plate, complemented by a sharp curveball and sinking change.

Timmy O'Brien SS / RHP / Maine South, IL / 2021

February’s Unsigned Senior Showcase marked O’Brien’s PBR event debut, and it was a good one. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound right-handed hitter has been the starting shortstop on varsity since his sophomore season while hitting towards the top of the order. O’Brien ran a 6.88 in the 60 and showed an easy, loose, balanced swing with a knack for the barrel during his round of BP; also up to 84 mph on the mound. O'Brien committed to Bradley shortly following the event.

NEWCOMERS

Chris Whelton RHP / Mount Carmel, IL / 2021

Whelton made the absolute most of his first-ever PBR event, the Unsigned Senior Showcase in February, where he led the event with a 91.1 mph max fastball, with an average spin rate measured at 2,438 rpm. He landed his breaking ball for strikes and his changeup flashed plus action, too. Whelton’s a three-sport athlete who’s only just started to focus on baseball, so there’s a high-ceiling to Whelton’s profile.

(2/21/21)

Jack Angus RHP / Montini Catholic, IL / 2021

Angus, a Belmont Abbey College commit, is a physical right-handed arm, listed at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, who has seen his velocity continue to climb over the past year. Recent reports have his fastball climbing into the low-90s this winter.

Jack Gillespie RHP / Libertyville, IL / 2021

Gillespie, still uncommitted, touched 88 mph at the Unsigned Senior Showcase, sitting 86-87 with an average spin rate measured at a unique 1,449 rpm. The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder also showed advanced feel for his changeup with sinking action at 84 mph and a slider at 73-75 mph (2,254 rpm on average).

Ryan Schmidt C / West Chicago, IL / 2021

Schmidt has a wiry/strong 6-foot-2, 160-pound frame, and at the Unsigned Senior Showcase, he was clean and easy out of the crouch with a low pop time of 2.05. Offensively, the right-handed hitter has quick, strong hands and the ball jumped off the barrel at times.


UPDATED TOP 10

RANK   NAME STATE SCHOOL CLASS POS COMMITMENT
1 Ben Hess IL Charleston 2021 RHP Indiana
2 Kaleb Applebey IL Mount Carmel 2021 RHP Wabash Valley JC
3 Noah Smith IL Marist 2021 SS Louisville
4 Nicholas DeMarco IL St. Charles North 2021 SS Notre Dame
5 Reed Gannon IL Minooka 2021 LHP Kentucky
6 Ty Batusich IL Joliet West 2021 C Western Kentucky
7 Brennyn Cutts IL Toledo-Cumberland 2021 RHP Indiana State
8 Eric Orloff IL Glenbrook North 2021 LHP Arizona
9 Zach Kempe IL St. Charles North 2021 RHP Notre Dame
10 Noah Edders IL Downers Grove South 2021 RHP Bradley


Click here
for a complete look at the Class of 2021 board.

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