Prep Baseball Report

McHenry Preseason I.D.: Statistical Analysis


By Diego Solares & Andy Sroka
Illinois Staff

On Jan. 31, the PBR Illinois team hosted its first showcase of the new year: the McHenry Preseason I.D. For the past five years, this event has provided our staff with an opportunity to evaluate high school-aged prospects from Northern Illinois, primarily. The McHenry event has historically revealed to us some of the area’s top talent, and this year was no different.

If you missed us in McHenry, check out our showcase page to see when we’re in the neighborhood next.

On Monday, our staff collaborated to highlight the biggest takeaways from Sunday’s showcase, and we published them within this Quick Hits piece. Throughout the rest of this week, we’ll be taking diving deeper into all of the data we collected, too, with the help of our Blast Motion and TrackMan devices.

Today, we’re looking at our traditional leaderboards, from home-to-first measurements to pop times, and everything in between.

TOP HOME-TO-FIRST TIME

Rank Name State School Class Pos H-1st
1 Jake Metze IL Johnsburg 2023 OF 3.90
2 Dylan Harer IL St. Viator 2023 OF 3.97
3 Brandon Schultz IL Stevenson 2024 OF 4.01
4 Drew Seidel IL Fremd 2022 SS 4.12
5 Lucas Foley IL Lake Zurich 2023 LHP 4.17
6 Alexander Tagler IL Lemont 2022 C 4.18
7 Joey Garlin IL Huntley 2023 OF 4.19
8 J.R. Nelson IL Stevenson 2023 SS 4.25
^ Jake Zitella IL St. Charles East 2023 3B 4.25
9 Aidan Alig IL Crystal Lake Central 2022 SS 4.26
^ Logan Wirtz IL McHenry 2022 OF 4.26
^ Austin Leonard IL Hampshire 2023 C 4.26

OF Jake Metze (Johnsburg, 2023) ran the fastest home-to-first time of the event at 3.90 seconds. He's a quick-twitch athlete who showed his athleticism in multiple facets on Sunday. Clocking in at a few ticks behind him was OF/INF Dylan Harer (St. Viator, 2023), who’s a lanky and projectable 6-foot, 168-pound left-handed hitter with upside levers. LHP/OF Brandon Schultz (Stevenson, 2024) emerged as a high-follow prospect in the state’s 2024 class after an all-around impressive showcase performance, including his 4.01 second home-to-first time.

MAX FASTBALL VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos Max FB
1 Tyler Deleskiewicz WI Lake Geneva Badger 2022 RHP 91 mph
2 Jameson Sheehan IL Cary Grove 2022 RHP 90 mph
3 Jacob Filip IL Lakes Community 2022 C 89 mph
^ Andrew Ressler IL Huntley 2023 RHP 89 mph
^ Kyle Kaempf IL McHenry 2022 RHP 89 mph
^ Adam Guazzo IL Huntley 2022 RHP 89 mph
4 Ryan Kelly IL Huntley 2022 C 87 mph
^ Sam Pritchard IL Grayslake North 2022 RHP 87 mph
5 Brandon Schultz IL Stevenson 2024 OF 86 mph
^ Nathan Chapman IL Jacobs 2022 RHP 86 mph
6 Rick Powell IL McHenry 2021 OF 85 mph
^ Lleyton Grubich IL McHenry 2023 LHP 85 mph
7 Chris Rogers IL Grayslake Central 2023 LHP 84 mph
^ jake swanson IL Grant 2023 LHP 84 mph
^ Ian Boal IL Johnsburg 2023 LHP 84 mph

We saw a plethora of high-octane arms show out at Sunday’s event and arguably one of the Midwest’s top uncommitted juniors led the way: RHP Tyler Deleskiewicz (Badger, WI, 2022). The lanky 6-foot-5, 210-pound right-hander showed well in several different looks last summer, including at the PBR Future Games, and he continues to trend upward as a prospect. Deleskiewicz exclusively sat 89-90 mph with his fastball and his lone 91 mph bullet was the hardest we saw of the day.

The day's other 90 mph max was delivered by another 2022 right-hander: Jameson Sheehan (Cary-Grove). Built at a strong, barrel-chested 6-foot-4, 190-pounds, Sheehan came away as one of the event’s biggest winners. He sat at low-effort 87-89 mph and reared back to touch 90 on his last pitch of the day. Sheehan can really spin his fastball too, nearing a max spin rate of 2,600 rpm, averaging over 2,400-plus.

RHP Jacob Filip (Lakes Community) was a true breakout performer on the day, in his PBR event debut. The arm strength that the 6-foot, 180-pound Filip possesses both on the mound and in the field is impressive. He’s still fully harnessing control for his impressive fastball, but he touched 89 mph on his second pitch and sat at 86-88 throughout.

Three arms from the competitive Fox Valley Conference each tied for third on this particular leaderboard. Ranked inside the top-100 prospects in Illinois’ 2022 class, RHP/INF Kyle Kaempf (McHenry) is a wiry, upside athlete who filled up the zone with a mid- to upper-80s fastball that topped 89 mph. A duo of Huntley arms also reached an 89 mph: RHP Adam Guazzo (2022) and RHP Andrew Ressler (2023). Guazzo has made quite the jump into the high-80s mph range from last July when we saw him sitting 82-83 mph at our Class of 2022 Showcase. As for Ressler, he continues to show why he’s one of the state’s top sophomore arms. On Sunday, he was operating in the upper-80s on cruise control, and he reached back for an 89 mph high. Both are capable of becoming key members of a Red Raiders rotation that’s, once again, projecting to be very deep.

MAX EXIT VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos Exit Velo
1 Ryan Bakes IL Huntley 2023 C 97
2 Dylan Bass IL Glenbrook North 2022 OF 96
^ Jacob Buysse IL Mundelein 2022 1B 96
3 Jake Zitella IL St. Charles East 2023 3B 95
^ Zachary Pyles WA Oak Harbor 2024 1B 95
4 Jacob Filip IL Lakes Community 2022 C 94
^ Tyler Deleskiewicz WI Lake Geneva Badger 2022 RHP 94
5 Ryan Kelly IL Huntley 2022 C 93
6 Brayden Bakes IL Huntley 2023 OF 92
^ Ryan Kempf IL Crystal Lake Central 2022 C 92
7 Joshua Ortiz IN Portage 2022 RHP 91
^ jake swanson IL Grant 2023 LHP 91
^ Michael Vitellaro IL Huntley 2022 LHP 91
^ Alexander Tagler IL Lemont 2022 C 91
^ Kiefer Tarnoki IL Sycamore 2023 OF 91

C Ryan Bakes (Huntley, 2023; South Carolina commit) is a high-end, nationally ranked prospect in this sophomore class, and you’ll find his name at the top of several statistical leaderboards from this event, including this category. Bakes recorded the day's hardest-hit ball, at 97 mph, and we'll spend some time later in the week evaluating his massive strength and offensive profile in our TrackMan and Blast breakdowns.

Two more physical right-handed hitters from the 2022 class each registered max exit speed a mere tick below Bakes' best: OF Dylan Bass (Glenbrook North) and 1B Jacob Buysse (Mundelein). They both took loud rounds of batting practice, respectively, and their TrackMan numbers support impressive bat strength harnessed within their right-handed strokes. A noteworthy power prospect in the state’s 2024 class, C/3B Zachary Pyles (Warren Township), also landed near the top of this chart. A former Junior Future Games participant, Pyles' 95 mph high translated inside of his round of batting practice too, helping him become a follow freshman moving forward.

MAX OUTFIELD VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos OF Velo
1 jake swanson IL Grant 2023 LHP 90
2 Rick Powell IL McHenry 2021 OF 89
^ Ian Boal IL Johnsburg 2023 LHP 89
3 Hunter Parkman IL Grant 2021 RHP 88
^ Lleyton Grubich IL McHenry 2023 LHP 88
4 Beau McBride IL New Trier 2024 LHP 87
^ Logan Wirtz IL McHenry 2022 OF 87
5 Dylan Bass IL Glenbrook North 2022 OF 86
6 Dylan Sayles IL Hononegah 2022 C 85
^ Jake Metze IL Johnsburg 2023 OF 85
7 Chris Danko IL York 2024 OF 84
^ Liam Arnold IL Palatine 2024 RHP 84

One 2023 prospect who impressed in multiple facets on Sunday: LHP/OF Jake Swanson (Grant Community). After a quality round of batting practice, Swanson transitioned into his defensive workout and showed off a loose, lively arm that topped out at 90 mph on his top throw to home. That wiry arm strength translated to the mound later on in his workout, where he reached an 84 mph high, sitting at an easy 82-84 mph with his fastball. LHP/OF Ian Boal (Johnsburg) is another impressive two-way 2023 in the state, and he also recorded a noteworthy 89 mph high to home, tied with McHenry junior Rick Powell (2022). Powell himself is a follow, well-rounded athlete with quick-twitch actions throughout.

OF Beau McBride (New Trier) has strength attached to his game, producing power potential from the left-handed batter's box, while also recording the day's firmest throws amongst the freshmen in attendance.

MAX INFIELD VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos INF Velo
1 Kyle Kaempf IL McHenry 2022 RHP 87
^ Logan Voelz FL Wiregrass Ranch 2024 RHP 87
2 Tyler Deleskiewicz WI Lake Geneva Badger 2022 RHP 86
3 Jake Zitella IL St. Charles East 2023 3B 85
^ Andrew Ressler IL Huntley 2023 RHP 85
4 J.R. Nelson IL Stevenson 2023 SS 84
5 Joseph Taylor IL Grant 2022 SS 83
6 Joey Garlin IL Huntley 2023 OF 82
7 Ryan Polly IL Sycamore 2023 RHP 81
^ Brendan Whalen IL Grayslake Central 2022 RHP 81
^ Cole Kersten IL McHenry Community 2022 3B 81
^ Josh Good IL Huntley 2022 2B 81

Tied for the max infield velocity lead are two rising prospects within their respective classes: RHP/INF Kyle Kaempf (McHenry, 2022) and 3B/RHP Logan Voelz (Antioch, 2024). Kaempf is a high-waisted, upside 6-foot-1, 160-pound athlete with loose, wiry arm strength attached to his frame. His arm works in multiple ways on the diamond, touching 87 mph across the infield and running his fastball up to 89 mph in his bullpen later on. Voelz appears to have added significant strength since we saw him last March, and that increased physicality led to an 11 mph jump in infield velocity in less than a year. The aforementioned Deleskiewicz and Ressler showed that their arm strength from the mound can play on the field too, coming in third and fourth, respectively, on this leaderboard.

Physical 3B Jake Zitella (St. Charles East, 2023) was also 85 mph across, and his improved lateral quickness will help him continue to project at the hot corner long-term.

And J.R. Nelson (Stevenson, 2023) is reiterating his status as one of the state's top sophomore defenders. His feet and hands are a cut above, and his arm strength only further enhances his up-the-middle defensive profile.

MAX CATCHER VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos C Velo
1 Ryan Bakes IL Huntley 2023 C 84
2 Jacob Filip IL Lakes Community 2022 C 81
3 Ryan Kelly IL Huntley 2022 C 79
4 Dylan Sayles IL Hononegah 2022 C 77
^ Connor Rodgers IL McHenry 2022 C 77
^ Mason Rasmussen IL Barrington 2022 C 77

Ryan Bakes led this deep group of talented backstops by recording multiple throws from the chute at 80-plus mph, and his best reached an elite 84 mph mark – with accuracy to the bag.

Previously mentioned for his work on the mound, Filip’s arm plays up from behind the plate too, topping out at 81 mph through the infield. A prospect who emerged as a follow name in the state’s 2022 class: C/RHP Ryan Kelly (Huntley). Kelly took one of the event’s most physical BP rounds, routinely working on the barrel for multiple batted balls measured at 90-plus mph. That physicality works from behind the dish as well, as he reached a 79 mph high to second base, and he later ran his fastball up to 87 mph from the mound.

TOP POP times

Rank Name State School Class Pos Pop Time
1 Ryan Bakes IL Huntley 2023 C 1.93-1.98
2 Jacob Filip IL Lakes Community 2022 C 1.97-2.11
3 Alexander Tagler IL Lemont 2022 C 1.97-2.15
4 Ryan Kelly IL Huntley 2022 C 2.00-2.16
5 Austin Leonard IL Hampshire 2023 C 2.03-2.16
6 Ryan Hamilton IL Hononegah 2023 C 2.04-2.37
7 Dylan Sayles IL Hononegah 2022 C 2.07-2.18
8 Ryan Kempf IL Crystal Lake Central 2022 C 2.09-2.18
9 Noah Riley IL Cary Grove 2022 OF 2.11-2.19
10 Connor Rodgers IL McHenry 2022 C 2.11-2.26
11 Elijah Varble IL Rockford Christian 2023 1B 2.12-2.23

Outside of their advanced arm strength, both Bakes and Filip possess quick catch-and-throw skills that led to consistent sub-2.00 pop times. Lemont’s Alexander Tagler (2022) is another intriguing prospect to follow from Sunday’s deep crop of backstops. His nimble feet and quick trigger release allow for smooth, accurate throws down to the bag. Kelly's arm strength helped him record some of the day's lowest pops as well. And sophomore Austin Leonard (Hampshire, 2023) took an above-average round of catcher defense for us, popping in the low 2.00s, and he also swings a barrel feel right-handed bat that uses the whole field efficiently.

For a complete look at each of the statistics measured at Sunday's showcaseCLICK HERE.

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