Top 10 Profiles of 2022: No. 4 Jack Bauer
December 27, 2022
Sitting in the No. 4 position in our countdown is recent Virginia commit Jack Bauer (Lincoln-Way East, 2025). Few players in the state rose as much as Bauer did over the summer. We got our first look at the southpaw at the Top Tier Scout Day in early June, and it seemed as if he only got better each time we saw him after that. Bauer came down to LakePoint in late July to represent Team Illinois at the Future Games and left with his name atop many schools’ lists. A couple weeks later we saw Bauer at the inaugural Illinois State Games, where he came away as the clear winner from the event on the mound.
After popping at the #PBRFG22, LHP Jack Bauer (@LWEastBaseball, 2025) continues to show high-follow stuff for his age.
— PBR Illinois (@PBRIllinois) August 10, 2022
6-foot-2. 175-pound frame.
FB T91, sat in the upper-80s through 2️⃣ IP, punching out 5️⃣. Landed upper-60s CB for strikes, too. #ILStateGames | @ShooterHunt pic.twitter.com/2rYHMN4o1d
The southpaw sits comfortably in the mid/upper 80s and has reached up to 91 mph with spin rates over 2,400 RPM - which he pairs with a 1/7 breaking ball (T2477 RPM) and sinking changeup. Reaching up to and over 90 mph as a 2025 is highly impressive on its own, but what might be even more impressive is the jumps in velocity we saw each time Bauer took the ball. The ease of his operation and quickness in his arm shows signs of even more velocity to come in the future, and his 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame has all sorts of room for continued development.
Already one of the top left-handed pitchers in his class, look for Bauer to only make upward strides as he continues to develop.
Scouting Report
Arguably nobody in the state has been on a quicker, higher climb than Jack Bauer (Lincoln-Way East, 2025), who officially broke out at the PBR Future Games, and continued to show the same high-level stuff at the State Games. Bauer, who has a chance to soar towards the top of the Illinois rankings, has an ultra-fluid, easy delivery and continues to set personal bests everytime he comes to an event. This time around, Bauer, listed at an upside 6-foot-2, 175-pounds, ran his fastball up to 91.4 mph sitting comfortably in the upper-80’s. Bauer controlled the fastball throughout and showed two developing off-speed offerings for strikes in an upper-60s curveball and 76-78 mph changeup. Bauer struck out six in his three inning stint. The floor continues to elevate for Bauer and the ceiling remains arguably the top in the class.