Prep Baseball Report

Preseason All-State, Underclass: Positional Data Dive


Kevin Cronin
Tech Analyst, Area Scout

On Feb. 25, 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 2025 and 2026 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.

Last week, we took a closer look at some of the immediate standouts who caught our attention with our Quick Hits. Yesterday, we published our statistical analysis, where we broke down the stat leaders from the more traditional categories. Today, we will take a further in-depth look at the top positional players with the help of our tech partnerships, broken down by the categories down below: 

SYNCRO ATHLETIC TESTING

60-YARD DASH

Rank Name State School Class Pos 60-yard
1 Logan Fernandez IL Mount Carmel 2026 OF 6.78
2 Connor Lund IL South Elgin High School 2025 OF 6.82
3 Trey Meyers IL New Trier 2025 OF 6.83
4 Karlos Otero IL Romeoville 2025 SS 6.85
5 Blaine Williams IL Tremont 2025 C 6.91
6 John McAuliffe IL Marist 2025 C 6.92
7 Ethan Bass IL Glenbrook North 2026 SS 6.96
^ Nolan Ramoley IL Brother Rice 2026 OF 6.96
^ Gavin Powels IL Downers Grove South 2025 OF 6.96
8 Patrick Connors IL Hinsdale Central 2026 OF 7.00
^ Logan Wroughton IL Mount Carmel 2026 SS 7.00
^ Gavin Michaels IL Normal University 2026 SS 7.00
9 Zach Rubin IL Antioch 2026 SS 7.01
10 Frank Costabile IL Stevenson 2026 OF 7.02

10-YARD SPLIT

Rank Name State School Class Pos 10-yd
1 Cole Lockwood IL Libertyville 2025 SS 1.64 s
^ John McAuliffe IL Marist 2025 C 1.64 s
2 Trey Meyers IL New Trier 2025 OF 1.66 s
^ Gavin Powels IL Downers Grove South 2025 OF 1.66 s
3 Quinn Schambow IL Libertyville 2025 C 1.68 s
4 Logan Fernandez IL Mount Carmel 2026 OF 1.69 s
^ Jack Wheeler IL Morris 2025 3B 1.69 s
5 Connor Lund IL South Elgin High School 2025 OF 1.70 s

PEAK VERTICAL JUMP

Rank Name State School Class Pos Jump Height (max)
1 Remo Indomenico IL St. Ignatius 2025 LHP 36.7
2 Jack Bauer IL Lincoln-Way East 2025 LHP 35.2
3 John McAuliffe IL Marist 2025 C 34.3
4 Haiden Lajcin IL Mount Carmel 2026 OF 33.5
5 Blaine Williams IL Tremont 2025 C 32.9
^ Ethan Bass IL Glenbrook North 2026 SS 32.9
6 Nolan Ramoley IL Brother Rice 2026 OF 32.6
7 Easton Newman IL Deerfield 2026 SS 32.4
8 Dominic Holton IL NOTRE DAME COLLEGE PREP 2025 SS 32.2
9 Kolin Adams IL Mount Carmel 2025 OF 32.0
10 Joe Olson IL St. Laurence 2025 LHP 31.4

Traditionally, the 60-yard dash has been the in-event standard to help measure a player's speed tool. While the measurement still has its utility, the 10-yard split has started to become more and more applicable in determining the player's burst and reaction time in-game, whether that's in the outfield or on the basepaths.

The ability to develop force quickly is a requisite ability in most sports. The reactive strength index (RSI) has been developed as a measure of explosive strength and is derived by evaluating jump height divided by ground contact time during the depth jump. Regarding vertical jumps and its application to baseball, there have been studies conducted that show a correlation between max jump height for an athlete and their ability to generate power and strength, especially on the mound.

 


 

TRACKMAN

EXIT VELOCITY (MAX)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Exit Velocity (max)
1 TJ McQuillan IL Mount Carmel 2026 3B 102.6 mph
2 Enzo Infelise IL Providence Catholic 2025 C 101.5 mph
3 Jimmy Downs IL Kenwood Academy 2025 3B 101.4 mph
4 Xander Metke IL Brother Rice 2025 1B 100.9 mph
5 Ethan Bass IL Glenbrook North 2026 SS 100.5 mph
6 Conor Essenburg IL Lincoln-Way West 2025 1B 100.4 mph
7 Benjamin Mitchell IL Harvest Christian 2025 C 99.3 mph
8 Henry Murray IL Lane Technical High School 2025 OF 99.1 mph
9 Timmy Leark IL Oak Park River Forest 2025 OF 98.2 mph
10 Addison Latko IL DEPAUL COLLEGE PREP 2026 C 98.0 mph

EXIT VELOCITY (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Exit Velocity (avg)
1 Conor Essenburg IL Lincoln-Way West 2025 1B 95.5 mph
2 TJ McQuillan IL Mount Carmel 2026 3B 95.0 mph
3 Jack Wheeler IL Morris 2025 3B 94.2 mph
4 Dylan Kassab IL Hinsdale Central 2026 C 93.4 mph
5 Henry Murray IL Lane Technical High School 2025 OF 93.1 mph
6 Gael Urbieta IL loyola academy 2025 C 93.1 mph
7 Benjamin Mitchell IL Harvest Christian 2025 C 93.0 mph
8 Jimmy Downs IL Kenwood Academy 2025 3B 92.8 mph
9 Xander Metke IL Brother Rice 2025 1B 92.8 mph
10 Davian Villalobos IL CHICAGO HOPE ACADEMY 2025 1B 91.8 mph

Exit Velocity: This metric measures the speed of the ball, measured in miles per hour, as it comes off the bat at the moment of contact.

BATTED BALL DISTANCE (MAX)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Distance (max)
1 Enzo Infelise IL Providence Catholic 2025 C 385 ft
2 Henry Murray IL Lane Technical High School 2025 OF 370 ft
3 Benjamin Mitchell IL Harvest Christian 2025 C 362 ft
4 Conor Essenburg IL Lincoln-Way West 2025 1B 354 ft
5 AJ Putty IL Huntley 2025 1B 352 ft
6 Derrick Holmes IL Brother Rice 2025 OF 351 ft
7 Dylan Kassab IL Hinsdale Central 2026 C 350 ft
8 Ethan Bass IL Glenbrook North 2026 SS 349 ft
9 Addison Latko IL DEPAUL COLLEGE PREP 2026 C 348 ft
10 Anthony Chavez IL Mount Carmel 2026 1B 346 ft

SWEET SPOT%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Sweet Spot %
1 Davian Villalobos IL CHICAGO HOPE ACADEMY 2025 1B 100 %
^ Phillip Thigpen IL Kenwood 2025 SS 100 %
2 Derrick Holmes IL Brother Rice 2025 OF 87 %
^ Timmy Leark IL Oak Park River Forest 2025 OF 87 %
^ Karlos Otero IL Romeoville 2025 SS 87 %
^ Angel Castro IL DE LA SALLE INSTITUTE - INSTITUTE CAMPUS 2025 C 87 %
^ Ximi Baftiri IL Morris 2025 SS 87 %
3 Luke Yolich IL Whitney Young 2025 SS 85 %
^ Braden Deverman IL Normal University 2025 RHP 85 %
^ Zach Rubin IL Antioch 2026 SS 85 %
^ Aidan Nohava IL Brother Rice 2025 3B 85 %
^ Logan Wroughton IL Mount Carmel 2026 SS 85 %
^ Christian Clark IL St. Rita 2025 SS 85 %
^ Paddy Roth IL St. Patrick 2026 RHP 85 %
^ Isaiah Giganti IL Normal University 2026 3B 85 %
^ Enzo Infelise IL Providence Catholic 2025 C 85 %
^ Jason Duy IL Minooka 2026 SS 85 %

Sweet Spot percentage: This metric is determined by how often the player produces a batted ball during the session with a launch angle between 8 to 32 degrees.

 


 

BLAST MOTION

HAND SPEED (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Hand Speed (avg)
1 Anthony Chavez IL Mount Carmel 2026 1B 24.3 mph
2 Ian Kelly IL Huntley 2026 OF 24.0 mph
3 Cole Latimer IL Dekalb 2026 OF 23.1 mph
4 Xander Metke IL Brother Rice 2025 1B 23.1 mph
5 Conor Essenburg IL Lincoln-Way West 2025 1B 23.1 mph

Hand Speed: The observed 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 (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Bat Speed (avg)
1 Dylan Kassab IL Hinsdale Central 2026 C 78.7 mph
2 Conor Essenburg IL Lincoln-Way West 2025 1B 77.5 mph
3 AJ Putty IL Huntley 2025 1B 75.9 mph
4 Ethan Bass IL Glenbrook North 2026 SS 74.9 mph
5 Jimmy Downs IL Kenwood Academy 2025 3B 74.9 mph
6 Henry Murray IL Lane Technical High School 2025 OF 74.6 mph
7 Benjamin Mitchell IL Harvest Christian 2025 C 74.5 mph
8 Xander Metke IL Brother Rice 2025 1B 74.2 mph
9 Hayden Bernreuter IL Triad 2025 OF 74.2 mph
10 Addison Latko IL DEPAUL COLLEGE PREP 2026 C 73.8 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 (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Rot. Acc (avg)
1 Anthony Chavez IL Mount Carmel 2026 1B 30.7 g
2 Ian Kelly IL Huntley 2026 OF 23.2 g
3 Xander Metke IL Brother Rice 2025 1B 22.3 g
4 Blaine Williams IL Tremont 2025 C 22.1 g
5 Kaleb Navarro IL De La Salle 2025 C 21.6 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.

 


 

VIZUAL EDGE

EDGE SCORE

Rank Name State School Class Pos Edge Score
1 Gavin Triezenberg IL Brother Rice 2025 SS 92.06
2 Logan Fernandez IL Mount Carmel 2026 OF 86.91
3 Connor Lund IL South Elgin High School 2025 OF 83.28
4 Kolin Adams IL Mount Carmel 2025 OF 82.53
5 Daniel Coyle IL St. Laurence 2026 3B 82.07
6 Nehemiah Torres IL Glenbrook North 2026 SS 81.88
7 Tyler Trapp IL Lane Tech 2025 SS 81.83
8 Michael Langan IL Neuqua Valley 2025 3B 81.81
9 Jaxson Crancer IL Normal West 2026 CF 80.83
10 Drew Stevens IL Normal Community 2026 C 80.34

The Edge Score is a comprehensive score out of 100 that takes the core-six visual skills into account, providing athletes, parents, coaches and scouts with a benchmark number for assessing an athlete’s overall visual ability. In general the higher the Edge Score, the higher chance of athletic success. Think of the Edge Score as the 'Sixth Metric' in the standard Five-Tools that make up a ball player.

The average Edge Score for the 2020 MLB Draft Class was 79.3 (of hitters who completed a Vizual Edge test). MLB players we've worked with typically show stronger scores, with elite hitters scoring consistently above 87.0 on their Edge Score.

+ CLICK HERE for a look at the complete statistics from the event.

RELATED CONTENT