Prep Baseball Report

Lockport Preseason I.D.: Quick Hits


Illinois Scouting Staff

On Feb. 18, the PBR Illinois staff made its way back to Bo Jackson’s Elite Sports Dome in Lockport, the site of the annual Lockport Preseason I.D. showcase. Every year, this event is one of the most heavily attended on our showcase calendar, with 200 prospects in attendance on Monday.

Naturally, with so many players to sift through, there’s plenty to report on. We’ve broken down our traditional rapid analysis post by position below, highlighting the notes and players who caught our attention coming out of the event earlier this week. Keep an eye open tomorrow when we dive into the event’s measured categories to determine which prospects had the best performances from a statistical perspective.

There’s a lot to unpack this afternoon, so let’s get to it.

INFIELDERS

+ 6-foot, 175-pound, athletically-built, INF Michael Kennedy (Lincoln-Way West, 2020) had a solid all-around showing at his first PBR event. Kennedy ran a 7.23 in the 60, was 84 mph across the infield, and registered an 89 mph exit velocity. The right-handed hitter, has a middle-of-the-order type of profile. He creates easy bat speed, has length through the zone and made hard gap-to-gap contact in BP. Defensively, his arm plays easily from the left side of the diamond.

+ Another highly-interesting infielder to make his PBR showcase debut was Anthony Fornero (Lemont, 2020). The 6-foot-1, 180-pound, right-handed hitter has a strong, athletic build with more room for added strength. At the plate, he put together one of the best rounds of BP on the day. Fornero looks hitterish in the box, has strong hands, a fast bat, natural lift in his swing and consistently squared up baseballs. Defensively, Fornero has quick, athletic feet, steady hands and a big arm that has life across the infield at 89 mph. Fornero also ran a 7.15 laser-timed 60.

+ Jacob Allgeyer (Minooka, 2020) was yet another uncommitted junior who should garner some attention thanks to his offensive profile. The 6-foot, 188-pound, well-proportioned, switch-hitter handles the bat equally as well from both sides of the plate and registered a 95 mph exit velocity. Allgeyer has loose, athletic hands, quick-twitch in his swing and stays short to the ball. There is a question mark on where he will end up defensively but his switch-hitting ability is a carrying tool.

+ RHP/INF Adam Bendoraitis (Batavia, 2020) has an intriguing two-way profile. The wiry 5-foot-11, 165-pound, left-handed hitter has a simple, flat swing and made a lot of hard line drive contact. On the mound, he ran his fastball up to 85 mph and complemented it with a 12/6 curveball with depth.

+ Some of the best raw power on the day of this group of infielders came from 1B Danny Wuestenfield (Joliet Catholic, 2020), 1B Ronan Meyer (Munster, 2020), 1B John Kruzel (Lincoln-Way East, 2020), 3B Mason Zahara (Lockport, 2021), and INF Jimmy Rolder (Marist, 2022). Wuestenfield, listed at 6-foot-2, 203-pounds, has a smooth right-handed swing with extension through contact and pull-side power. Rolder, only a freshman, is listed at 6-foot-1, 190-pounds, has advanced strength for his age, takes an aggressive right-handed swing with natural lift and made consistent hard contact to the pull side.

+ Four underclass infielders who possess an advanced hit tool were SS Joshua Kendall (Andrew), SS Ryan O’Neil (Providence Catholic, 2021), 1B Jack Dezelan (Maine South, 2021) and 3B William Flanigan (Riverside-Brookfield, 2022). Kendall, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound, right-handed hitter swings with intent, stays flat through the zone, made a lot of hard line-drive contact and has the ability to backspin the baseball. O’Neil, ran a 6.90 60, creates easy bat speed and has present bat strength. O’Neil has a quick transfer on the infield with easy carry to his throws. O’Neil should push for varsity playing time this spring. Dezelan, left-handed bat out of a 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame, works on top of the baseball, stays flat through the zone and is consistently on time, making hard line-drive contact to the middle of the field. Flanigan, is a 2022 left-handed bat to follow moving forward. Like Dezelan, Flanigan works on top of the baseball, stays through the hitting zone a long time and backspins the baseball consistently. Flanigan is a steady defender with a quick and clean release from the left side of the diamond.

+ Cole Green (Marmion, 2021), Lorenzo Rios (Joliet Catholic, 2022), Henry Cichowski (Lockport, 2022), Jayden Lobliner (St. Charles North, 2022) and James Murphy (Marist, 2022) are all underclassmen who have the tools to stick in the middle of the diamond moving forward.

2019 & 2020 CATCHERS

+ The sole 2019 catcher in attendance, Jason Volpe (Lakes Community, ranked at No. 205 in 2019 class) remains unsigned and shouldn’t be for long. An athletic frame at 6-foot-1, 190-pounds, Volpe has a smooth swing from the left side of the plate and can create lift to the middle/pull side with present bat speed (91 exit velo). A capable defender with quick and clean transfers, his pop times ranged from 2.13 to 2.20.

+ Lincoln-Way East will have no shortage of backstops coming through their doors with the trio of Ryan McCoy (2020), Cade Turner (2020) and Ethan Brooks (2021). McCoy was one of two catcher to eclipse the sub-2.00 pop time mark ranging 1.97-2.05. A lanky framed LHH (6-3, 190), McCoy has loose hands at the dish and athleticism in his frame noting his 7.01 60-yard dash. Turner has an accurate arm from the crouch popping a best 2.03 to second base. A short path at the plate with line drive abilities, Turner has present bat speed and and rhythm in his swing. Brooks, the sole 2021 of the group, has plenty of polish in his defensive traits. A bit smaller in stature, Brooks has quick feet/hands behind the plate, a short, clean arm action with carry on his throws (2.01-2.17 pops).

+ Jake Dagys (Lockport) wields aggressive bat with fluid hands at the plate leading all catchers in exit velocity testing topping 98 mph from a tee. A solid defender, Dagys put his throws on the bag popping 2.06-2.11, respectively.

+ Andrew Petsche (Oswego East) and Clay Billadeau (Metea Valley) both have a definite hit tool in their bags. Petsche is aggressive to the baseball, generates whippy, fast bat speed (95 exit velocity) and flashed line drive ability with pull side favoritism. Billadeau created loud contact at the dish, showed the ability to lift the baseball with present bat speed and rhythm (90 exit velocity).

+ Strong framed Kyle Waxweiler (Lincoln-Way West) showed some of the best defensive traits on the day. A relaxed defender, Waxweiler has soft hands and footwork that will translate well as he continues to enhance his ability. The RHH can also lift the baseball with present bat strength.

2021 & 2022 CATCHERS

+ Ben Hartl (Springfield) may have made the biggest impression with his all around skills as a multi-positional player. Hartl claimed the event best pop time ranging 1.90-2.10 from the crouch with athletic feet, a quick transfer and carry on his throws. An actiony defender on the infield, he showed soft hands, a loose, quick arm action and the ability to play on the move. A newly dubbed switch-hitter, the Central Illinois product has loose hands, fluid rhythm through contact, repeatability in his swing with more polish from the right side (89 exit velocity).

+ Another multi-positional player, John-Michael Scumaci (Sandburg) continues to make strides in his abilities. He has fluid, quick feet behind the dish and a simple catch and throw style popping 2.09-2.26 to second. Scumaci plays through the ball with ease and rhythm on the infield while throwing a true, accurate ball across. A contact type hitter, he has feel for the barrel and a solid approach with bat speed that plays at the dish. Not to mention he ran a 703 60-yard dash.

+ Advanced framed backstop Jake Rybka (Providence Catholic) has projectable tools on both sides of the ball. A catch and release style, Rybka has a long arm with carry to the bag popping 2.04-2.15 from the crouch. He hits with an approach at the plate and pair that with his hand strength, he will be a bright spot for Providence moving forward.

+ Benji Ries (Stevenson) and Kyler Arias (Antioch) both have present hit tools with power potential. Ries hits with rhythm in his hands, can lift the baseball and flashed the ability to back spin the ball to the pull side (92 exit velocity). Arias wields a quick bat with loose hands and can create serious bat speed at 95 mph from a tee.

+ Danny Nuccio (Plainfield North) has an athletic build with skill on both sides of the ball. A short, uphill bat path, Nuccio is aggressive to the ball with line drive abilities (86 exit velo). He moves in rhythm defensively, soft blocks with carry on his throws (2.11-2.26 pops).

+ Timothy Whitfield (Crossroads Christian) impressed in his first PBR event with a 2.06-2.15 pop time and carry on his throws defensively. He hits with rhythm in his hands and produces an easy, short bat path.

+ Sam Holtz (Lake Zurich) produced line drive contact at the dish to all fields while registering a 92 mph exit velocity.

+ Harrison Scroggins (Lincoln-Way West), Jayden Lobinler (St. Charles North) and spark plug Lorenzo Rios (Joliet Catholic) will be a names to remember from the ‘22 class. All possess athletic traits that will only continue to improve as the get older.

PITCHERS

+ RHP/INF Brady Young (Hampshire) is a 2021 with a bright future on the mound. Young, who made this event his coming out party, has a loose, quick arm from a high ¾ slot. Young sat 85-86 mph, touching 87 and paired it with a sharp curveball thrown at 71-72 mph. Young is still working on the third pitch in his arsenal but the two he currently possesses warrant him being a high-follow moving forward.

+ Minooka may have a couple ace types up their sleeve on the mound this year in a pair of junior RHPs Scott Harper and Johnathan Forneris. Both were in attendance at this same event last year, and both have made significant gains over the last year. The duo were both just scratching the low 80s last year and now have seen their fastballs jump to 88 mph. Forneris is an athletic 5-foot-11, 158 pounds but packs a heavy, late-action fastball out of a low ¾ slot that sat at 87 mph and touched 88 mph. His curveball is also above average with sharp 10/4 shape. Harper also throws from a lower slot (¾) but stands 6-foot-1, 170 pounds and has a feel for three pitches. He, too, showed heavy sinking action that comes out easy at 85-87 mph touching 88 mph. His changeup may be his best secondary offering, while complementing his fastball with a frisbee-type breaking ball at 70-73 mph. For good measure, Harper also ran a 6.92.

+ Conant RHP Lucas Kim (2020) is steadily making positive strides. Kim sat 83-84 mph back in July and worked at 84-86 mph on Monday with a hard-action changeup to his arm side.

+ 2021 right-hander Anthony Sorrentino (Lyons Township) is one to keep an eye on. Making his PBR debut, Sorrentino is a lanky 6-foot, 160 pounds with a loose arm action that already works in the low 80s (81-83 mph).

+ 2020 Zachary Ward (Lincoln-Way Central) is an arm strength righty who ran his fastball up to 87 mph while showing adequate feel for secondary offerings. Ward already possesses a physical build at 6-foot-2, 176 pounds.

+ RHP Nolan Vlcek (Lockport, 2020) put his name on the PBR radar due to a heavy 85-86 mph fastball that topped at 87 mph. Vlcek has a strong build at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, a live arm and confidence on the mound.

+ RHP Ysen Useni (Maine South, 2022) showed us glimpses of his potential last year as an eighth grader, and has already gained significant velocity and feel. His changeup is already an advanced offering, and is up to 82-84 mph with his fastball. On top of that his 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame may have even more in the tank.

+ A pair of lower-80-mph arms in the 2020 class who showed intriguing projection to our scouts: RHPs Logan Durling (Plainfield North) and Davey Fitzpatrick (Lincoln-Way East). Both topped at 83 mph, but posses lively arm actions and upside frames. Durling has a long-levered frame at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds and Fitzpatrick has a strong 6-foot-3, 190-pound build.

+ 2020 RHP Mason Kottmeyer (Kaneland) was one of the taller arms on the day, standing in at 6-foot-5, 170 pounds, full of length. While there is still strength to be had, Kottmeyer showcased a 83-85 mph fastball out of a long loose frame. His upside is there while showing feel for a change as well.

OUTFIELDERS

+ If you are looking for fleet-footed outfielders, look no further than Plainfield Central’s Jake Donahue (2020). Donahue really caught our attention last summer, from the IHSA playoffs, to summer tournaments. In his first PBR event, the 5-foot-11, 155-pounder ran the second best 60 time of the day, at 6.67, only to be topped by another outfielder, Ryan DiGrazia (Waubonsie Valley, 2021), at 6.63. Donahue has a confident approach in the box that uses the whole field to spray line-drive gap power. Defensively, he appears suitable for centerfield, given his speed and above-average arm (84 mph).

+ Sandburg’s Jimmy Rybarczyk (2020) may have put up one of the best all-around stat lines of the day. Rybarczyk ran a 6.82 in the 60, threw it 88 mph from the outfield, and posted triple digits in exit velocity (100 mph off the tee). Rybarczyk has natural outfield actions that play through the baseball in stride, but his bat may be his most impressive tool. From the right side, he swings a loose and powerful bat with good timing and feel for the barrel. Currently a top-75 prospect in the state, don’t be surprised to see his stock rise this spring.

+ Speaking of triple digit exit velocities, Hersey’s Luke Picchiotti (2020) put up the top exit velocity of the day at 101 mph, and that was from the left side. The left/left outfielder is more that just a bat. At 6-foot, 190 pounds, he ran a 7.00 in the 60 and showed a playable arm and actions in the outfield.

+ One of the more impressive left-handed hitting outfielders on the day was 2021 Donavan Zielke (Oswego East). He’s a balanced line-drive hitter who hits in rhythm with loose hands and a short path.

+ Mark Brannigan (Marist) was easily the most athletic 2021 outfielder of the day. He’s a natural athlete at 6-foot, 150 pounds, and he ran a 6.81 while throwing it 84 mph from the outfield, to go along with an 82 mph exit velocity. He plays with quick actions and easy bat speed, providing plenty of untapped potential.

+ Here are a couple of 2022 bats to follow: the left-handed-hitting Patrick McBride (Lincoln-Way Central) and Aden Aukland (Joliet Catholic), who’s right-handed. Both showed above-average bat speed for their age and plenty of hitterish traits to follow as they get older.

RELATED CONTENT