On Feb. 26, the PBR Illinois staff hosted the Preseason All-State: Upperclass 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 state’s junior class, featuring a number of the top uncommitted players inside the state’s Class of 2023. 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 Niedzwiedz	IL	West Aurora	2023	SS	27.3 mph
2	Jaden Correa	IL	De La Salle	2023	SS	26.9 mph
3	Gavin Parkerson	IL	Armstrong	2023	RHP	26.7 mph
4	Omar Alday Jr	IL	St. Rita	2023	SS	26.5 mph
5	Clay Schrader	IL	Naperville Central	2023	OF	26.4 mph
6	Joe Chiarelli	IL	Downers Grove North	2023	SS	26.1 mph
^	EZRA MOORE	IL	Oak Park-River Forest	2023	SS	26.1 mph
7	Carter Storti	IL	Lemont	2023	SS	26.0 mph
8	Rocco Tenuta	IL	St. Francis	2023	SS	25.5 mph
^	Henry Wolfe	IL	New Trier	2023	C	25.5 mph
^	Sheppard Graf	IL	Lake Forest	2023	3B	25.5 mph
9	Dalton Miller	IL	Quincy Notre Dame	2023	1B	25.2 mph
^	Christian Graves	IL	Jacobs	2023	3B	25.2 mph
10	Cristian Ruiz	IL	Oak Lawn	2023	SS	25.1 mph
^	Donald Tober	IL	Timothy Christian	2023	RHP	25.1 mph

Rank	Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Hand Speed (avg)
1	Ryan Niedzwiedz	IL	West Aurora	2023	SS	26.2 mph
2	Clay Schrader	IL	Naperville Central	2023	OF	25.5 mph
3	Gavin Parkerson	IL	Armstrong	2023	RHP	25.4 mph
4	Carter Storti	IL	Lemont	2023	SS	25.1 mph
5	Jaden Correa	IL	De La Salle	2023	SS	25.0 mph
6	Omar Alday Jr	IL	St. Rita	2023	SS	24.7 mph
7	Henry Wolfe	IL	New Trier	2023	C	24.6 mph
8	Dalton Miller	IL	Quincy Notre Dame	2023	1B	24.5 mph
9	Joe Chiarelli	IL	Downers Grove North	2023	SS	24.1 mph
10	Luke Stulga	IL	St. Laurence	2023	OF	24.1 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)

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)

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.

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