Preseason All-State: Underclass Blast Motion Board
March 3, 2022
On Feb. 26, the PBR Illinois staff hosted the Preseason All-State: Underclass showcase at The MAX in McCook, Ill., featuring many of the state’s top players inside both the 2024 and 2025 classes. This event helped our staff gain a clearer picture of the on-the-rise underclassmen in Illinois, and we’ll begin to break down the excellent thoroughly today and throughout the week. Inside today’s Quick Hits post, we’re highlighting the best of the best – the talent that exited the event as with arrows pointed way up headed into the spring.
Earlier this week we published Quick Hits highlighting the top prospects of the event by class. We also rolled out a Statistical Analysis, bringing you a quick statistical analysis of those that participated in the event. We then dove deep into the data, looking at the pitch metrics and batted ball numbers from this event inside our TrackMan Files piece.
Today, with the help of our Blast Motion sensors, we're analyzing the swing metrics measured on Saturday at this high-caliber showcase.
Hand Speed (Peak & Average)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Hand Speed (max) |
1 | Ryan Sloan | IL | York | 2024 | RHP | 27.9 mph |
2 | Jackson Petsche | IL | Oswego East | 2024 | 1B | 26.2 mph |
3 | Andrew Kouris | IL | Nazareth Academy | 2025 | RHP | 26.1 mph |
4 | Matthew Zeman | IL | Montini Catholic | 2024 | OF | 25.9 mph |
5 | Chase Petersen | IL | Glenbrook North High School | 2025 | OF | 25.8 mph |
6 | Kenny Perez | IL | De La Salle | 2024 | SS | 25.6 mph |
7 | Talan Hull | IL | Galva | 2025 | OF | 25.5 mph |
8 | Vincent Ippolito | IL | Willowbrook High School | 2025 | C | 25.3 mph |
^ | AJ Putty | IL | Huntley | 2025 | 1B | 25.3 mph |
^ | Cody Freitas | IL | Bradley-Bourbonnais | 2025 | RHP | 25.3 mph |
9 | Bennett Summers | IL | Bloomington Central Catholic | 2024 | SS | 25.2 mph |
^ | James Love | IL | Joliet West | 2024 | 3B | 25.2 mph |
10 | Ashton Seymore | IL | Latin School of Chicago | 2024 | C | 25.0 mph |
^ | Tyler Bell | IL | Lincoln-Way East | 2024 | SS | 25.0 mph |
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Hand Speed (avg)
1
Ryan Sloan
IL
York
2024
RHP
26.4 mph
2
Andrew Kouris
IL
Nazareth Academy
2025
RHP
24.4 mph
3
AJ Putty
IL
Huntley
2025
1B
24.2 mph
4
Chase Petersen
IL
Glenbrook North High School
2025
OF
24.2 mph
5
Matthew Zeman
IL
Montini Catholic
2024
OF
24.1 mph
6
Jackson Petsche
IL
Oswego East
2024
1B
24.0 mph
Peak Hand Speed: The observed maximum speed as measured on the handle of the bat (measured six inches from the knob of the bat). Peak Hand Speed will occur prior to the moment of impact, very close to the commit time in the swing when the wrists unhinge.
Bat Speed (Average)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Bat Speed (avg)
1
Jackson Petsche
IL
Oswego East
2024
1B
79.3 mph
2
Ryan Sloan
IL
York
2024
RHP
76.2 mph
3
Jaden Obaldo
IL
Crystal Lake Central
2024
2B
76.0 mph
4
Chase Petersen
IL
Glenbrook North High School
2025
OF
75.2 mph
5
Keenan Oldani
IL
South Elgin
2024
OF
74.5 mph
6
Tyler Bell
IL
Lincoln-Way East
2024
SS
73.3 mph
7
Charlie Meister
IL
Hersey
2025
SS
72.5 mph
Bat Speed: The observed speed of the sweet spot of the bat at impact. The sweet spot of the bat is measured six inches from the tip of the bat.
Rotational Acceleration (Peak & Average)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Rot. Acc (max)
1
Dylan Nagle
IL
Lockport
2024
SS
34.7 g
2
Ryan Sloan
IL
York
2024
RHP
34.5 g
3
Kaleb Navarro
IL
De La Salle
2025
C
31.5 g
4
Kyle Hartmann
IL
Sycamore
2024
C
28.9 g
5
Anthony Xydakis
IL
Morris
2024
OF
28.4 g
6
Gavin Duran
IL
Harvest Christian
2024
SS
28.3 g
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Rot. Acc (avg)
1
Ryan Sloan
IL
York
2024
RHP
30.8 g
2
Dylan Nagle
IL
Lockport
2024
SS
28.6 g
3
Anthony Xydakis
IL
Morris
2024
OF
26.1 g
4
Brandon Stinson
IL
Kenwood Academy
2025
C
23.8 g
5
Gavin Duran
IL
Harvest Christian
2024
SS
23.7 g
6
Kyle Hartmann
IL
Sycamore
2024
C
23.2 g
7
Talan Hull
IL
Galva
2025
OF
22.7 g
Body Rotation: A swing that has the appropriate relative contributions of body and bat rotations is an efficient and Powerful swing that maintains proper sequencing. An efficient baseball swing is one in which the body creates the initial movements, which is then transferred to the arms and out to the bat, thereby maximizing Bat Speed through this proximal-to-distal kinematic sequencing movement pattern.
For a complete look at each of the statistics measured at this showcase, CLICK HERE.