Inside the Illinois 2020 Rankings: Risers

Last week, we released our updated and expanded Illinois Class of 2020 Rankings. We began the analysis of the rankings with a detailed look at the top-10 prospects. Today, we continue the breakdown of rankings looking at some of the biggest risers among the 200-ranked prospects.

Right outside the top 10, sits talented LHP Payton Hutchings (Coal City), up from No. 14 to No. 11, which is a big climb, as it gets harder and harder to climb the board the higher you get. The Illinois commit is one of the more polished arms in the class. Hutchings is highly athletic, goes right after hitters, and his 84-86 mph fastball seems to play way harder than the velocity indicates. On top of that, Hutchings is more than capable of handling the bat. He’s a left-handed hitter and he has a knack for finding the barrel, with sneaky juice, and is an above-average runner.

Up six spots to No. 15 is left-handed hitter Marquis Jackson (Brother Rice). Jackson, an Oklahoma commit, has had two of the better performances at the Metro East Kickoff Classic, in as many years. Jackson showed his high upside with his bat once again at the Kickoff Classic and earned the first Illinois Player of the Week honor as a result. He’s been playing third base most of the year, but has the versatility to play anywhere on the diamond.

Marquis Jackson (3.24.19)

Another position player on the rise so far this spring is