On October 3-4, PBR Illinois hosted the inaugural Fall Limited Series where five teams (Cangelosi Sparks, Chicago Elite, GBA, ISA and Pro Player) gathered to play each other at Duffy Bass Field on Illinois State University’s campus. The event consisted of mostly high school sophomores, though there’s a mix of 2022 and 2024 talent participating, too.

The exclusive five-team, round-robin three-game guarantee featured some of the top freshmen and sophomore talent in Illinois, as well as from Wisconsin and Missouri.

There were no shortage of highlights and strong performances throughout the event despite less than ideal conditions on day one, thanks to lingering rain throughout the afternoon and evening. 

Below we touch on some of the best performances or prospects we saw over the two days. Teams and players are listed alphabetically.

SCOUT BLOG

CANGELOSI SPARKS

Tommy Atkinson, UTIL, St. Rita, 2023
5-foot-10, 170-pound right-handed hitting athlete. Strong lower-half, twitchy, muscular frame. Can play all over the field. Future position is yet to be determined. Well above-average runner for his age. Sub 4.30 on a groundout on Saturday; 4.44 on a groundout on Sunday. Was 4.58 on a double. Showed a knack for the barrel, ball jumps off the bat with minimal effort in swing. Strong, twitchy hands, short path with natural lift in swing. Works gap-to-gap. Follow 2023 athlete with above-average bat-to-ball skills.

Tommy Atkinson

Colin Barczi, C, Naperville Central, 2023
6-foot-1, 185-pound, right-handed hitting catcher; Strong, athletic, well-proportioned frame. Took quality at-bats throughout the weekend, looks to do damage with every swing, hunts the fastball, creates leverage to the pull-side. Present bat speed and bat strength. Narrow setup, long stride, hands separate and get into a strong hitting position. Middle-of-the-order potential. Defensively, has the tools to stick behind the plate moving forward. Flexibility in hips, soft hands, presents pitches well and willing blocker. Above-average arm strength for his age, plays accurate out of the crouch; 2.13 pop time in between innings.
Stats: 3-for-7, 3 BB.

Colin Barczi

Krew Bond, CF, Mendota, 2023
5-foot-9, 165-pound, compact right-handed hitting center fielder with sneaky strength in frame. Lead-off, table-setter for the Sparks. Swings with intent, aggressive to his pitch, stays through the zone and pull-side tendencies. Consistent, quality at-bats, flashes moxy in the box. Athletic actions to his game. Navigates center field with confidence and a quick first step. Follow 2023 outfielder.

Krew Bond

Parker Detmers, RHP, Glenwood, 2023
Louisville commit. 6-foot-3, 205-pound, right-handed pitcher. Workhorse, wide-shouldered build; strong, thick lower half with athleticism throughout frame. Report from below (July 28th) was confirmed and elevated with this most recent outing. Extremely poised, comfortable, confident look on the mound. Controls the game. Handled adverse conditions (40 degree weather and rain) with zero issue. Commands the fastball, creates angle, occasional boring action, comes out of the hand easy; sat 85-88 mph in his first inning. Can add and subtract when needed. Still had upper-80s in his third and final inning. Curveball is above-average offering with potential to be a go-to out pitch, gained feel as the outing went on, 73-75 mph. Showed a heavy changeup in warmups, thrown with arm speed and intent, down in the zone. High floor/high ceiling 2023 prospect. Currently ranked No. 109 in the overall rankings.

Report from 7.28.20: 6-foot-3, 205 pounds; advanced frame with immense potential in Illinois’ 2023 class. Detmers is the youngest brother to the most recent Los Angeles Angels first-round pick, LHP Reid Detmers (Glenwood, 2017; Louisville), the 10th overall selection in the 2020 draft. Parker looks to be well on his way to following a similar path, with a Louisville commit already on his resume. Detmers started the nightcap for the Decatur Commodores and lived up to the hype. Playing up a year, Detmers struck out nine over five innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound righty sat an ultra easy 84-86 mph in the early going and flashed a sharp curveball at 71-72 mph with an occasional fading changeup. His repertoire showed everything it needs to fit a starter’s profile at the next level and one of the top arms in the Midwest and beyond.

Parker Detmers

Ryan Jefferson, MIF, Providence Catholic, 2023
Illinois commit. 5-foot-10, 145-pound, wiry, loose-bodied, left-handed hitting shortstop. Continues to reaffirm his status as one of the shortstops in the Midwest with every look. Highly-advanced bat-to-ball skills. Did not see a swing-and-miss throughout the weekend and almost every ball in play seemingly is on the barrel with line-drive flighted contact to the entire field. Stays within himself, hits the ball where it's pitched, lets it travel and finishes on balance. Despite the hanging leg-lift that Jefferson utilizes, takes are comfortable with a ready to swing mindset. Bounces all over the field, including on the bases. Defensively, all the tools and actions to play a high-level shortstop down the road. Seemingly plays best when on the move where he shows off advanced athleticism, body control and ability to throw from any arm angle. Advanced internal clock. One of the top 2023s in the state.

Mark Mennecke, OF/1B/LHP, Neuqua Valley, 2023 
5-foot-11, 175-pound, wide-shouldered, left/left, multi-positional prospect. Did a little bit of everything for the Sparks throughout the weekend, including a clutch game-tying single back up the middle late in their final game. Ability to create whip in the barrel with a flick of the wrists. Uses the whole field, stays on top of the baseball, strong hands and line-drive approach. Also, got on the mound and filled up the strike zone with a fastball that was up to 80 mph and showed a feel for a breaking ball. Follow 2023 left-handed hitting, multi-positional prospect.
Stats: Offensively 3-for-10, RBI, BB; Pitching 2 innings, K, BB.

Mark Mennecke

T.J. Schlageter, LHP, Joliet Catholic, 2023
6-foot-1, 175-pound, well-proportioned, athletically-built, left-handed pitcher. Showed a polished three-pitch mix throughout his start including a swing-and-miss curveball. Went to the curveball often, inducing a number of bad swings, advanced offering, feel for the zone, 1/7 to 12/6 shape, big depth and tight spin, sat 65-66 mph. Fastball played to both sides of the plate, works mostly straight, played up due to the steady mix he was showcasing; sat 81-82, T83. Changeup, threw to right-handed and left-handed hitters, slight cut, 73-74 mph. Multi-sport athlete with high upside on the mound.
Final Line: 4 innings, H, 2 ER, 8 K, 4 BB

TJ Schlageter

Cal Sefcik, SS/3B, Marist, IL, 2023
5-foot-11, 168-pound, high-waisted, well-proportioned, right-handed hitting athlete/utility who continues to add quality strength to his frame. Above-average runner, plays all over the diamond; 4.44 on a groundout. Future position yet to be determined but spends the majority of his time on the infield. Arm strength continues to improve, plenty strong enough for the left-side. Offensively, twitchy, fast hands, present bat speed and aggressive swing. Open, slightly crouched setup, short stride and minimal wasted movement. Natural lift and leverage in swing. Follow 2023 athlete with upside to all parts of his game. 

Cal Sefcik

Trey Swiderski, OF, Joliet Catholic, IL, 2023
Louisville commit. 6-foot-1, 170-pound outfielder; wide-shouldered, athletic build with room for continued physical development. High-ceiling, right-handed hitter with present pull-side power. Bat works fast and strong, short to the ball, uphill through the zone. Looks to do damage on every swing, pull-side tendencies. Free swinging mentality at times, occasional swing-and-miss. Stock will continue to ascend as he polishes his approach. Defensively, former first baseman has transitioned rather easily to the outfield. Potential to be one of the top right-handed power bats in the class.
Stats: 4-for-8, 2 RBI, 2 BB. 

Trey Swiderski

Grant Tenuta, RHP, Sandburg, 2023
6-foot, 180-pound, well-proportioned, right-handed pitcher. Strength in lower half. Short, clean arm stroke, high ¾ slot. Delivery works on-line, lands square, finishes with intent. Fastball works mostly straight, touched 86 mph, sat 83-84 early. Curveball played in the upper-60's, 11/5 shape, lands for strikes. Should continue to sharpen up if thrown with more intent. If the trend of his older two brothers, Evan (Notre Dame) and Will (Purdue), holds true, Grant’s velocity will continue to tick up over the next few years.

Cole Van Assen, RHP, Brother Rice, IL, 2023
Uncommitted. 6-foot-4, 165-pound, long-limbed, high-waisted, projectable right-handed pitcher. Continues to improve and impress everytime we see him. Arm plays clean and compact, highly-repeatable, low-effort delivery. Advanced polish for his age; controls the game, poised on the mound, rarely shows emotion, mixes timing and looks with runners on base, does not lose stuff out of the stretch. High-volume of strikes, four-pitch mix, works down in the zone, both sides of the plate with his fastball. Fastball works mostly straight, occasional angle and late run, 82-84 mph in the early going. Slider was go-to secondary offering on this day; feel for the zone, manipulates pitch and location depending on count, 72 mph. Comfortable throwing his changeup to right or left handed batters. Late sinking action, maintains arm speed, sat in the low-70’s. Polished 2023 right-handed pitcher with upside.

Cole Van Assen

Drew Zemaitis, RHP, Providence Catholic, IL, 2023
Athletic, broad-shouldered, 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame. Came out of the bullpen in the final game of the Limited Series. Smooth operator, athletic and comfortable on the mound, delivery is repeatable, fluid and works with minimal effort. Seemingly having a game of catch on the mound. Everything comes out of the hand clean and easy. Fastball plays with arm-side-run, late jump through the zone, sat 80-81 mph; was 82-85 mph at the PBR Midwest Fall Championship. Slider is an advanced offering, 69-70 mph, 10/4 shape, tight spin, late two-plane action, (2384 RPM; has been 2500+). Showed a curveball, 11/5 shape, depth. High-follow 2023 right-handed pitcher.
Final Line: 3 IP, H, 3 K

Drew Zemaitis

CHICAGO ELITE

Chicago Elite produced one of the more noteworthy headlines when three of their 2023 right-handed arms; Matt Sauser (Normal University), DJ Helwig (St. Laurence) and Pambo Nicoloudes (Naperville Central), combined to throw a no-hitter in their only game on Saturday. 

Henry Brummel, RHP, Pontiac, 2024
Advanced 6-foot-2, 165-pound frame for his age; Long, loose-limbs, well-proportioned frame with athleticism. High-upside arm in the 2024 class. Was one of the top pitchers at the 2024 Top Prospect Games back in August and backed up his performance at the Limited Series. Easy tall-and-fall delivery, gets extension and finishes out front. Loose, compact, quick arm, high ¾ slot. Creating tilt and worked downhill with fastball, both sides of the plate, mostly straight action; topped at 81 mph, working mostly 78-80 mph. Plenty more velocity to come. Also, showed the makings of an advanced three-pitch repertoire. Landed his 67-68 mph curveball for strikes, 11/5 shape, depth. Maintains arm speed on changeup, late fade, 70-73 mph. High floor, high ceiling 2024 right-handed pitcher.
Final Line: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB

Henry Brummel

Cole Crafton, ATH/UTIL, Lincoln-Way West, 2023
Louisville commit. Highly-athletic, advanced, 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame. One of the top athletes we have seen in the 2024 class to date. Left-handed hitter can play all over the field, including on the mound where he has been up to 84 mph. Future primary position is yet to be determined as he plays a smooth shortstop and looks natural out in center field. Easy range, fluid mover, light on his feet and his arm plays strong for age. Offensively, uneven results throughout the weekend. Confident, calm look in the box. Loose hands, above-average bat speed and uses the middle of the field. High-ceiling prospect in the 2024 class.
Final Line: 2-for-7, 2B, 2 BB.

Sam Gurgone, OF, Marist, 2023
6-foot, 155-pound, left/left outfielder; Athletic, loose body. Offensively, saved his best day for Sunday. Finished 2-for-3 with a double and three walks. Fluid left-handed swing, loose hands, long path, natural lift in swing. Starts balanced slightly open, pre-pitch rhythm and smooth load. Athletic outfield actions, bouncy defender, ranges well; profiles at all three outfield spots. Follow 2023 left/left outfielder.

 DJ Helwig, RHP, St. Laurence, 2023
6-foot-4, 165-pound, long-levered, loose-bodied, right-handed pitcher. One of the few 2023s to be selected for Team Midwest Select at this summer’s Future Games. Directional delivery, present front side, long arm action, some reach out of the glove, works quick and loose out front, high ¾ slot. Attacked primarily with his fastball in the outing and did not give up a hit. Fastball finished through the zone, downhill tilt at times, sat 83-84 mph, touched 85. One of the stronger arms and higher ceilings in the 2023 class. 
Final Line: 3 IP, 0 H, 3 K, 3 BB.

DJ Helwig

Colton Kachinsky, LHP, Lincoln-Way West, 2023
6-foot, 162-pound, well-proportioned, left-handed pitcher. Repeated his delivery well and kept hitters off balance all day long thanks to his fastball/curveball combination. Mixed his curveball in at any time, short wrinkle, feel for the zone, 1/7 shape. Fastball played in the mid-70’s, topped at 78 mph; a bunch of weak contact, rollovers, frustrating hitters. Pitchability left-hander who collects outs to follow in the 2023 class.
Final Line: 4 IP, 4 H, ER, 3 K, 2 BB.

Ryan Kotara, INF, Lincoln-Way Central, 2024
5-foot-11, 165-pound, athletically-built, right-handed hitting infielder. Was one of the top prospects at the recent Joliet Open. Fills out the uniform in the right way. Athletic actions and movements to all parts of his game. Looks the part in the box, fluid pre-pitch rhythm and athletic setup. Free swinging mentality; got in trouble chasing a couple pitches out of the zone with two strikes. Loose hands, showed above-average bat speed for his age. Finished 1-for-6 with an RBI. Did not pitch at the event but this was the report from his bullpen at the Joliet Open: Opened some eyes with his short, quick arm that produced a lively 80-81 mph fastball backed up by polished secondary stuff, especially for his age. His slurve-type breaking ball flashed over 2,400 rpm and he also utilized a deceptive changeup with plus-type arm-side action. High-follow 2024 two-way prospect.

Vince Martinez, C, Andrew, 2022
5-foot-9, 168-pound, right-handed hitting catcher. Made a statement with his right-handed bat throughout the weekend. Hit mostly out of the two-hole and was routinely on the barrel, making a couple of hard outs. Finished 2-for-8 with a walk. Flew out to deep center field a couple of times. Knack for the barrel, athletic hands, bat stays through the hitting zone a long time and worked the middle of the field in a number of at-bats. Follow 2022 bat.

Vince Martinez

Matthew Morsovillo, 3B, Sandburg, 2022
6-foot-3, 170-pound, long-limbed, right-handed hitting corner infielder with developing strength in frame. Has taken huge strides in his game since our last look; starting to come into his own. Arguably one of the top bats of the entire Limited Series. Was all over the barrel in all three games. Stats from the weekend (2-for-7, BB, RBI) do not come close to doing him justice. Highly-repeatable swing, quiet, minimal wasted movement, short to the ball, hands work on top, flat through the zone, extension through contact and high-level bat-to-ball skills. Wore out the middle of the field. Backspins the baseball to both gaps, lined out hard twice to dead center field. Defensively, profiles at a corner infield or outfield spot. High-follow 2022 right-handed bat with power potential down the road.

Matthew Morsovillo

Pambo Nicoloudes, INF/RHP, Naperville Central, 2023
Was one of the top right-handed bats at this summer’s Underclass Games and continued to show why at the Limited Series. 6-foot, 176-pound, wide-shouldered, third baseman with present strength in frame. Hit one of the hardest balls on the weekend; a double to the base of the left-field wall. Strong, fast hands, creates lift and leverage to the pull-side. Pull-heavy approach at times but takes advantage of pitchers mistakes. Has a chance to develop into a power bat in the future. Defensively, should be able to stick at third base. Reliable hands, arm plays across the diamond. Also, threw one inning on the mound, striking out one; fastball sat 80-82 mph.
Final Line: 3-for-9, RBI.

Pambo Nicoloudes

Matt Sauser, RHP, Normal University, 2023
6-foot-2, 157-pound, long, loose-bodied, right-handed pitcher. Has seen his stock rise thanks to his eye-opening bullpen at the Joliet Open a couple of weeks ago. At the event Sauser showed an 82-85 mph fastball that averaged a spin rate of nearly 2,500 rpm. His curveball spun just as efficiently, averaging roughly 2,600 rpm with tight 11/5 shape – a true separator for his age. On Saturday, Sauser was the starting pitcher during the combined no-hitter for Chicago Elite. During this outing he sat mostly 80-81 mph, touching 83 but showed the same easy, controlled athletic delivery we had recently seen. Curveball has sharp spin, late bite and flashes down action, 72 mph. Changeup played at 74-75 mph.
Final Line: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB

Matt Sauser

Charlie Vercruysse, INF/RHP, Normal University, 2024
6-foot-2, 155-pound, high-waisted, long-limbed, advanced build, right-handed hitting, two-way prospect. Frame should continue to add quality strength as he matures.  Long-strided, graceful runner, ran a 7.25 laser-timed 60 at the 2024 Top Prospect Games in August. Offensively, has some rawness to the approach and swing but makes up for it with athletic, quick, strong hands. Ball comes off the bat hard for his age. Finished 3-for-6 with a triple and two RBI’s.

GATORS BASEBALL ACADEMY

Bryer Arview, INF, Civic Memorial, 2023
5-foot-11, 160-pound, defined, athletic, left-handed hitting shortstop. Also, the starting quarterback on the football team. Played a steady, smooth shortstop all weekend long. Arm played true and flashed carry from deep into the six-hole. Has the feel/athleticism to change arm angles when needed; arm plays short and clean. Fluid footwork, ranges well, natural moving to his glove side. Has the tools to stick at shortstop. Offensively, top-of-the-order potential despite uneven results on the weekend; was also victim to a couple tough outs. Looks to lift and pull the baseball at times. Bat speed is present, above-average bat strength for frame. Upside left-handed hitting shortstop in the 2023 class.

Bryer Arview

Andrew Barbee, LHP, O’Fallon, 2023
5-foot-10, 140-pound, left-handed pitcher. Has thrown the ball well at multiple different PBR Tournament throughout the summer. Competed and turned in a quality outing once again in the first game of the weekend. Went three innings pitched, scattered three hits, no runs, struck out two and walked one. Ran his fastball up to 78 mph, worked both sides of the plate and kept hitters guessing throughout with a steady mix of curveballs; above-average feel, thrown with conviction, late, short bite at times off a 1/7 plane. Strike-throwing, competitive left-handed pitcher in the Illinois’ 2023 class.

Jayden Diaz, C, Alton, 2023
5-foot-9, 180-pound, left-handed hitting catcher. Thick/strong lower half. Balanced and quiet in the box, stays connected, uses the whole field, feel for the strike zone, natural lift and stays within himself. Tough weekend in terms of results but has shown well this summer. Above-average receiver for his age. Quiet, calm presentation of the pitch, soft hands, adept blocker. Athletic actions and presence behind the plate. Follow 2023 left-handed hitting catcher. 

Cole Funkhouser, INF, Edwardsville, 2023
5-foot-7, 125-pound, right-handed hitting infielder. Offensively, is a follow right-handed bat as he matures and gains strength to his frame. Confident in the box, pre-pitch rhythm, loose, athletic hands, bat stays on plane and through the zone, consistently on time. Defensively, played second base. Sure-handed, clean transfer and should stick on the dirt moving forward. 

Kaden Griffitts, CF, Williamsville, 2023
5-foot-10, 165-pound, well-proportioned, left/left center fielder; frame carries strength throughout. Has shown well at multiple PBR Tournaments throughout the summer and fall. Center field and top of the order profile. Plays the game hard and with instincts.  Broke out in the third and final game of the weekend. Athletic, confident look in the box. Hands get into a powerful position to hit, direct path to the baseball, quick bat, strong wrists and works gap-to-gap. Defensively, above-average center fielder for his age. Quick first step, natural outfield actions. High-follow 2023 left-handed hitting outfielder.

Kaden Griffitts

Riley Iffrig, 1B, Edwardsville, 2023
6-foot-2, 166-pound, left-handed hitting first baseman; wide-shouldered, looks more physical than the listed weight. Was one of the more impressive offensive prospects at the event. Finished 2-for-8 with two RBI’s but seemingly made hard contact in every at-bat. Took consistent, quality at-bats, advanced approach. Looks for his pitch, stays on top of the baseball, bat stays in the zone a long time. Sprayed hard line-drive contact to all fields. Strong hands, fast bat. Worked mostly gap-to-gap but has potential pull-side power. Smooth defender at first base. Moved well around the bag, reliable hands. Cut down a runner trying to score on a ground ball to first; handled the play efficiently and threw a strike to home plate. Also, a follow left-handed pitcher but did not throw on the weekend.

Riley Iffrig

Kayden Jennings, UTIL, Edwardsville, 2023
5-foot-10, 155-pound, well-proportioned, right-handed hitting infielder. Played a steady infield, mostly at third base throughout the weekend for GBA. Clean actions, sure-handed and arm played accurate with enough strength for the left-side of the diamond. At the plate, open, quiet setup, stride works back to square. Direct path, pull-side tendencies. Follow 2023 infielder.

Zander Mueth, RHP/OF, Belleville East, 2023
Uncommitted. Recently threw in front of PBR Georgia at LakePoint where he sat 84-87 mph. Started for GBA in Game two on Saturday; the first time in front of PBR Illinois. 6-foot-1, 170-pound, loose-bodied, right-handed pitcher. Athletic, lively frame with plenty of room for continued physical development. Fluid delivery works with tempo and rhythm, slightly across body, lands square, easy effort throughout. Long, uninterrupted arm path, works loose and quick out front, ¾ slot. Fastball jumps out of the hand, lively through the zone. Fastball has varying action, occasional late run and sink to the arm side, straightened out to the glove side. Controlled the zone. Worked comfortably at 83-85 mph and bumped it up to 87-88 mph whenever he needed or wanted too. Breaking ball has tight spin, gets underneath at times, 11/5 to 10/4 shape, 70-73 mph. Changeup, thrown with arm speed and feel, used sparingly, 78-81 mph.. High-ceiling, athletic, right-handed pitcher. Has the potential to become one of the top arms in the state.
Final Line: 3 IP, H, R, 3 K.

Zander Mueth

Clayton Rentschler, RHP, Riverton, 2023
6-foot, 147-pound, wiry, right-handed pitcher. Was first out of the bullpen for GBA. Long arm action, over-the-top slot. In his two inning stint, struck out three, did not allow a hit and walked two. Steady fastball/curveball mix throughout. Fastball works mostly straight, creates tilt at times, sat 75-77 mph. Curveball, 12/6 shape, 66-69 mph. 

ISA STARS

Brandon Black, 1B, Bay Port (WI), 2022
Thick, strong, 6-foot-2, 225-pound, right-handed hitting first baseman. He and his teammate, Eli Zollar, drove a couple of the hardest balls on the weekend. Relaxed in the box, smooth load, simple strong swing. Creates natural leverage; drove a double to the center field wall on Sunday morning. Finished the weekend 2-for-8 with two triples and two RBI. 

Caden Capamaccio, RHP, Notre Dame Academy (WI), 2022
6-foot, 175-pound, defined, athletically-built, right-handed pitcher. Full wind up, repeatable delivery, works with rhythm. Compact arm path, quick out front, high ¾ slot. Fastball played straight, occasional life through the zone, sat 81-83 mph. Throws his breaking ball with intent, sharp spin, late biting action, swing-and-miss potential, sat 71-73 mph. Went three innings, struck out four, allowing one hit. Quick armed 2022 to follow in the Wisconsin’ 2023 class. 

Garrett Hietpas, SS, Appleton North (WI), 2023
5-foot-10, 165-pound, wiry-strong, right-handed hitting shortstop. Steady defender, natural infield actions, softness in hands, clean release. Arm played accurate. Offensively, hit towards the top of the ISA order. Aggressive approach, swings with intent, jumps to front side at times. Short path, uphill tendencies and flashed twitchy hands. Follow 2023 infielder. 

Maxwell Kalk, C, Kimberly (WI), 2023
5-foot-11, 170-pound, well-proportioned, left-handed hitting catcher. Offensively, seemed to be on base all weekend long. Open setup, fluid rhythm, minimal load. Loose hands, pull-side tendencies. Athletic actions behind the plate, sure-handed, stays quiet. Clean and directional from out of the chute, arm played accurate and loose. Follow left-handed hitting 2023 who, despite being fairly new to catching, has transitioned well.

Reece Stangel, C, Roncalli (WI), 2022
6-foot-1, 180-pound, right-handed hitting catcher; athletic frame with longer levers. Split time behind the plate throughout the weekend. Above-average receiver, sure-handed, presents pitches well; quiet and subtle. Athletic out of the crouch, arm played with carry and accurate out of the chute. Pop times of 1.97 and 2.03 in between innings; 2.20 on a caught stealing. Offensively, took quality at-bats throughout the weekend. Balanced in the box, fluid pre-pitch rhythm and quiet, short stride. Utilizes lower half in swing, direct to the ball and bat stays through the zone. Follow 2022 catcher in Wisconsin.
Stats: 3-for-6, 2 BB, 3 RBI

Reece Stangel

Eli Zollar, RHP/1B, Ashwaubenon (WI), 2023
6-foot-3, 225-pound, big-bodied, right-handed hitting, two-way prospect. Did his best work on the weekend at the plate. Physical, imposing presence in the box, wide setup, stays quiet and simple. Bat strength is present. Drove a couple balls with authority throughout the weekend. Powerful bat with present pull-side juice. Was up to 85 mph on the mound this summer. Follow 2023 two-way prospect.
Stats: 3-for-8, 2B, 3 RBI.

PRO PLAYER

Chandler Alderman, LHP, North Boone, 2023
6-foot-4, 190-pound, strong-bodied, physically-advanced, left-handed pitcher. Started on the mound for Pro Player on Sunday. Methodical, controlled delivery, repeated well for his age and size. Controls his body, works downhill and threw a high-volume of strikes throughout his start. Fastball works straight, showed control, creates angle, sat 76-78 mph. Best secondary looks to be a tight slider thrown at 71 mph. Thrown with arm speed, confidence and feel; short wrinkle, tunnels off fastball, 1/7 shape. Follow 2023 left-handed pitcher in the Illinois’ 2023 class.

Chandler Alderman

Ryan Bakes, C, Huntley, 2023
5-foot-9, 180-pound, muscular, right-handed hitting catcher; advanced strength and physicality for age. Possesses some of the best bat speed and power in the class. Was one of the few 2023’s selected to participate at this summer’s Midwest Future Games. Only caught one game on the weekend. Homered three times at a PBR Wisconsin tournament the weekend before. Simple, explosive swing that is compact and repeatable. One of the top uncommitted 2023’s in the Midwest.

Sheppard Graf, 3B, Lake Forest, 2023
6-foot-3, 190-pound, right-handed hitting infielder. Advanced frame; strong and well proportioned. Has shown well multiple times with the bat throughout the summer. Physical, intentful swing, looks to drive the ball with authority, present bat speed and ball jumps off the barrel with ease. Only played in one game on the weekend. Follow 2023 right-handed hitter.

Sheppard Graf

Lleyton Grubich, LHP, McHenry, 2023
5-foot-10, 170-pound, wiry, left-handed pitcher; plenty of room for continued physical development. Started on the mound for Pro Player and handled tough elements (steady rain and 40 degree temperatures) with ease. Athletic, low-effort delivery, repeated and commanded his fastball. Fluid, easy arm action, plays clean from a ¾ slot; arm action and low-effort delivery project for more velocity to come. Worked both sides of the plate with the fastball, fastball has action in the zone; sat 75 mph. Bounced off the mound to make multiple plays throughout his start. Showed advanced body control and athleticism. Pitchability left-handed pitcher with more velocity to come.

Lleyton Grubich

Austin Leonard, C, Hampshire, 2023
5-foot-10, 180-pound, wide-shouldered, right-handed hitting catcher. Caught in the first game of the weekend. Impressed behind the plate. Flexible hips, subtle movements, handled the staff in cold and wet conditions with no problem. Offensively, showed a knack for the barrel. Saw enough in one game to be a follow 2023 catcher in Illinois.

Caden Monti, OF, Jacobs, 2023
5-foot-9, 145-pound, defined, left/left outfielder. Offensively, athletic look and setup. Pre-pitch rhythm, short quiet leg-lift trigger and fluidity to the swing. Hands drop slightly during load, leads to uphill path, lifted contact but hands are loose and athletic. Showed well in the outfield. Made a number of non-routine plays in windy conditions look rather easy. Fluid gait, easy range, profiles at all three spots. Follow left/left outfielder. 

Andrew Ressler, RHP, Huntley, 2023
6-foot-1, 185-pound, right-handed pitcher; broad-shouldered, well-proportioned build. Has shown well multiple times as of late. Attacked the zone throughout his start utilizing a fastball/curveball combination throughout. Polished presence on the mound, gets it and goes, threw a high-volume of strikes. Long draw out of the glove, works clean and out of a high ¾ slot; quick arm out front. Fastball sat 83-86 mph throughout, occasional life through the zone, slight arm-side-run. Showed above-average feel for his breaking ball, consistently landed for strikes, tight spin, depth and big 11/5 shape at times. High-follow right-handed arm in the Illinois’ 2023 class.

Andrew Ressler

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