Prep Baseball Report

Illinois State Games: Roster Preview


By Andy Sroka & Diego Solares
PBR Illinois Staff

Next week, Aug. 9 and 10, the PBR Illinois staff will be hosting the first annual Illinois State Games at the Rantoul Family Sports Complex in Rantoul, Ill. – a central location allowing prospects from all corners of the state to meet in one place to perform and compete alongside and against each other. Here's some brief info regarding the event's schedule:

Day 1:

  • 9:45 a.m.: Position player check-in
  • 10:30 a.m.: Position player workout
  • 3 p.m. (gameplay): Team 1 vs. Team 2
  • 5:30 p.m.: Team 3 vs. Team 4; Team 7 vs. Team 8
  • 8 p.m.: Team 9 vs. Team 10; Team 5 vs. Team 6

Day 2:

  • 8 a.m.: Team 1 vs. Team 3; Team 2 vs. Team 4
  • 10:30 a.m.: Team 1 vs. Team 4; Team 2 vs. Team 3
  • 1 p.m.: Team 5 vs. Team 8; Team 6 vs. Team 9
  • 3:30 p.m.: Team 7 vs. Team 10; Team 5 vs. Team 9
  • 6 p.m.: Team 6 vs. Team 10; Team 7 vs. Team 8

We’ll provide players and coaches with a more detailed report of the event’s itinerary in a separate piece, but today, we wanted to highlight some of the high-profile athletes already set to join us in Rantoul next week to help conclude another summer of baseball, only this time with an exclamation point at this first-of-its-kind event.

We pulled some names from each 10 team rosters we’ve assembled to highlight below, featuring prospects across grad classes 2023 through 2025. Players will participate in a traditional showcase and workout on the first day of the event, followed by live gameplay later in the day on Tuesday and a full day’s worth of gameplay throughout Wednesday.

The following list of names is only just scraping the surface of the caliber of talent set to join us at this two-day, invite-only event representing the best baseball Illinois has to offer, primarily full of uncommitted names to know ahead of time.

TEAM ONE

Cash Campbell 3B / Montini Catholic, IL / 2024

From 5/7/22: "Iowa commit. Currently ranked No. 21 in the Illinois 2024 class. Strong-bodied, 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame, looks to have trimmed up his frame since our last look. Took a solid round of IO before the game; moving well for his size and showing off reliable hands and fluid feet through the ball. The left-handed hitter has present bat-strength, starting in a wide setup with a knee-knock stride and coil in the upper-half; his hands work uphill to the ball with intent to lift the baseball, arms remain loose throughout with some hard contact throughout the game."

Casey Giemzik RHP / Brother Rice, IL / 2024

From 2/26/22:

Owen Kelly RHP / Belleville East, IL / 2023

From 7/1/22: "Highly projectable 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame that’ll comfortably add mass over the next few years. Took the rubber against one of the tournament’s top lineups and held them to one run in his start. Fluid downhill mover that repeats an efficient delivery and works in rhythm. Fastball played at 84-86 mph with feel for the corners, worked out of a ¾ slot. Threw several tightly spun low-70s sliders that broke late off a fastball plane. Bulldog mentality on the mound; competes and attacks the zone consistently. An arrow-up name in the Illinois’ 2023 class"

Brady Rosenkranz RHP / Stevenson, IL / 2025

Quinn Schambow C / Libertyville, IL / 2025

From 6/9/22: "Schambow has an advanced 6-foot, 180-pound frame with well-proportioned strength and a well above average arm for his age. He is clean and athletic out of the chute and his throws are easy out of the hand with carry while playing accurately to the second base bag. Schambow topped at 79 mph from the crouch with a low 2.06. Offensively, the right-handed hitter has a short, quick, repeatable swing that uses the whole field. One of the top 2025 catchers we have seen to-date."

Henry Wolfe C / New Trier, IL / 2023

From 5/11/22: "Uncommitted senior. Was one of the more athletic catchers at our Upperclass Preseason All-State event back in February where he ran a 6.78 60-yard dash. A muscular, 6-foot-2, 190-pounds athletic frame, was the battery ram for Justin Woods and batted seventh. Of the team’s total five hits, Wolfe had two going 2-2 with a walk. In his first at-bat, Wolfe beat out an infield single to third baseman. For his second hit, Wolfe went the other way for a single. Balanced setup, wide base, confident look at the plate, weight slightly pre-loaded on his back leg, toe tap stride. Strong hands with a direct path, level through the zone, creates easy backspin, and holds a high finish. Behind the plate, sets up in an athletic position, works to keep the balls in the dirt near home, fluid footwork, clean exchange. Throws play accurately and with carry, tossing out two baserunners on two attempts."


TEAM TWO

Ezra Essex OF / Marian Catholic, IL / 2025

From 7/13/22: "Uncommitted. 5’8 150 of lean muscle and pure electricity. This is a prototype leadoff hitter who’s just as likely to lace a 1st pitch in the gap as he is to work a lengthy AB. Even the best arms can rarely disrupt his timing, showing the aptitude to adjust his path or decelrate on the fly. Essex has the competitiveness and strong hands through contact to match the force of any pitch, and is a student of the game who studies every pitcher when he’s in the dugout. He creates fluid rhythm & sequence with quiet, simplified actions years ahead of his time. Lower half pace is perfect. Separation timing on point, hands work close to body for short direct path with crazy twitch. Ezra is a 6.6 runner (laser time) and is surely on his way to having top of the scale wheels. These explosive tools allow him to cover a large amount of ground in CF with a quick 1st step and long speed."

Austin Brown RHP / Triad, IL / 2023

From 7/25/22:

Ryan Mickenbecker RHP / Plainfield North, IL / 2024

From 6/6/22:

Davis Weeks SS / Dunlap, IL / 2025

From 7/17/22:


TEAM THREE

Liam Arsich OF / Lincoln-Way Central, IL / 2025

From 2/24/22: "...looks to be an up-and-coming arm to keep an eye on. At 6-foot-2, 145-pounds he’s long and slender with a quick arm for his age. Already sitting 77-79 mph he looks to carry a ton of upside with the length in his frame, lack of present physicality and exceptional arm speed for his age. There’s clearly more in the tank as he fills out his already athletic frame (7.01 runner in the 60; 84 mph from the outfield)."

Michael Farina SS / Mundelein, IL / 2023

From 4/11/22: "...uncommitted. The athletic 6-foot-1, 160-pound right-handed hitting shortstop batted lead off for his team. Wide stance, weight preloaded to the back leg, short stride. Quick, athletic hands, compact swing, ability to drive the baseball to all fields. Went 1-for-2 at the plate with an infield single, two walks and three runs scored. Defensively from shortstop, Farina works low to high while fielding out front, quiet footwork, full range to both glove side and up the middle, quick, clean exchange. Throws from a short, loose arm action, high ¾ slot with accurate throws to first."

Tony Konopiots 3B / Downers Grove North, IL / 2023

From 5/2/22: "West Virginia commit, currently ranked No. 28 in the Illinois 2023 class. Good-looking frame, developed lower-half with some projection still left in there, 6-foot-1, 190-pounds. Impressive defender at third base; soft/fluid hands with athletic footwork, showed body control on plays to both sides of his glove. His arm plays with backspin across the diamond, easy velocity with accuracy. The right-handed hitter starts in a wide setup, simple/minimal stride to remain on time; fluid rhythm with loose arms throughout the swing, quick hands with an intent to put the ball on a line, mature look in the box."

William Millard C / O'Fallon, IL / 2023

From 7/11/22: "Compact 5-foot-11, 190-pound frame that saw time behind the plate and on the infield for Extreme Elite National while hitting towards the top of their lineup. Simple right-handed swing without much additional movement, hands slot back early into load. Works the other way with intent, line drive approach, doesn’t try and do too much. Quality defender behind the plate; firm receiver and adept blocker that works."

Jake Perrino RHP / Benet Academy, IL / 2023

From 7/11/22: "Uncommitted 2023. Perrino had some of the best pure stuff of any arm I saw at Indiana Open. He has a long, projectable frame at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds. He pitched exclusively from the stretch, with a quick tempo delivery and short, quick 3/4 arm action. The quickness of his delivery allowed his 86-88 T 90 mph fastball to jump on hitters, getting multiple S/M’s on fastballs. His 73-75 mph breaking ball was a bit inconsistent in this outing, however when he was able to get it out front it showed some late bite. Perrino struck out 4 in his 2 IP, allowing 0 ER."

 

Troy Stukenberg SS / Lyons Township, IL / 2023

From 7/5/22: "5-foot-10, 180-pound strong, muscular frame. Was a key contributor to the Cangelosi Sparks North team that captured the tournament championship. Worked on the barrel throughout the weekend with athletic hands. Also showed as one of the biggest winners from this winter’s O’Hare Preseason ID, where he ran a 6.63 60, averaged 94.2 mph off the barrel in BP, and topped at 86 mph across the infield."

Ryan Klukas LHP / Lemont, IL / 2023

From 4/26/22: "Uncommitted. 5-foot-10, 165-pounds. Got the start for Lemont in their game against No. 18 Lincoln-Way East. Klukas went four innings surrendering three runs on four hits and struck out seven batters. Segmented tall-and-fall delivery with easy effort, athletic point of balance, squared shoulders and hands squared to home with an athletic finish. Short arm action, high ¾ slot. Klukas used a three pitch mix; fastball, slider and changeup. Fastball featured four-seam type action with occasional arm-side run, held 80-83 mph throughout his outing. Slider spun off a 2/8 plane with horizontal action, showed as his go-to secondary offering and held 72-73 mph. Changeup played with sink, spotted on the arm-side of the plate and sat 74-76 mph."


TEAM FOUR

Kolin Adams OF / Mount Carmel, IL / 2025

From 7/6/22: "Adams has a repeatable, polished swing at the plate, especially given his age. He stays balanced, and calm throughout, letting the ball travel deep in the zone while showing loose, quick hands and the ability to handle the barrel. Adams sprayed hard line-drive contact to all fields. Defensively, he plays with smooth, easy actions and his arm topped at 82 mph from the outfield."

Camden Raddatz 3B / Effingham, IL / 2024

From 2/27/22: "...turned in one of the more impressive all-around showings on the entire day. On the mound, the 6-foot, 185-pound right-hander showed excellent feel, upside and presence on the mound. His arm works with little perceived effort, producing a fastball that plays with finish through the zone while topping out at 84 mph. His best secondary offering is a sharp 11/5 curveball at 68-71 mph, in which he showed to have above average feel for in the zone, starting off a similar plane to his fastball. Offensively, the right-handed hitter provides easy pop off the bat (95 mph max EV) from his loose/fluid swing. He works through the zone with strong hands and an uphill path, creating natural lift while maintaining a smooth tempo throughout."

Danny Rollins C / Lake Park, IL / 2023

From 2/26/22:
Positional Profile
: C/SS
Body
: 5-10, 175-pounds.
 Hit: RHH. Balanced setup. Loose and relaxed. Short stride. Easy swing, loose hands, lets the ball travel and uses the whole field. Ability to backspin the baseball.
 Power: 98.2 max exit velocity, averaged 92.2 mph. 340’ max distance.
 Arm: RH. C - 77 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 arm slot.
 Defense: 2.06-2.14 pop times. Balanced footwork, clean exchange.
 Run: 7.10 runner in the 60.

Kenneth Jackson RHP / Simeon, IL / 2023

From 5/18/22:


TEAM FIVE

Ethan Eberle LHP / Normal Community, IL / 2024

Jacob Gimbel LHP / Joliet Catholic, IL / 2024

From 4/20/22: "Uncommitted. Wiry, 5-foot-10, 170-pound frame, room to fill out in the lower-half. Started on the mound for Joliet Catholic and was lights out over his five innings of work, scattering just two hits with one earned run and striking out nine. The Southpaw’s arm works with a clean circle out of the glove before moving into a high ¾ slot. On the mound, Gimbel works with a fluid tempo while also actively trying to work quickly, wasting no time between pitches with a confident presence. Mechanically, he loads into his back knee at balance point before moving into an in-line stride towards the plate, landing square. His fastball worked up to 80 mph with life to his arm-side and played at the top of the zone at times, setting up a sharp curveball with 1/7 shape and tight spin, thrown often off a similar fastball plane at 67-69 mph."

Bryce Nevils C / Brother Rice, IL / 2023

From 3/22/22: "Uncommitted. Ranked No. 39 in the state. 6-foot-1, 188-pound, athletic frame with advanced strength in his lower half. At the plate right-handed hitting catcher, setups in a slightly crouched stance with high active hands. Uses a toe tap load/stride to help stay on his back leg and adjust to pitches. Quick, athletic hands, compact swing with feel for the barrel. Showed the ability to hit for both contact and power while showing plate discipline and pitch recognition. Nevils finished 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, hustle double, three RBIs, stolen base and a run scored."

Landen Patton LHP / Sangamon Valley, IL / 2024

From 2/23/22: "Perhaps the most noteworthy ‘pen from this event came towards the end when Patton toed the rubber. The 5-foot-11, 176-pound sophomore pumped his fastball in at 82-83 mph from a long, loose fluid arm stroke that finished from a ¾ slot. Patton’s fastball metrics make it especially unique as it averaged 21+ inches of vertical break from an average release height of 5.1 feet, creating more natural rise from that lower arm angle than most. Patton complimented his fastball with a curveball and changeup, both of which he showed feel for throughout his ‘pen. His breaking ball played at 72-74 mph at a 2,200+ RPM average while flashing hard late action off a 1/7 plane. Patton threw his changeup at 75-76 mph with intent and from a similar slot than his fastball, spotting it up in the zone with occasional fade to the arm-side. He’s certainly a follow name on the mound in the state’s 2024 class."

Sohrab Rezaei SS / University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, IL / 2023

From 7/6/22: "...had one of the top all around performances from the day. At the plate the 5-foot-8, 165-pound, right-handed hitter stays extremely compact and repeatable with above-average barrel feel. Rezaei sprayed hard, lifted contact to all parts of the diamond and was on the barrel at a high-rate. Rezaei averaged the top bat speed of the event at 75.6 mph. Defensively, he is an athletic, bouncy defender with soft confident hands and plays well on the move. His arm plays accurately from multiple slots and topped at 82 mph (has been 84 in the past. Rezaei also ran a 6.88 60 and registered a max exit velocity of 94 mph."

Zan von Schlegell MIF / Saint Viator, IL / 2023

From 7/5/22: "5-foot-10, 180-pounds. One of the toolsiest athletes in the state of Illinois. Ran a 6.78 60 this winter and peaked at 92 mph across the infield. Also registered a max exit velocity of 96.6 mph in BP, averaging 90.9 mph off the barrel with a peak batted distance of 363 feet. Turned in a three hit performance for Rake City that included a loud opposite field triple."


TEAM SIX

Jack Bauer LHP / Lincoln-Way East, IL / 2025

From 6/8/22: The biggest winner on the mound was [Bauer]. Standing at 6-foot-2, 170-pounds, Bauer has all sorts of projection in his lean/wiry frame. He moves down the mound athletically with a drop/drive lower-half and minimal perceived effort, remaining in-line to the plate before firing from a clean/loose ¾ slot. His fastball worked in the 87-89 mph range, jumping out of his hand with life to the arm-side and spinning at an average of 2,291 RPM (T2440 RPM). His breaking ball plays off a sharp 1/7 plane, spinning at an average of 2,420 RPM, 68-69 mph. His final offering was a fading changeup at 76-78 mph, getting under it at times but thrown with near fastball arm-speed. 

Connor Blue RHP / O'Fallon, IL / 2025

Jackson Stanek 1B / St. Rita, IL / 2024

From 2/21/22: [Stanek] made a loud impression in his PBR event debut with impressive batted ball metrics across the board. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound sophomore reached a max exit velocity of 99.7 mph with an average exit velocity of 93.4 mph and a 70% hard-hit rate (percentage of batted balls in an event that reached a 95+ mph exit velocity). Not only did he consistently hit the ball hard, but Stanek showed a natural ability to elevate the baseball to his pull-side as well. His peak batted distance (378 ft.) and average batted distance (316 ft.) were amongst the event’s highest marks. With his ability to make this level of impact-type contact and hit the ball in the air, Stanek has real upside as a thumper-type at the next level.

Khamaree Thomas OF / Kenwood, IL / 2024

Thomas just represented his home state as part of Team Illinois at last week’s prestigious PBR Future Games event down at LakePoint in Emerson, Ga. He impressed across multiple facets down there, especially defensively while patrolling center field, after he chased down a hard-hit fly ball hit into the left-center gap and dove to fully extend himself to reel in the highlight reel grab on the warning track. His athleticism enhances his skill set at an up-the-middle position, and he went on to look like an everyday centerfielder and lead-off left-handed hitter throughout the event, sparking Team Illinois to a perfect 3-0 week down at LakePoint. Thomas was one of the team’s most productive bats all while playing a lockdown center field, coming away from Future Games with some serious momentum.

Nate George OF / Minooka , IL / 2024

From 2/21/22: [George] was one of the more intriguing 2024’s in attendance on Monday. The athletically built 5-foot-11, 165-pound sophomore is a dynamic athlete who can impact the game in a number of ways. George started his day by floating around the outfield with athletic actions, quick feet and strong arm that topped at 89 mph. He the proceeded to run a 6.64, the top 60-yard dash of the event. The talented right-handed hitter then got in the box and showed off an athletic, aggressive swing with quick strong hands and all kinds of jump off the barrel (95 mph max exit velocity) given his wiry-strong frame. The two-way prospect capped his day with a highly-intriguing ‘pen, proving that his athleticism easily transfers over to the mound. With a compact/repeatable delivery and clean arm, his fastball worked up to 84.6 mph with ride through the zone and life out of the hand. He used a curveball with short 10/4 action to play off a similar plane, consistently landing it in the zone for strikes at 69-70 mph. With a straight changeup kept down in the zone at 74-76 mph, he showed a promising third offering to keep would-be hitters off balance. High-follow 2024 prospect to know moving forward.


TEAM SEVEN

Drew Koenen RHP / Maine South, IL / 2023

From 4/21/22: Uncommitted 2023 right-handed pitcher. Got our second look at him in the matter of a couple of weeks. Started on the mound against Glenbrook South. Showed an uptick in the velocity from his last outing. Sat mostly 86-88 mph, touched 89. Also, mixed in a 77-81 mph changeup which we did not see in his previous outing. Showed confidence in it while flashing sinking action. Curveball continues to show as an above-average pitch at 68-70 mph with depth and 12/6 shape. Picked up the complete game, seven inning win, throwing 93 pitches and landing 70% of them for strikes. Scattered two hits, one run, none earned, stuck out eight and walked one. Impressive showing for the uncommitted junior.

Ryan Kotara RHP / Lincoln-Way Central, IL / 2024

Kotara has long performed in showcase setting like a high-end athlete, one of the best in the class. He ran a 6.77 back in February, and what sets him apart from peers is his muscular 6-foot-1, 192-pound stature that helps him look the part of a next-level talent. At Illinois State Games, Kotara will pitch exclusively, something we've not seen from the Lincoln-Way Central product in some time, but given his strength and athleticism traits, we're eager to see the kind of upside he presents at the event.

James Love 3B / Joliet West, IL / 2024

From 4/12/22: Uncommitted. Mature-looking frame, standing 6-foot, 185-pounds. Initially stood out on the field during IO, but proved to be more than capable with the bat during gameplay; finishing the day 1-for-3 with a couple impressive at-bats. The right-handed hitter starts in a crouched and slightly open setup, moving with a repeatable toe-tap stride. He creates hand separation at footstrike, pointing the barrel to the sky before transitioning into a flat path with notable hand speed. The most impressive at-bat from Love came when he sat back on a well-placed curveball to shoot it the other way for a single, battling through tough fastballs earlier in the at-bat and ripping the first breaking ball thrown his way. As mentioned before, Love stood out before the game even started during IO; showing off smooth actions with fluid feet and soft hands; he also made an incredibly tough play in-game to his back-hand side that was taking him away from the field. His arm plays with back-spin and carry across the diamond, proving to be yet another tool for the talented sophomore infielder.

Luke Wallace OF / Lemont, IL / 2023

From 4/16/22: Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 154 in the state’s 2023 class. 6-foot-1, 180-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. Hit lead off and played centerfield for Lemont. Simple, balanced setup in the box, short stride with fluid rhythm throughout. Athletic hands with bat speed, compact swing, able to drive the baseball to all fields, ready to attack the first pitch. Tallied three hits in five at-bats with a double, two runs batted in, one run scored and two stolen bases. In his second at-bat on a 1-0 count, lined a double to the right center gap scoring two runs to make the score 3-1 at the time. Arm plays long from the outfield, finishes out of a high ¾ slot. Featured a quick first step and easy, fluid movements to the baseball with athletic routes to gather.


TEAM EIGHT

Cade Duffin 1B / Oswego, IL / 2023

Recent Illinois-Springfield commit; report from 7/5/22: 6-foot-3, 240-pound frame that’s leaned out and added more muscle since our latest in-game look. Ultra-physical athlete that wields one of the loudest right-handed bats in Illinois. Bashed a ball off the center field fence in his first at-bat of the entire tournament and flashed true impact power at times as the weekend went on. Recorded a 108 mph max exit velocity at the Rhino Scout Day last September in BP, taken from TrackMan.

 

Jonathan Fleaka SS / 2B / Lake Zurich, IL / 2024

 

Enzo Infelise C / Providence Catholic, IL / 2025

As an underclassman, Infelise represented Team Illinois at the PBR Future Games last week just a year after repping them at the Junior Future Games in 2021. Over those 365 days, Infelise showed demonstrable strides on defense, showcasing like a high-follow 2025 catcher in the state’s incoming freshman class, all while maintaining his status as one of the most powerful right-handed hitters in the class that we’ve seen so far. His excellent defense from behind the plate was one of our biggest takeaways from Team Illinois’ individual performances at the Future Games, and we’re eager to see it on display again at this event.

Peter Visconti II C / St. Joseph Catholic, WI / 2025

From 5/18/22: Solid frame close to mature, should continue to get stronger. Smooth athlete with strength and flexibility. Shows quick-twitch and burst with athletic gait. Stock setup with loose upper half. Short press into back-side with balanced land and short trigger to hitting position. Loose relaxed hands with short on plane swing. Feel for the strike zone and feel for the barrel. Line-drive/gap hitter with occasional pull-side power. Very polished defender with soft hands and strength to keep balls in zone. Consistently finds the pocket while receiving and stuff will give him no problems handling a big time staff. Quick to block consistently keeping balls in front. Calming leader-type presence for pitching staffs. One of the top prospects in the 2025 class and can envision him staying there until his grad year.


TEAM NINE

Michael Belbot RHP / Stevenson, IL / 2023

Recent Illinois-Chicago commit; report from 2/26/22: [Belbot] was a big winner from Saturday’s event, putting together one of the more eye-opening bullpens on the day. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound right-hander moves fluidly down the mound from a quick high ¾ slot, producing easy velocity. Since our last look in early February, the right-hander added 2 mph to his fastball, reaching up to 91 in his ‘pen on Saturday. His fastball rides through the zone and comes from a loose/easy arm with little perceived effort, sitting 89-90 mph (2,349 rpm max spin rate). The separator in Belbot’s arsenal is his power curveball, thrown aggressively, 74-77 mph, while averaging a spin rate of 2,539 rpm, and it pairs effectively off his fastball and it should be a high-level out-pitch this spring. His changeup also showed potential to be an out-pitch in the near future, he demonstrated above-average feel for it while also possessing fading action to the arm-side, 83-84 mph.

Tyler Bell SS / Lincoln-Way East, IL / 2024

Pittsburgh commit; report from 4/12/22: 6-foot, 170-pound athletic frame with room for added strength. Hit leadoff and played shortstop for Lincoln-Way East. Switch-hitter with an open setup, consistently set the table for the middle of the Griffins order; drawing four walks and coming around to score all four times. Took an impressive round of I/O, showing off arm strength to make the necessary throws from the left-side of the diamond. Made a nice play in game on a sharply hit ground ball to his back hand, making an accurate throw to get the runner.

Luke Landrus C / SS / St. Joseph-Ogden, IL / 2024

Landrus is a versatile defender, listed at 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, who offers a skill set that plays both behind the plate as well as up the middle of the infield. He has soft hands and a quick exchange that work especially well from the crouch, and his long levers have helped him generate some sound contact from the right-handed batter’s box that we’ve seen in-person, including at the PBR Illinois Summer Championships where he launched a home run in front of our staff.

Dominic Voegele RHP / Columbia , IL / 2023

From 6/21/22: Uncommitted right/right two-way player Voegele showed some intriguing upside to our staff, including PBR Director of College Scouting David Seifert, who wrote: “The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder excelled on the bump, showing an 89-91 mph fastball and above average 74-76 curve. Also showed a feel for a mid-80s changeup. Filled the zone with his heater and breaker with a longer, continuous arm path and good direction and extension to the plate. Lower effort delivery with high three-quarter release point. Higher ceiling arm with all things considered, including his athleticism, delivery and projectable frame.”

Johnny Wendling C / 3B / St. Laurence, IL / 2023

From 5/9/22: Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 81 in the Illinois 2023 class. Strong-bodied frame, 6-foot, 200-pounds. Impressed at third base with soft/confident hands that play out front, also moving well for his size and showcasing a strong arm that plays with backspin across the diamond. The right-handed hitter has easy pop to all fields, working with a simple/repeatable swing; creating hand separation at foot-strike and moving with a flat path through the zone, strong hands with bat-speed – also showed off a keen eye with two walks on the day, working counts in each at-bat.


TEAM TEN

Joseph Martin RHP / Newark, IL / 2023

Jaden Obaldo 2B / 3B / Crystal Lake Central, IL / 2024

Oblado is a 5-foot-9, 175-pound infielder with a robust right-handed bat. TrackMan captured a similar batted-ball profile at both the winter’s Preseason All-State event as well as June’s Top Tier Scout Day, emphasizing his consistency in the batter’s box. At both events, Oblado averaged an exit speed over 91 mph, and he reached a 96.8 mph max EV in June. His bat-to-ball skills, noteworthy bat speed, and power traits make him one uncommitted Class of 2024 prospect to check in on during the State Games.

Brandon Schultz OF / LHP / Stevenson, IL / 2024

From 2/26/22

Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 5-8, 165-pounds. Broad shoulders. Strong lower half.
Hit: LHH. Wide setup, quiet load and short stride. Strong hands, rotational swing, pull-side tendencies.
Power: 96.3 max exit velocity, averaged 75 mph. 320’ max distance.
Arm: LH. OF - 80 mph. Short, loose arm action. Works from a high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Quick lateral movements. Athletic actions.
Run: 6.75 runner in the 60.

 

Parker Schuring RHP / Huntley, IL / 2023

From 2/12/22: [Schuring] is a strong-bodied right-hander who stands at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds. Schuring moves extremely well down the mound, especially for his size, showcasing a fluid drop/drive delivery that looks effortless, on top of a loose arm playing from a short and high ¾ slot. The right-hander’s fastball sat comfortably in the 84-85 mph range with ride through the zone to his arm-side. He then went on to display a sharp slider at 72-74 mph, landing for strikes repeatedly off a 10/4 plane. His changeup flashed heavy fade at times, thrown at near-fastball arm speed, 76-78 mph.

Jude Warwick SS / Downers Grove North, IL / 2024

From 5/2/22: The uncommitted sophomore put together one of the more exciting performances so far this spring, making his varsity debut and going a perfect 4-for-4 with some highlight-reel defense as well. Standing at 6-foot, 135-pounds, Warwick is highly projectable with a lean/wiry frame and high waist, possessing plenty of room to fill out in the coming years. The left-handed hitter starts with a slightly open setup, moving back to the plate with a long stride; he creates some hand separation at footstrike before moving with an uphill path through the zone, maintaining a fluid rhythm throughout his entire swing, also putting the barrel on the ball consistently with some sneaky jump off the bat. At second base, Warwick displayed soft hands with a quick transfer, showing the ability to handle the short hop with ease. His footwork is fluid around the ball, working with easy range to both sides of the glove; also making a stellar diving catch on a line-drive up the middle where he also doubled up the runner at first base.


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